Arbitrary Identity Checks Harm South Sudan’s Business and Reputation

(OPINION / Dr. Koiti Emmily) – 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭

This morning, in a Juba hardware store, I witnessed a revealing incident. Two people, a man and a woman, entered the busy shop. Without introducing themselves or showing any authority, they abruptly ordered everyone inside to produce their passports.

There was no border, no official checkpoint, and no stated reason for the demand – only suspicion based on physical appearance. This created an uncomfortable disruption. Customers were unsettled, staff were forced into an awkward confrontation and individuals were pressured to justify their presence in a private business.

Some South Sudanese citizens were told to prove they belonged there. Other foreign nationals were ordered to accompany these strangers to immigration offices without explanation or due process.

The situation only ended when a South Sudanese staff member calmly but firmly insisted that such actions were inappropriate, unlawful on private property and damaging to business. The individuals eventually left, but the implications of their actions remain.

This incident raises a difficult question: what does it say about a state when failures at the border are managed by improvised enforcement in everyday civilian spaces? Borders exist to manage entry and documentation. When they are weak, the consequences should not be shifted onto shops, offices, or ordinary people.

Immigration enforcement is a legal state function. It should occur at recognised entry points or through lawful operations conducted by identified officers. It should not be improvised inside private businesses based on assumptions about skin tone, accents, or clothing.

International and regional laws are clear on this. South Sudan is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protects people from arbitrary arrest, unlawful interference with privacy and discrimination based on nationality.

Regionally, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights guarantees equality before the law and human dignity. These laws do not permit random identity checks by unidentified individuals in private buildings. Even when enforcement is legitimate, it must be lawful and respectful.

What happened today was not about security, but an institutional failure. When systems fail, power becomes personal, suspicion replaces evidence and people are policed instead of borders. This does not make us safer. Instead, it erodes trust, discourages investment and normalises harassment.

It also projects an image of unpredictability that damages national credibility. This is especially concerning for a country whose own citizens live and work across the world, benefiting from the legal protections of other states.

On the same morning, news broke that South Sudan was again ranked among the most corrupt countries globally. Corruption is not just the theft of funds. It is also the exercise of authority without accountability. When enforcement depends on whim rather than law, governance is weakened.

There is a better way forward. Effective immigration control begins at the borders with modern systems and trained staff. Enforcement must be professionalised so that officers are identifiable and follow the law. Private businesses must be protected as partners in development, not treated as sites for intimidation.

A country’s image is shaped in hardware stores, markets and offices. Today’s incident did not turn violent, but it showed how easily dignity can be lost when systems are weak.

South Sudan deserves better than improvised authority. Security is strongest when rights are protected and governance is exercised with professionalism and respect.

Dr Koiti Emmily is a physician, a Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) specialist, and a coach on the ICF-ACC pathway. She writes on health policy, governance, leadership, and peacebuilding. To join her growing community, follow her on  Facebook.

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