Ethiopia: Former "Arbegnoch-Ginbot 7" fighter abandoned Eritrea
March 25, 2017 - It is wrong to fight alongside forces whose main aim is to destroy Ethiopia, says Samrawit Sisay, who recently defected from Ginot 7 and returned to Ethiopia. In a video interview with Ethiopia First, Samrawit tells her story of why she went to Eritrea and joined Ginbot 7, what she witnessed there during her period with Ginbot 7, and why she finally decided to leave Eritrea and return to Ethiopia. In the video interview, Samrawit warns others not to make the same mistake she did. She advises fellow Ethiopians to struggle for a better democracy, justice and fairness here at home, rather than going to Eritrea and fight alongside Shaebia. Shaebia does not stand for a better Ethiopia, says Samrawit, but for a weak and fragmented Ethiopia
Eritrea: The Plight of Eritrea - Why Eritreans Opt for Risky Exodus to Ethiopia
By Zeray Hailemariam
Ethiopia is the largest refugee hosting country in Africa. Close to a million refugees are housed in the country so far. The largest number of refugee is from South Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea, which totals more than 800,000 as of 2016. The rest are from Yemen, Sudan, Djibouti, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Congo etc.
The main cause for the influx of refugees from South Sudan is the deadly civil war which erupted in 2014. The clan based civil war and currently the worst ever drought induced hunger caused the largest South Sudanese exodus to Ethiopia.
The case of the Somali refugees is also understandable. The country has been without a functioning central government for the last 25 years. This political gap created suitable environment for various internationally linked terrorist groups and local warlords to operate freely exposing the Somali people to various form of subjugation, murder, rape and robbery. Hence, the situation led to millions of Somali refugee to be scattered all over the world.
On the other hand, the case of Eritrea is different. There is no actual war inside Eritrea. However, there is psychological warfare, fear, torture and killing applied by the regime's security apparatus against those who demand justice, constitutional government and the right to work. The people of Eritrea have generally been exposed to crimes against humanity by the military, security and other wings of the regime. The indefinite national service, forced conscription, lack of employment opportunities and access to education, lack of freedom to work, speak, absence of liberty and other form of oppression frustrated the mass.
Order prevails in Addis but borders are on fire
The authorities are trying to snuff out unrest that has erupted on the country’s borders. A confidential United Nations report has voiced deep concern.
Human Rights in Eritrea - 34th Meeting, 31st Regular Session Human Rights Council-3
Human Rights in Eritrea - 34th Meeting, 31st Regular Session Human Rights Council
UNCHR34: Damning Follow Up Report of Eritrea tyrant's Crimes against Humanity
13 March 2017
UNCHR34, Geneva, Switzerland- At the 34th Session of the Human Rights Council today, 13 March 2017, In accordance with her mandate, the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Eritrea, Ms Sheila B. Keetharuth, delivered a damning follow up oral report of Eritrea tyrant, Isias Afarqi, Crimes against Humanity. The report culminated in Calls to expedite the recommendations of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Eritrea, COI, and to call Eritrea tyrant to task in front of the ICC for crimes against humanity.
The response of Eritrea tyrant's agent was cut off prematurely for exceeding the allotted time, hence not allowed to completing his rebuttal!
The United States once again reiterated in no uncertain terms: "The United Stands firmly with the Eritrean people not with Eritrea tyrant and supports their pursuit of the protection of all their Human Rights." Below video of the session recorded live:
Eritrean regime trades its own nationals in a billion-dollar trafficking business
The human trafficking of Eritrean refugees is a booming business, where money is made with smuggling people, but also using violence, hostage situations and even torture. Modern communication methods like money transfer via mobile phones play a vital role in this, conclude professor Mirjam van Reisen (Leiden University) and professor Munyaradzi Mawere (Great Zimbabwe University) after over five years of fieldwork. On 10 March they publish their findings in the book ‘Human trafficking and trauma in the digital era. The ongoing tragedy of trade in refugees from Eritrea.’
Human trafficking a thriving ‘industry’
The human trafficking of Eritrean refugees is a booming business with an estimated value of USD 1 billion. As Europe employs ever greater migration control mechanisms and governments within the region turn a blind eye to this illicit business, Eritrean refugees are caught in a brutal cycle of exploitation. As they are forced to crisscross through the region without a place of safety, they are looted, threatened, intimidated, violated and held for ransom.
Eritrean government involved
These illicit practices are examined in depth in a new research book, titled ‘Human trafficking and trauma in the digital era. The ongoing tragedy of trade in refugees from Eritrea’ and edited by Mirjam Van Reisen and Munyaradzi Mawere. Based on extensive research, the book locates the origin of these practices within Eritrea itself. A deliberate policy of slavery, deliberate impoverishment and human rights abuses drive thousands of Eritreans out of the country every month. As legal emigration is almost impossible, refugees are forced to entrust themselves into the hands of government officials and smugglers who sell cross-border mobility: a dangerous deal. The book reveals how individuals within Eritrea trade their fellow nationals in a complex regional system involving government officials, military personnel and criminal gangs – a system sustained by the tacit approval and involvement of the Eritrean government.
