The Republic of South Sudan gained its independence in July, but members of the Duke community might not be able to gain access to the region for quite some time.
Duke’s International Travel Oversight Committee restricted travel to South Sudan starting Aug. 12. The restriction means undergraduates wishing to travel to the area must petition and obtain a waiver from the ITOC for permission to use University funds or participate in University programs in South Sudan. Graduate, professional and post-doctorate students, as well as University faculty and staff, will not be required to obtain a petition to waive the restriction but will, however, need to register their travel with the ITOC and complete a High Risk Travel waiver form releasing the University from liability.
“The decisions the [ITOC] make are based solely on whether or not Duke undergraduates would be safe were they to visit the destination in question,” Christy Michels, senior manager of global administrative policies and procedures, wrote in an email Tuesday.
The decision to restrict travel to South Sudan was the result of the reported instability surrounding the newly formed country, Michels said. The restrictions were put into place after reports of Sudanese instability from the University’s travel insurance provider—International SOS—as well as government travel warnings and first-hand accounts from faculty who traveled to South Sudan during the summer.
The Second Sudanese Civil War, which began in 1983 and took roughly 2 million lives, concluded with a peace agreement in 2005. South Sudan seceded in early July, gaining its independence and ending the conflicts in Darfur.
Prior to the travel restriction, Duke had a small presence in the region—including projects by Divinity School graduate students. A DukeEngage program was also being considered for the South Sudan area, according to a Duke Today news release.
DukeEngage administrators had engaged in preliminary conversations about a South Sudan program, Executive Director of DukeEngage Eric Mlyn, wrote in an email Tuesday. Mlyn added, however, that there were no concrete plans yet for a program.
Travel restrictions, Michels noted, do not necessarily constitute a complete ban on the area—especially for University programs like DukeEngage or study abroad programs.
“Programs such as DukeEngage or the Global Education Office for Undergraduates... should base their plans on consideration of the [health and safety aspects of the] destination and the curricular goals, not on whether or not ITOC may or may not put a restriction in place,” Michels said.
Sophomore Nyuol Tong, a former South Sudanese refugee, wrote in an email Thursday that he has a different perspective about the travel restriction, given his belief that Duke students should be allowed to help those in need in the new country.
“Duke should allow its students to go there and help the people of South Sudan rebuild their country after many decades of civil war,” Tong said.
Tong returned to South Sudan this summer to celebrate its independence and to begin construction on a school. Tong said he was visited by his American friends, who faced no danger during their visit.
ITOC encourages students interested in traveling to South Sudan to submit a petition for individual consideration to the committee outlining travel plans and consideration to risk, Michels added.
The federal government has not yet issued an official travel warning for South Sudan, though it has cited dangers such as land mines, violent crime and continued threats of terrorism, according to the State Department’s website.
Although the Sudanese area is known for violent conflict, Tong said he believes it is now safe for travel.
“Since 2005—when the peace agreement was signed—there has been relative security and stability,” Tong said. “I highly doubt that an American can be endangered in South Sudan.”
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