The United States of America (USA) has issued another drastic order revoking Visas issued to all South Sudanese passport holders.
The statement issued by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed that the decision was a respond to African nation who refuse to accept its citizens who have been removed from the US.
“The United States is revoking visas for South Sudanese passport holders because the country’s transitional government has not accepted citizens who were expelled from the U.S” the statement partly read.
The US official expressed that the decision will be review when Transitional Government of National Unity respond to the demands.
South Sudan Government is yet to comment, however some of the South Sudanese residing in United States said that the US decision is beyond the reason stated in the statement.
On separate statement, a civil society Activist called on the United States of America to reconsider Visa restriction on South Sudan citing that it affects the innocent South Sudanese.
Ter Manyang, The Executive Director for Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA) expressed that Visa ban affected many South Sudanese who are not part of decision making.
“As a human rights organization, we call upon the U.S. Department of State to reconsider its decision. Punishing innocent citizens for the wrongdoings of a corrupt elites who exploit the country’s resources is unjust” he said
“The U.S., as a global contributor in promoting peace, security, human rights, the rule of law, and democracy, should set an example by not allowing the actions of a few individuals to harm the broader population of South Sudan” he added.
He expressed that US can punish individuals but not the entire country adding that Visas restriction would be a disaster on South Sudanese.
On 8 March, the US ordered all its non-emergency staff in South Sudan to leave as regional fighting broke out, threatening a fragile peace deal agreed in 2018.
South Sudanese in the US were previously granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which allows them to remain in the US for a set period of time but its due to expire by 3 May.
South Sudan, the world’s newest nation, gained independence in 2011 after seceding from Sudan.
A 2018 power-sharing agreement between the two stopped the fighting, but key elements of the deal have not been implemented – including a new constitution, an election and the reunification of armed groups into a single army.
