Eritreans in US to stage rally in support of UN probe report
September 7, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – Eritreans in North America are planning to stage a major rally in support of a report by the Commission of Inquiry on Eritrea (CoIE) which accused the Red Sea nation of committing gross human right violations.
According to Eritrean opposition news outlets, the demonstration will be held later in September in front of the United Nations Headquarters in New York, coinciding with the UN General Assembly meetings which will convene from 15 September – 6 October, 2015.
The CoIE which is tasked to investigate all alleged violations of human rights in Eritrea is due to report its findings to the General Assembly in October this year.
In June 2015, the CoIE released a 485-page report on Eritrea’s human rights situation.
The report unveiled gross human rights violations in the reclusive East African nation.
Some of these violations, it said may constitute crimes against humanity which could subject Eritrean officials to indictment at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The UN inquiry then held the regime in Asmara responsible for systematic, widespread and serious human rights violations that have created a climate of fear.
“Information gathered through the pervasive control system is used in absolute arbitrariness to keep the population in a state of permanent anxiety,” the report, adding “It is not law that rules Eritreans but fear”
The report added a large proportion of the population is subjected to forced labour and imprisonment, and hundreds of thousands of refugees have fled the country.
Organisers of the planned rally called upon all Eritreans in North America to attend the event and show their support for the CoIE report.
It also appealed to them to raise their voices together “for Justice, Liberty and a Democratic Eritrea”
After the UN report was issued, Eritreans overseas held a number of demonstrations in support for the CoIE. However, many other government supporters who were angered by the report, held a protest rally in protest against its findings.
Members of the CoIE were also threatened and intimidated by supporters of the Eritrean government up on arrival in Geneva for meeting late in June.
The commission of inquiry and its members were insulted as enemies of the Eritrean government.
Eritrean embassies across the world were then accused of being behind the acts of intimidating individuals and entities.
The three-member commission is chaired by Mike Smith (Australia), with Victor Dankwa (Ghana), and Ms. Sheila B. Keetharuth (Mauritius), who also serves as the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea.
The Commission of Inquiry on Eritrea was established by the UN Human Rights Council in June 2014 to conduct an investigation of all violations of human rights in Eritrea, including: extrajudicial killings; enforced disappearances; arbitrary arrest and detention;
torture and inhumane prison conditions; violations of freedom of expression and opinion; freedom of association and assembly; freedom of religion and belief; freedom of movement; and forced military conscription.
(ST)