Eritreans turned down for asylum after Ethiopia claims refugees as their own
Haaretz has obtained information which shows that the Ethiopian consulate's
documents are routinely issued in almost every case in which the
documentation is sought by the Israeli Interior Ministry.
By Talila Nesher
24.10.11
The Interior Ministry's Population and Immigration Administration frequently
relies on documents issued by the Ethiopian consulate here to attest to the
fact that asylum seekers in Israel who claim to be Eritreans are entitled to
Ethiopian citizenship and are therefore not eligible for asylum.
Haaretz has obtained information which shows that the Ethiopian consulate's
documents are routinely issued in almost every case in which the
documentation is sought by the Israeli Interior Ministry.
In cases in which it is seeking to deport Eritrean asylum seekers, the
ministry's population administration regularly presents the court with
certification that the Ethiopian consulate has verified the asylum-seeker's
identity and that he or she is recognized as an Ethiopian and entitled to a
transit certificate for travel to Ethiopia. Eritrea, although now
independent, was once part of Ethiopia.
Haaretz has obtained minutes of the meeting from a committee that advises
Interior Minister Eli Yishai on refugee matters showing that the Ethiopian
consulate almost always issues the transit documents for asylum seekers at
the Interior Ministry's request, relying on Israeli authorities'
representation that the person in question is Ethiopian.
The controversial procedure can be seen in the case of three asylum seekers
who were issued Ethiopian transit documents even though they had no
connection with Ethiopia. Their deportation from Israel was headed off at
the last minute, after which they were brought before a custody judge who
demanded that the population administration provide answers regarding why
the transit documents were issued.
Ethiopia's ambassador here, Helawe Yosef, told Haaretz the transit documents
are only issued who themselves claim to be Ethiopian. When told that there
was evidence to the contrary, he asked to have the information, but has not
provided a response as of press time.
The population administration said foreign consulates, including the
Ethiopian consulate, issue transit documents as they see fit.
More on this topic
*
<
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/israel-using-technicality-to-depo
rt-eritrean-asylum-seekers-to-ethiopia-1.391627> Israel using technicality
to deport Eritrean asylum-seekers to Ethiopia
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Received on Mon Oct 24 2011 - 08:36:18 EDT