Search on Indian envoy: Sudan orders probe

A diplomatic row is brewing between Sudan and India over the alleged harassment of the Indian ambassador by customs and security officials at the Juba International Airport.
Information and Broadcasting minister in the Government of Southern Sudan, Mr Gabriel Changson Chang, confirmed the incident and later told the Press that about six customs and security officers were involved in a dramatic embarrassing situation when they demanded to inspect the baggage of the Indian ambassador to the Sudan, Mr Deepak Vohra last Thursday.
Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the baggage of the Head of Diplomatic Mission is exempted from customs searches. It was also alleged that the officers tried to block him from boarding a plane to Khartoum if he did not pay them some money in bribery.
Following the incident the South Sudan government has ordered the Internal Affairs minister to take immediate measures including identifying the culprits who were involved in the incident, investigate and prosecute them.
However, the incident ended peacefully after some other interventions forced the Indian Consul General in Juba to present a complaint to the Government of Southern Sudan through the Regional Cooperation ministry after informing it about the incident. The Government of Southern Sudan’s Cabinet, chaired by Vice President Riek Machar, was briefed over the issue on Friday by its Regional Cooperation minister Dr Barnaba Marial Benjamin.
Dr Marial told the Cabinet that the incident started when the Indian Consul General in Juba went to the Airport on Thursday morning to check-in the baggage of the ambassador who was travelling to Khartoum.
The incident happens barely few weeks after another embarrassing one involving a Kenyan and a top minister in the Government of Southern Sudan.
Housing and Public Utilities minister had given a Kenyan businessman who was travelling to Nairobi, about $2,000 (Sh156,000) to take to his family in Nairobi. But while inspecting the baggage and getting the money inside the bag, the security personnel allegedly demanded to take $500 (Sh39,000), leaving the Kenyan with the remaining $1,500 (Sh117,000) only.
21/01/09 Daily Nation, Kenya

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Categories: Airports Jan 2009, Foreign Jan 2009