South Sudan Police Service Lauded for Recent Human Trafficking Victim Rescue
Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), commended the South Sudan Police Service for their recent efforts in combating human trafficking during a press conference held yesterday.
“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the leadership of the South Sudan Police Service, including the Minister, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), and the officers in charge of preventing human trafficking,” Yakani stated, referring to the police’s successful rescue of 11 suspected victims from the Mangaten camp in Juba.
“This is an excellent and remarkable act,” Yakani added, emphasizing the importance of the police’s role in addressing such serious human rights violations. He reinforced his organization’s strong condemnation of human trafficking, describing it as “an act that still maintains a culture of slavery and undermines humanity.”
Yakani recognized the challenges faced by many individuals in South Sudan and insisted that these vulnerabilities should not be exploited. “People’s challenges should not be taken advantage of for human trafficking,” he asserted, expressing appreciation for the government’s commitment to transparency in addressing instances of this crime.
He urged that the data collected by the police during their investigations should not only help in identifying and prosecuting the perpetrators but also in tracking the broader pattern of human trafficking within the Republic of South Sudan. “We hope that the data that the police service uses for seizing the suspects of human trafficking victims will be employed to track perpetrators of these activities,” he said.
Citing a recent report from the United States government that categorized South Sudan as Tier 3 due to a lack of transparency and accountability regarding human trafficking, Yakani viewed this recent police operation as a substantial step forward. “This development is an answer to the challenges raised by governments and international organizations concerning the handling of human trafficking,” he remarked.
Yakani concluded his address with a call to action, urging both the police service to bolster their efforts and citizens to cooperate with law enforcement in the fight against human trafficking. “We’d like to tell the police service to please improve your efforts and energy, and we call upon citizens to support our police service in handling cases of human trafficking,” he stated.
The renewed focus on tackling human trafficking reflects a crucial step toward safeguarding the rights and wellbeing of vulnerable populations in South Sudan. As the nation seeks to emerge from years of conflict and instability, collaborative efforts between law enforcement and civil society will be essential in ensuring justice and protection for all individuals at risk.