The role of ICT
The use of information communication technologies (ICT) is identified as key to the new modus operandi of this criminal business: mobile phones are used to extort money and collect the ransom. Furthermore, ICT is found to facilitate widespread trauma beyond the primary victims of Sinai trafficking. As the narratives of tragedies are shared through telecommunication and digital networks, they are integrated into a collective consciousness of desperation, vulnerability and shame.
Extreme forms of violence
As the trafficking business expands, the authors further identify the development of extreme forms of violence. Eritrean refugees may fall victim to sexual abuse and torture by traffickers for the extortion of ransom, to beheading and sex enslavement by terrorists in Libya and to organ harvesting by criminal gangs in Egypt.
Appeal to European Union
Throughout the book, the authors identify a clear need for accountability and justice. They call on the European Union to stop the deterrence of Eritrean refugees and on regional governments to control collaborating officials and to actively persecute trafficking gangs. Most importantly, new policies must tackle the problem where it emerges: in Eritrea.
Human trafficking and trauma in the digital era
Human trafficking and trauma in the digital era. The ongoing tragedy of trade in refugees from Eritrea (ISBN 9789956764877) is published by Langaa RPCIG en and is available through the webshop of African Books Collective (Oxford, Verenigd Koninkrijk).
محذرة ارتريا … إثيوبيا تكشف تفاصيل الهجوم على سد النهضة
فرجت :وكالات
كشف وزير الدولة الإثيوبي، في مكتب الاتصال الحكومي، زادقي أبرها، تفاصيل الهجوم المسلح، الذي تعرض له سد النهضة أمس الثلاثاء.
ونقلت وكالة “الأناضول”، عن “أبرها” قوله اليوم الأربعاء، إن مجموعة إرهابية(لم يسمّها) كانت تسعى للقيام “بأعمال تخريبية” في مشروع سد النهضة، ولكن قوات الحماية (حماية السد) تمكنت من “إفشال المحاولة التخريبية” قبل وصولهم إلى موقع السد. وأوضح أن القوات المسلحة تمكنت من قتل 13 من إحدى الفصائل المعارضة المحظورة (التي حاولت تنفيذ المحاولة التخريبية)، واعتقلت 7 آخرين كانوا قد فروا إلى السودان وتم تسليمهم إلى إثيوبيا اليوم.
وكشف الوزير أن المجموعة المسلحة التي كانت بحوزتها متفجرات وأسلحة “آر بي جي” وأسلحة حفيفة مختلفة، “تم تدريبها لتنفيذ عمليات إرهابية وقتل العاملين في السد”. وفيما لم يوجه الوزير الإثيوبي اتهاما مباشرا لطرف أو جهة بعينها بالوقوف وراء “المحاولة التخريبية”، حذّر إريتريا من الاستمرار في دعم المجموعات “الإرهابية” التي تحاول زعزعة الاستقرار والتنمية في إثيوبيا.
وقال إن سد النهضة “خط أحمر”، وإن بلاده تحتفظ بحقها في الرد على الجهات المتورطة في تدريب وتسليح المجموعات الإرهابية، دون ذكر تلك الجهات.
وأشار الوزير إلى أن التحقيقيات جارية مع المعتقلين الـ7 للكشف عن المزيد من التفاصيل حول المجموعة “الإرهابية” ومن يقف خلفها.
وفيما لم يوضح الوزير وقت حدوث المحاولة ومزيد من التفاصيل عن المجموعة التي نفذتها، كشفت المصادر التي فضلت عدم الكشف عن هويتها، أن “الهجوم” تم التصدي له أمس الثلاثاء وشنته مجموعة مسلحة تابعة للمعارضة الإثيوبية.
وحسب المصادر، فإن القوات الإثيوبية تمكنت من أسر 8 عناصر من المجموعة المهاجمة وقتلت 13 ، كما استولت على عتاد عسكري وأسلحة تابعة للمجموعة.
وأشارت إلى أن التحقيقات الأولية تشير إلى أن المجموعة المسلحة تتبع حركة “قنبوت سنبات”(حركة 7 مايو) المعارضة والمحظورة التي تتهم إثيوبيا إرتيريا بإيوائها وهو ما دأبت أسمرا على نفيه.
وهذه هي المرة الأولى التي يتم الكشف فيها عن محاولة لاستهداف سد النهضة الذي يستمر العمل على تشييده على نهر النيل الأزرق قرب الحدود الإثيوبية مع السودان.
وكانت الحكومة الإثيوبية قد قامت بإجراءات أمنية مشددة حول المناطق القريبة من السد؛ واعتبرتها منطقة “محظورة” جواً وبراً.
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