South Sudan’s Ambassador to Khartoum Mayen Dut yesterday revealed the issuance of presidential directives for the release of 159 Sudanese who were held in prisons in Juba.

Ambassador Dut noted in an interview with Radio Tamazuj that the move came in the framework of exchange of sentenced prisoners, an initiative which promoted trust between the two countries after the signing of the recent ‘implementation matrix’.

Scores of South Sudanese prisoners have already been released, in accordance with presidential decree 356 issued by President Omar Al-Bashir last week, which freed approximately 4000 prisoners including South Sudanese and political prisoners.

About 51 of them were deported back to Juba while others still remain in Khartoum waiting for transportation as well as some still in prisons.

According to Dut, Sudanese government will release the remaining 126 South Sudanese prisoners who are in 84 different prisons in either Khartoum or in Sudan’s states.

Some of the South Sudanese prisoners who were released by the Sudanese government and sent to Juba, have complained of worsening humanitarian conditions since their arrival to Juba.

Ex-prisoners speaking to Radio Tamazuj said that the assistance given to them by the aid organizations was not enough to meet their needs, and urged the government of South Sudan to transport them to their final destinations and strive to provide them with lands in order for them to integrate in the South Sudan community.

“We came here on 25 March and we were 50 in number – 12 females and the rest were males. By God we received nothing, but we are just happy because we are back to our country,” said one.

“Since we came nobody come to us or talked with us we are staying just waiting. We talked to them that let them ask the people who brought us here, the government of South Sudan but up to now we are still waiting here,” the recently deported prisoner in Juba explained.

The prisoners’ exchanges are expected to continue as part of the implementation of the Cooperation Agreement.

Photo: 'Kober' Prison, Juba (Radio Tamazuj)