South Sudanese students in Egypt stage sit-in at Cairo embassy

South Sudanese students are protesting in Egypt against deteriorating conditions at the university campus and after being asked by universities to pay for their accommodation.

The students were told that they would receive full scholarships at the Egyptian universities, only to later be informed that they had to pay for their accommodation.

Some students said they had been prohibited from entering classrooms and their hostels because they were too old.

According to the City Review, after students stormed the South Sudanese embassy last week, several were arrested and others were allegedly beaten by Egyptian security services.

Eight students have been arrested, student Petro Mabior told VOA, and one is in a critical condition yet has still not been removed from the embassy nor moved to a hospital.

The location of the arrested students is unknown. “More than 70 were injured with minor and serious injuries,” Mabior added.

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A source told the City Review that students have said they are not leaving the embassy compound until their demands are met.

The students have criticised the government in Juba for failing to respond to their sit-in, reports Eye Radio.

Students inside say the embassy has locked them in where they have been without food, water and electricity.

“We have no water, food, or electricity,” student Chol Kuec told Eye Radio. “Seven students are already lying down now with deteriorating health and hunger-related conditions.”

He added that the South Sudanese ambassador instructed security forces outside to keep the students inside the embassy.

In 2020, Cairo signed a protocol with Juba to offer 400 South Sudanese students full scholarships to complete their degrees and postgraduate studies in Egypt.

The project was aimed at strengthening diplomatic ties between the two countries.