South Sudan diplomat “injured” in Dubai fracas

By Julius N. Uma

May 13, 2013 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s foreign affairs ministry is investigating the circumstances under which one of its senior diplomats, en-route to Pakistan from Juba, sustained “multiple fractures” in Dubai.

John Opiti Apiet, the ministry told Sudan Tribune, was in the company of two other diplomat counselors, but allegedly vanished as the trio checked in at Dubai International Airport on 5 May.

The three diplomats were on their way to Islamabad, Pakistan to attend a six-week course.

“According to our contacts with our two diplomats, both concurred that counselor John Opiti, who happened to be the third in the line [while checking-in], was seen moving out of the hall where they were together with other passengers,” said Mawien Makol Arik, the Foreign Affairs spokesperson.

“One of our diplomats went after him, but since he had already checked-in, he was denied access to the next hall where Counselor Opiti went,” he added.

Arik, however, said the airport authorities allowed the diplomat out after he claimed to have lost his passport.

“It was only on Sunday 12 May that the ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation came to learn, through a phone call from Dubai, that counselor John Opiti is in hospital with multiple fractures,” he told Sudan Tribune Monday.

The ministry, he said, has immediately dispatched to Dubai, a team of three people, including Opiti’s wife, to obtain details about the latter’s health situation as well as circumstances that led to the incident.

Diplomatic efforts, Sudan Tribune has learned, is also underway between South Sudan foreign affairs officials and their counterparts in United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the matter.

UAE authorities have neither issued a statement nor commented on the matter.

(ST)