Filipinos in troubled South Sudan asked to leave

Internally-displaced persons from surrounding areas arrive in Pibor, Jonglei State, eastern South Sudan. Members of South Sudanese tribe the Merle, who were themselves targeted in massive cattle raiding attacks late last month that sent tens of thousands of villagers fleeing for their lives, have killed 22 people and burned down three villages of opposing tribe the Lou Nuer in new attacks, a state governor said Monday. AP

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Foreign Affairs has advised Filipinos to voluntarily leave South Sudan amid a deadly unrest in the northeastern African country.

At the same time, Manila imposed a ban on deployment of Filipino workers to South Sudan.

In recent months, hundreds have been killed in clashes between Lou Nuer and Murle tribes in South Sudan’s Jonglei state.

The DFA on Tuesday raised the crisis alert level in South Sudan to alert level 3,where voluntary repatriation is in effect.

“For prudence’s sake, we have raised crisis alert level 3 in South Sudan in light of escalating violence in the capital where most of our nationals are located,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario said.

“We are ready to move our people out, should they wish to leave,” Del Rosario said.

New deployment will never be allowed as the DFA, in coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), imposed a deployment ban also on Tuesday.

The Philippine Embassy in Cairo, which has jurisdiction over South Sudan, will implement the voluntary repatriation program, the DFA said.

The embassy reported that the area of violence is confined to villages in the border between Sudan and South Sudan.  The latter won its independence from the former in July 2011.

There are 150 Filipinos in South Sudan, mostly in construction companies, with the United Nations and in non-governmental organizations.