South Sudanese security authorities have detained several Sudanese refugees in Rumbek, Lakes State, over their failure to pay $90 residency fees, according to a statement from the Sudanese community in the city.
Those detained on Monday included Sudanese community leader Saddam Dosa and several traditional leaders, among them Mohamed Ismail, deputy to the Zaghawa sultan, Sultan Hashim of the Masalit community and Sultan Dabanga of the Tunjur community.
The Sudanese community said the detainees hold refugee cards issued by the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR. Some were transferred to Aweil in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, where they could face deportation to Sudan, according to the statement.
Authorities reportedly said the arrests were linked to failure to pay a $90 immigration or residency card fee. The refugees said they were unable to afford the charge because of their difficult economic circumstances.
The community appealed to the South Sudanese government and international organisations to intervene, secure the detainees’ release and waive the fees for Sudanese refugees facing severe financial hardship.
South Sudan has received more than one million refugees, returnees and other arrivals from Sudan since war erupted there in April 2023, according to United Nations figures.
Many Sudanese refugees and returnees face difficult living conditions, including limited access to basic services, high living costs and scarce employment opportunities, particularly those living in towns and cities outside formal refugee camps.
