Letter to the Government of Ethiopia Requesting Urgent Action
The Issue
18 December 2023
H.E. PM Abiy Ahmed
The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia’s Office of the Prime Minister
P.O.Box: 1031 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Email: info@pmo.gov.et
Subject: Letter to the Government of Ethiopia Requesting Urgent Action!
We are Eritrean organizations and concerned individuals that are concerned about the ongoing harassment, indiscriminate arrest and delays of asylum seekers process of Eritreans in Ethiopia.
This is about Eritreans who have fled from their country seeking asylum!
Since the year 2020 Ethiopian government closed EndabaGuna and ceased the asylum-seeking process. However,desperate Eritrean citizens have not stopped running away from brutal regime in Eritrea which arbitrary detains, kidnapsand even kills civilians.
Due to not welcoming asylum seekers, open camp centers, including safety and security concerns, Eritreans are becoming victims of human trafficking and mass arrest in Addis Ababa. Recently, we received many reports in regard todetained Eritreans either in Ethiopia or bordering Kenya. These are due to safety, security concerns and also not having a welcoming center for newly arrived asylum seekers.We also have credible reports of bribing money between 10.000 to 40,000 birr to be released from police station in Addis Ababa. Currently thousands of Eritreans are detained, beaten and harmed in detention centers, including disappearance of individuals.
Eritreans, who have been displaced from Sudan and have entered Metema and Kumer Camp include women, children and the elderly who are indiscriminately beaten, harmed, kidnapped and sexually abused. We have received names of individuals who had been killed at both locations.
These are Eritreans with valid prior UNHCR Cards from Sudan who were simply displaced due to war in Sudan.
There are also many Eritrean refugees whose papers have expired and are unable to renew their papers. The indiscriminate harassment and arrest of Eritreans in Addis Ababa are taking place with detention following in these areasin Addis Ababa
1. Saris-Addis Sefer- Tena Gebeya (Behind the football Stadium)
2. Saris-Addis Sefer- Tena Gebeya (Behind the football Stadium (ሳሪስ - ኣዲስ ሰፈር- ጤና ገበያ )
3. Gebriel police Tabia (Gebiel police station) ገብርኤል ፖሊስ ጣብያ
4. Hayle Garment- sefera police station (ሃይሌጋርሜንት ሰፈር ፖሊስ ጣብያ
5. Lafto police station (ላፍቶ ፖሊስ ጣብያ)
6. Galan Condominium (ጋላን ኮንዶሚኑየም )!
7. Arabsa (ኣራብሳ)
8. Lebu (ለቡ )
9. Jemo ( ጀሞ)
10. 58 (ቀበሌ 58)
11. 72 Police station (72 Semit condominium, Yeka Bado (72 ፖሊስ ጣብያ - ሰሚትኮንደሚንዮም )!
12. Safari (ሳፋሪ)
13. Bole Bulbula police station (ቦሊ ቡልቡላፖሊስ ጣብያ)
14. Jemo Mariam Sefer police station (ጀሞማርያም ሰፈር ፖሊስ ጣብያ)!
The round-up and arrest of Eritreans started in 2022. First, they were held in detention, later around were 400 deported to Eritrea and many others paid ransom to be released. They are forced to pay over thousands in Ethiopian funds, for their release with no guarantee that they will not be detained again. As a result, Eritreans have been arrested multiple times. Each time, they are forced to pay again for their release.
In addition to the violence inflicted on the Eritreans at the time of arrest, we also have reports that while in detention, Eritreans, both men and women, have suffered sexual attacks. At the same time, Eritreans not detained have become prey to thieves who rob them by pretending to be members of the police or the security force.
Eritreans are seeking safety and refuge in Ethiopia; they are fleeing their country to escape human rights abuses and violations, including arbitrary detention, restrictions on rights of freedom of expression, association, religion, and belief; and forced labor. However, recent events mean that Eritreans are not safe in Ethiopia. As a signatory of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 protocol; and the 1969 AU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, Ethiopia has a responsibility to ensure the safety of Eritreans.
Therefore, we ask the Ethiopian Government to urgently uphold its obligations, including:
a) Asylum seekers should be protected, and their cases processed accordingly.
b) Renew all refugee status documentation.
b) Release all detained Eritreans, including Eritrean refugees, who are not held for a legally justified reason.
c) Hold officials accountable who have engaged in the harassment and arbitrary detention of Eritreans.
d) Ensure that Eritreans in Ethiopia enjoy safety and security as per international standards.
Yours sincerely,
George Ghebreslassie, founder and director of Surbana Medias and Community Services, Inc.
Email: merkebna1@gmail.com
TEL: +1-302-521-9047
Cc:
1- Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Center- EHRDCSunshine Tower No. 5, Meskel Square, on Bole Road, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
2-H.E. Filippo Grandi
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Case
Postale 2500 CH-1211 Genève 2 Dépôt Done: London-UK SUISSE
3- Senator Chris Coons
127A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 2051
5,713
The Issue
18 December 2023
H.E. PM Abiy Ahmed
The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia’s Office of the Prime Minister
P.O.Box: 1031 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Email: info@pmo.gov.et
Subject: Letter to the Government of Ethiopia Requesting Urgent Action!
