Prominent activist condemns ‘unacceptable’ deportation of Ethiopian, Eritrean migrants

JUBA – South Sudan’s prominent activist and Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) Edmund Yakani has condemned today’s government deportation of Ethiopian and Eritrean migrants the government said have entered the country illegally.

The director-general of nationality, passports and immigration Gen. Atem Marol Biar said during a press conference in Juba on Wednesday that the government has deported at least 20 Eritrean and Ethiopian nationals it said entered the country from Sudan without proper documentation.

Activists including Yakani have recently appealed to the president and the ministry of interior to intervene because the deportation of the migrants means put their safety at risk in their home countries as they told the government that they would be prosecuted once they arrived.

In a statement this afternoon, Yakani condemned the act and described it as unacceptable.

“CEPO stronger condemns and so disappointed by the act of our government deporting 20 refugees from the country,” Yakani said in the statement extended to Sudans Post.

“The Ethiopian and Eritrean are back in their respective countries after calls for the government to stop the deportation of the refugees,” he added.

The prominent activist said the deportation is a violation of human rights and stain the image of the world’s youngest country in a very bad standing in respect to human rights protection.

“This is human rights violations and totally unacceptable act gives bad image to our country as matter of refugees protection as safety and security is concern,” Yakani said.

“This act is disturbing and demonstrating lack of respect for human rights,” he added.