KAMPALA – South Sudanese security officials on Monday temporarily detained and eventually prevented four national staff working for the United Nations Mission in the country (UNMISS) from leaving Juba airport after confiscating their passports and identity cards.
The four were among nearly 30 officials heading for a training organised in Uganda. They were to travel on the mission’s aircraft. The detained staff were only set free after senior UNMISS officials reportedly intervened and brought them back to the UN compound.
Joe Contreras, the acting UNMISS spokesperson confirmed the incident, saying two other national staff of the mission faced similar treatment at the airport on Tuesday.
“The mission is seeking clarification from the authorities on the grounds for the confiscation of the staff members’ passports and for preventing their travel. The staff members were traveling on UN official business to undergo training at the UN regional support centre in Entebbe”, he told Sudan Tribune Wednesday.
Contreras further said UNMISS was not given any legal explanation or reasons why its national staff were barred from their official travel, but later confirmed that the confiscated passports and identity cards were eventually released by the authorities…
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