Opposition alliance urges Egypt to stop deporting Eritreans
By Tesfa-alem Tekle
June 29, 2008 (MEKELLE) — Eritrean Democratic Alliance(EDA),a coalition of 13 Eritrean opposition organizations on Sunday jointly call on Egyptian authorities to immediately stop any further forced deportation against the hundreds of Eritreans being stranded in Egypt.
“We have confirmed that a number of Eritreans upon deported arrival from Egypt are being directly thrown to secret detention centers, torchered to death and some are reported to be shot dead in front of their colleagues to terrorize others from further attempts of escape”A joint statement send to Sudan Tribune said.
Despite wide condemnation and pressures from various international human right bodies Egypt has deported over 800 Eritreans over the past few weeks alone.
“We collectively call on Egyptian authorities to respect and be obliged by international agreements signed and stop forced deportation in no time.” It said
“We urge on Egypt to exert a maximum pressure against Eritrea to make sure the safety of the already deported Eritreans is protected and it has also to follow up their safety then after”
“We also call on Egyptian embassy in Ethiopia to immediately respond to the memorandum earlier submitted by EDA” it added.
In an efforts to bring an end to the crises,EDA officials have been speaking to Ethiopian officials too .EDA official said.
“Eritrean Democratic Alliance is in a final talks with Ethiopian government so away is created for the eritreans to be sheltered back in Ethiopia and government of Ethiopia has given us a green light to our request” Executive chairman of EDA,Tewelde Gebreslase told Sudan Tribune over the phone.
ERITREANS TO GO ON DEMONSTRATION
Eritreans in Ethiopia will be going to streets of Addis Ababa on Wednsday to raise their voice in protest to the deportation hundreds of Eritreans are facing against their will. The official said
“EDA member groups, Eritreans in Ethiopia and other concerned groups will be demonstrating in Addis on Wednesday” Tewelde said adding “we will raise our voices in the doors of Egypt embassy, American embassy, OAU and UNHCR offices in Addis.
In a similar move neighboring Libya is also prepared to deport hundreds of Eritreans.He said
“We have also submitted a separate memorandum to Libyan embassy in Addis to halt the planned mass deportation.”
According to Administration of refugees and returnees Affairs (ARRA) with the 3 new refugee camps which currently went operational in Tigray and Afar regions the total 4 refugee camps in Ethiopia now shelter 31,500 eritreans with many more arriving every day.
(ST)