Ethiopia to open 3 new camps for Eritrean refuges

April 14, 2008 (SHIMELBA) — Ethiopia will construct 3 additional refugee camps at Teo northern regions of the nation. Refugees and returnees representative at shimelba refuge camp in Tigray region said.

“Ethiopia will prepare 3 Eritrean refugee camps to cope up the ever increasing Eritrean influx” Sahle Hailemariam told Sudan Tribune.

Currently an average of 600 Eritreans from all wakes of life flee to the borders in Ethiopia in protest to the oppression they face at home.

“Two of the refugee camps will be constructed in Afar region while the other one will be constructed in Tigray Region” Sahle added.

The Fund for the construction will come from the federal government of Ethiopia and from United Nation higher commissioner for refugees (UNHCR) it was learnt.

Currently Shimelba refugee camp sited at the borders to Eritrea in Tigray region shelters some 25,000 Eritrean refugees, which is beyond its carrying capacity.

According to the official the 3 refugee camp will be ready in the near future before the existing refugee camps go out of control.

Over 3,000 Eritrean’s were resettled to the US and different western countries over the past few years with the help of UNHCR, IOM and the government of Ethiopia.

(ST)