By HRH Yom Deng-Katoch Bul,
A civil and A human rights activist from South Sudan.
South Sudanese refugees are petitioning the International Criminal Court (ICC) with claims of human rights violations against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, alleging forced labor, deprivation of rights, and sterilisation of refugees while in Israel. Refugees say the abuses date back to the 1990s and include the deaths of children in detention facilities.
According to testimonies, some refugees allege they were subjected to permanent sterilisation as a condition of entry to Israel, while others described starvation, inadequate medical care, and mistreatment by authorities. Refugees further claim that both men and women were forced into labor under harsh conditions without pay. These allegations have not been independently verified, and the Israeli government has not issued a response.
Separately, reports in regional media suggest Netanyahu and South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit have engaged in discussions on a controversial proposal to resettle Palestinians displaced from Gaza and the West Bank in South Sudan. Critics say such a plan could destabilize South Sudan, which is already facing internal conflict, economic collapse, and a worsening refugee crisis.
South Sudanese activists have voiced concern that local leaders, including members of Kiir’s family, may be involved in secret negotiations over land sales to foreign powers. Opponents argue that these developments exploit a vulnerable nation already struggling with millions of internally displaced persons and widespread hunger.
The allegations of forced sterilization and mistreatment of South Sudanese refugees in Israel highlight longstanding tensions over Israel’s handling of asylum seekers. Human rights organizations, including UNHCR and Human Rights Watch, have previously documented cases of abuse and deportation of African migrants, though the extent of alleged sterilization programs remains disputed.
Activists are calling on the United Nations and the ICC to investigate these claims as possible violations of humanitarian and international law. They argue that both Israel and South Sudan must be held accountable for actions that may constitute war crimes.
“These stories must be heard by the international community,” said South Sudanese activist HRH Yom Deng-Katoch Bul, who has documented refugee testimonies. “No government has the right to deprive human beings of their basic dignity and reproductive rights.”
As of now, international bodies have not confirmed whether formal investigations into the allegations will proceed.