We are Eritrean organizations and concerned individuals that are concerned about the ongoing harassment, indiscriminate arrest and delays of asylum seekers process of Eritreans in Ethiopia.
This is about Eritreans who have fled from their country seeking asylum!
Since the year 2020 Ethiopian government closed EndabaGuna and ceased the asylum-seeking process. However,desperate Eritrean citizens have not stopped running away from brutal regime in Eritrea which arbitrary detains, kidnapsand even kills civilians.
Due to not welcoming asylum seekers, open camp centers, including safety and security concerns, Eritreans are becoming victims of human trafficking and mass arrest in Addis Ababa. Recently, we received many reports in regard todetained Eritreans either in Ethiopia or bordering Kenya. These are due to safety, security concerns and also not having a welcoming center for newly arrived asylum seekers.We also have credible reports of bribing money between 10.000 to 40,000 birr to be released from police station in Addis Ababa. Currently thousands of Eritreans are detained, beaten and harmed in detention centers, including disappearance of individuals.
Eritreans, who have been displaced from Sudan and have entered Metema and Kumer Camp include women, children and the elderly who are indiscriminately beaten, harmed, kidnapped and sexually abused. We have received names of individuals who had been killed at both locations.
These are Eritreans with valid prior UNHCR Cards from Sudan who were simply displaced due to war in Sudan.
There are also many Eritrean refugees whose papers have expired and are unable to renew their papers. The indiscriminate harassment and arrest of Eritreans in Addis Ababa are taking place with detention following in these areasin Addis Ababa
1. Saris-Addis Sefer- Tena Gebeya (Behind the football Stadium)
2. Saris-Addis Sefer- Tena Gebeya (Behind the football Stadium (ሳሪስ - ኣዲስ ሰፈር- ጤና ገበያ )
3. Gebriel police Tabia (Gebiel police station) ገብርኤል ፖሊስ ጣብያ
4. Hayle Garment- sefera police station (ሃይሌጋርሜንት ሰፈር ፖሊስ ጣብያ
5. Lafto police station (ላፍቶ ፖሊስ ጣብያ)
6. Galan Condominium (ጋላን ኮንዶሚኑየም )!
7. Arabsa (ኣራብሳ)
8. Lebu (ለቡ )
9. Jemo ( ጀሞ)
10. 58 (ቀበሌ 58)
11. 72 Police station (72 Semit condominium, Yeka Bado (72 ፖሊስ ጣብያ - ሰሚትኮንደሚንዮም )!
12. Safari (ሳፋሪ)
13. Bole Bulbula police station (ቦሊ ቡልቡላፖሊስ ጣብያ)
14. Jemo Mariam Sefer police station (ጀሞማርያም ሰፈር ፖሊስ ጣብያ)!
The round-up and arrest of Eritreans started in 2022. First, they were held in detention, later around were 400 deported to Eritrea and many others paid ransom to be released. They are forced to pay over thousands in Ethiopian funds, for their release with no guarantee that they will not be detained again. As a result, Eritreans have been arrested multiple times. Each time, they are forced to pay again for their release.
In addition to the violence inflicted on the Eritreans at the time of arrest, we also have reports that while in detention, Eritreans, both men and women, have suffered sexual attacks. At the same time, Eritreans not detained have become prey to thieves who rob them by pretending to be members of the police or the security force.
Eritreans are seeking safety and refuge in Ethiopia; they are fleeing their country to escape human rights abuses and violations, including arbitrary detention, restrictions on rights of freedom of expression, association, religion, and belief; and forced labor. However, recent events mean that Eritreans are not safe in Ethiopia. As a signatory of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 protocol; and the 1969 AU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, Ethiopia has a responsibility to ensure the safety of Eritreans.
Therefore, we ask the Ethiopian Government to urgently uphold its obligations, including:
a) Asylum seekers should be protected, and their cases processed accordingly.
b) Renew all refugee status documentation.
b) Release all detained Eritreans, including Eritrean refugees, who are not held for a legally justified reason.
c) Hold officials accountable who have engaged in the harassment and arbitrary detention of Eritreans.
d) Ensure that Eritreans in Ethiopia enjoy safety and security as per international standards.
Yours sincerely,
George Ghebreslassie, founder and director of Surbana Medias and Community Services, Inc.
Email: merkebna1@gmail.com
TEL: +1-302-521-9047
Cc:
1- Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Center- EHRDCSunshine Tower No. 5, Meskel Square, on Bole Road, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
2-H.E. Filippo Grandi
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Case
Postale 2500 CH-1211 Genève 2 Dépôt Done: London-UK SUISSE
3- Senator Chris Coons
127A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 2051
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Petition created on December 18, 2023