Ethiopia releases Sudanese arrested over arson allegations

Mar 30, 2006 (KURMUK) — Ethiopian authorities have released eight Sudanese refugees after they were arrested for alleged arson. The eight were accused of burning some houses in Shurkole refugee camp in Ethiopia two weeks ago.

Speaking to Sudan Radio Service (SRS) in Southern Blue Nile, the commissioner of Kurmuk County, Mamoun Hammad, said he visited Ethiopia to discuss the release of the suspects with the authorities early last week.

Hammad confirmed that some houses in the Ethiopian refugee camp, hosting mostly Sudanese, were burnt, but added that he did not know the cause.

”The Ethiopian administration accused the people based on reports by some refugees. And accordingly they were arrested. And after my arrival there we reached some understanding point to the problem with the Ethiopians and the refugees’ administration. Then we agreed to release the people.” Mamoun Hammad said.

The commissioner says he has been informed that calm has been restored to the refugee camp has now returned to normal.

The governments of Ethiopia and Sudan and the UN refugee agency UNHCR on Monday 27 February 2006 signed a crucial tripartite agreement, which will clear the way for the return home of over 70,000 Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia.

The first Sudanese refugees came to Ethiopia in 1969 and went back home following the signing of the Addis Ababa agreement in February 1972. Successive waves of Sudanese refugees followed in 1983 and in the early 1990s.

Ethiopia currently hosts 73,774 Sudanese refugees in five camps in the western regions of Gambella and Benshangul-Gumuz.

(SRS/ST)