Vitter sends letter to South Sudan officials on behalf of detained Slidell man - News Banner

State Sen. David Vitter sent a letter to South

Sudanese officials

Thursday requesting

“immediate action” in the

case of a Slidell man who

has been detained in the

republic since Oct. 14 on

what has been deemed false

charges.

Meanwhile, the man’s

wife remains hopeful at the

family’s home in the

Country Club subdivision

of Slidell.

Anne McCabe says her

husband, 52-year-old Elton

Mark McCabe, has health

issues that concern her and

even said her husband had

a massive heart attack in

December 2011. When

McCabe couldn’t find work

on the Northshore he

teamed up with a friend of

his who claimed it “was like

the gold rush” in South

Sudan. According to

McCabe’s wife, Mark

McCabe and the friend

were getting ready to start

up an Internet company

when the whole ordeal

unfolded.

For the past two weeks,

Vitter has been in contact

with the U.S. State

Department and Embassy

officials regarding

McCabe’s

d e t a i n -

ment.

“It is

completely

unacceptable

that

our U.S.

Em b a s s y

was not

informed immediately of

his detention, despite the

requirements of the Vienna

Conventions on Consular

and Diplomatic Relations,

but only learned of his case

through unofficial channels,”

Vitter wrote to South

Sudan President Salva Kiir

Mayardit.

Mark McCabe had previously

traveled to Sudan

before being detained for

allegedly being in connection

with the kidnapping of

an Indian businessman. He

had attended a business

summit. When nothing

came out of the summit he

headed home but on Aug. 8

he left for Sudan again.

According to Anne

McCabe, her husband

“Mark” was well aware of

the dangers in South Sudan

but had no idea it would

come from the Sudanese

government.

Vitter says he and others

are especially troubled over

the fact that McCabe was

released on bail Nov. 1 but

was immediately detained

again by South Sudanese

National Security Service.

He was later transferred to

Juba Central Prison Nov. 7.

“Such actions lend an air

of political manipulation to

this case, when it should be

decided solely on the merits

or complete lack thereof,”

Vitter said in his letter. “To

date, no evidence has been

presented to substantiate

the charges against him.”

Vitter said that McCabe’s

continued detention prevents

him from accessing

proper medical treatment

for “a life-threatening condition,

which continues to

worsen each day.”

“An American physician

has confirmed the gravity of

Mr. McCabe’s condition,”

Vitter wrote.

In his letter to Kiir, Vitter

called the circumstances

serious and told the

Sudanese President that he

expects the appropriate

action to be taken immediately,

including but not limited

to “all specific requests

already made by the

American Ambassador.”

“The U.S. Congress has

taken note of this and other

recent violations of human

rights by elements of your

government,” Vitter said.

“Congress joins the rest of

the U.S. government and

the international community

in urging South Sudan to

respect the human rights of

both its own citizens and

foreigners.”

The letter also stated

expectations for due

process, as guaranteed by

the laws of South Sudan,

including international law

such as Article 9 of the 1948

Universal Declaration of

Human Rights, which says

no one shall be subjected to

arbitrary arrest, detention

or exile.

“I specifically request

talking to you by phone

regarding this matter. This

can be arranged through

Ambassador Susan Page at

the U.S. Embassy in Juba,”

Vitter said in concluding

the letter.

The matter has taken a

toll on McCabe’s family and

friends in the Slidell area.

“I know Mark’s family

and am following this situation

closely. I’ve spoken

with both Sen. Vitter and

Congressman Scalise, and I

am confident they are doing

all they can to ensure his

safe return, as well. Please

keep Mark and his family in

your prayers,” said Slidell

Chief of Police Randy

Smith. According to Anne

McCabe, her husband is

scheduled to appear in

court Nov. 22 but can only

be represented by an attorney

who is licensed to practice

law in South Sudan.