Kiir Fires Foreign Affairs Minister Goc over Deportation Dispute

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir (Alamy/File)

The crisis stemmed from the South Sudanese embassy in Washington, where an emergency travel document was processed for a deportee Makula Kintu, who was later determined in Juba to be a Congolese.

A similar political action awaits the South Sudan ambassador in Washington according to sources in Juba.

The South Sudan President Salva Kiir on Wednesday evening fired his Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister, Ramadan Mohammed Abdallah Goc, a few days after a deportation dispute with the U.S. resulting in the revocation of visas for all South Sudanese passport holders.

A presidential decree was aired on the national broadcaster, SSBC replacing Goc with his former deputy, Monday Semaya Kumba.

The political action taken against Goc follows a diplomatic row that resulted in South Sudan accepting a deportee from the U.S. who turned out to be a Congolese.
Mr. Makula Kintu, upon arrival and interview at Juba International Airport, was determined to be a DRC national and was denied entry twice.

However, the South Sudan embassy in Washington had already processed for him an emergency travel document, making it difficult for Juba to challenge the U.S. in the dispute.

On Tuesday, the government of South Sudan accepted to admit the deportee and “respectfully” appealed to the U.S. to rescind the blanket visa revocation for all South Sudanese passport holders.

A statement from the office of the powerful vice president, Benjamin Bol Mel expressed regret for the earlier denial of admission to the deportee.

“The Government of South Sudan through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MFA) and the Department of Immigration remain steadfast in working amicably to resolve the matter relating to the deportation of Mr Kinitu Makula, a Congolese national also known as Nimeri Garang, which regrettably resulted in the refusal of South Sudanese immigration officials to grant the deportee admission despite the agreement of the government of South Sudan through its Embassy in Washington D.C. which issued the Emergency Travel Document,”

Adding: “South Sudan’s Government respectfully urges the United States government to revoke its recent decision to cancel all visas issued to South Sudanese passport holders.”

According to Sources in Juba, the incident infuriated Kiir administration and even the South Sudan head of mission in Washington, Dr. Santino Watod Dicken is likely to face a similar political consequence.

Source: https://chimpreports.com/kiir-fires-foreign-affairs-minister-goc-over-deportation-dispute/