Peter Pal Jola’s daughter revealed that he departed Kitchener, Ontario, for Ethiopia in March with the intention of a brief visit to distribute aid. However, the 67-year-old Canadian national never made it past the airport.
According to Nyarieni Pal, who spoke with CBC News, her father had planned to provide supplies to individuals in his native town in South Sudan, a region plagued by ongoing conflict and hunger. Among the items he carried were a few walkie-talkies purchased from Amazon. Unfortunately, possessing these devices, which are prohibited in Ethiopia, led to Jola facing three charges of importing military equipment, each carrying a potential 10-year prison sentence.
Initially, Jola was informed he could leave the walkie-talkies at the airport to collect on his return to Canada. This changed swiftly when authorities discovered his intent to transport them to the South Sudanese border. Nyarieni Pal expressed disbelief at the situation, emphasizing that her father’s sole aim was to aid those affected by the conflict who had lost communication with loved ones.
Jola is currently detained at Kaliti maximum-security prison in Addis Ababa, where inmates must cover their basic needs, including medication expenses. Nyarieni Pal mentioned her father’s health challenges, such as diabetes, a suspected kidney tumor, and mobility issues post a 2022 car accident.
Despite Canadian Embassy representatives visiting Jola, they have conveyed limited ability to intervene in the legal process. This stance was elaborated by Aaron Shull, managing director at the Centre for International Governance Innovation, who explained that the Canadian government’s options are restricted in situations like Jola’s.
Ethiopia’s Information Network Security Agency has a list of controlled import and export items, which includes walkie-talkies. The agency released this list following requests from UN agencies. CBC News’ attempts to obtain details from Ethiopian authorities regarding Jola’s case went unanswered.
Nyarieni Pal emphasized her father’s lack of awareness about the walkie-talkie prohibition in Ethiopia, asserting his compliance with the law in his three decades of residing in Canada. Despite the family’s optimism and efforts to secure legal representation through a new lawyer, a crucial element in Jola’s case is a supportive letter from the Canadian government to Ethiopian officials.
Additionally, a GoFundMe campaign has been initiated to assist with Jola’s legal fees. Global Affairs Canada refrained from commenting on the specifics but confirmed its awareness of the Canadian citizen’s detention in Ethiopia, pledging consular support to the family.
Nyarieni Pal stressed the urgency of the Canadian government’s involvement, prompting reflection on how a higher-ranking individual’s situation would be handled and urging serious consideration due to the gravity of the circumstances.