Sudan closes down Eritrean Community Office in Khartoum, Detains Eritrean employees

By the official web site Shabait

ASMARA, Jan 15, 2004 –Sudanese security agents at mid-night on 13 January 2004 forcibly broke into the Office of the Eritrean Community in Amarat and Jiref Kerib, Khartoum, and detained to Eritrean employees of the community office.

This was disclosed by the Eritrean Foreign Ministry in a press release it issued yesterday. The release stated that the Sudanese security agents, who claimed to have received orders from superior government officials, also closed down the office of the Eritrean Community.

Condemning the move taken by the Sudanese authorities, the Eritrean Foreign Ministry called for the immediate release of the Eritrean citizens who were detained for no crime. It further underlined that the Sudanese Government bears responsibility for the security of all Eritreans residing in Sudan.