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Two South Sudanese opposition members risk deportation to the conflict-ridden country after they were detained by Kenyan authorities in Nairobi, a human rights body has said.
At the same time, South Sudan rebels are accusing the Kenyan police and intelligence agencies of collaborating with officials in Juba to capture their members in Nairobi and send them back to their home country where they face torture and possible death.
This follows the arrest of a human rights lawyer Dong Samuel and that of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement –In-Opposition (SPLM/SPLA –IO) political bureau member Aggrey Idri by Kenyan authorities.
“Dong Samuel was last seen in Nairobi city centre at approximately 9:00pm on January 23, when he was on his way to board a bus and return to his residence. He never arrived at home,” the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) said on Wednesday.
Of Mr Idri, the commission said he “was last seen in Kilimani (a Nairobi suburb) at approximately 8:00am on the morning of January 24,” adding that “Mr Idri is a vocal critic of the South Sudanese government and active on Facebook.”
In another statement sent to The EastAfrican on Wednesday afternoon by Mabior Garang de Mabior, the SPLM-IO movement claimed to have obtained information that President Salva Kiir’s administration was targeting more members of the opposition, including activists based in Nairobi. Juba is said to be collaborating with Kenyan officials to secure the deportations.
“In light of this blatant disregard for the rule of law and not to mention international convention by the Kenyan authorities, the leadership of the SPLM/SPLA-IO in Nairobi have been forced to evacuate or go into hiding for fear of illegal deportation or worse,” Mr de Mabior said in the statement.
KHRC is also accusing the Kenyan government of violating international law on its obligations to refugees.
“Given the serious risk of torture both would face in South Sudan, their deportation would also violate Kenya’s obligations under the UN Convention Against Torture,” it added.
Mr Samuel is said to have been registered as a refugee in November last year having fled his country in August 2013.
