An explosive Danish government report shows: In Eritrea, there is little political persecution. Even objectors and deserters to return to the country without being prosecuted. The results are important for Switzerland. But Bern ignores the new facts.
Philipp Gut (from Ausgabe 50/2014 )
July 02, 2015
(Google Translation)
The Switzerland recorded a sharp increase in asylum seekers from Eritrea. Nearly half of all asylum seekers from the small East African country, which counts only four to six million inhabitants. And in which no acute crisis prevails, such as in Syria.
The Swiss Federal Statistical Office (BfS) provides the exact dates: 3531 Eritreans requested in the third quarter 2014 by asylum in Switzerland. Compared to the previous year this represents an increase of 110 percent. Another ratio is even more impressive: 45 percent of all asylum applications submitted in Switzerland are made by Eritreans.
The reason for this increase is in accordance with the Federal Office for Migration (FOM) for the most part, "practically to operate undisturbed loss of control of the Libyan government over much of the country, which allows trafficking organizations» in.
The Switzerland: a voluntary magnet
However, concealing the Federal Office that the most striking Eritreans quota is homemade primarily: Since the Confederation Eritrean objectors and deserters granted asylum, the requests have soared, citing alleged or actual refusal and desertion in the air.
The Swiss special regulation acts as a magnet.
However, the spread in the West information on the political situation in Eritrea and in particular on how to deal with conscientious objectors and deserters are incomplete and one-sided. The found the Danes. They wanted to know more about it.
The Danish Immigration Service has sent a fact-finding mission on the ground. The participants spoke with Exileritreern, but especially they visited Eritrea and neighboring Ethiopia. The Danish Feldrechercheure interviewed a variety of people from different organizations: Western embassy representatives, staff of UN agencies, national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local groups, as well as Eritrean intellectuals and representatives of the government. The interviewees were able to read the log of their statements and make corrections. All statements are documented neatly in extensive appendix to the report on 58 pages.
The results are surprising and controversial, even for Switzerland. What the observer found out locally, contradicts in essential points to the widespread view in the West over the East African country. Although there is no question: Eritrea is not a democracy like Switzerland, President Isaias Afewerki ruled a highly centralized, authoritarian state. But in this country ventilated horror stories have to do with the actual situation slightly.
Economic, not political reasons
The reasons for the exodus of many Eritreans are in accordance with coincident to respondents not primarily political in nature. They lie in the extension of the so-called National Service (National Service, we shall return), but generally in the "social and economic situation, including the prospects for a better life in Europe", as it says in the report. There is no "general climate of fear," says the representative of a Western embassy. Another diplomat added: "Most people leave Eritrea for economic reasons and for lack of perspectives - and not for political reasons." A staff of a UN agency confirmed that "hardly anyone leaves Eritrea for political reasons".
Nevertheless receive in Switzerland virtually all Eritrean asylum applicant or may be provisional stay Absorbed, which ultimately amounts to a permanent establishment. Asylum is granted but, by definition, and the original intention for political persecution. The Swiss practice, as much as a mid-term review, that is true no longer matches the meaning of the Asylum Act.
But as it stands now with objectors and deserters? Threatens them - it is also the Confederation of - in Eritrea political persecution, yes even torture?
Again, delivers the Danish immigration authorities, based on their broad research, amazing results. It is true that all Eritreans have to complete the mentioned National Service, said in addition to military training and civilian missions may include: in the administration, in hotels, in hospitals, schools, factories. Or for public infrastructure projects such as the construction of dams, roads, bridges.
The National Service in 1991 was introduced after the war of liberation and independence from Ethiopia to mobilize the population to the process of nation building and to defend the independence against the big neighbor in an emergency.
The service takes minimal eighteen months but can be extended, although the exact length is not defined. Many Eritreans were "unhappy" about this for an indefinite period and deemed them as "major problem," says a message representative. However, have young people who want to complete their higher education, serve less time and undergo only basic training.
While researching the Danes found no unreasonable conditions. Foreign human rights organizations often exaggerated with their negative coverage, is a local NGO on record. Who bar service, will not bruised and "not under slave-like conditions" also work. They would neither beaten nor tortured and also do not suffer from malnutrition, so the NGO.
Rather, a United Nations agency and a Western embassy in the capital Asmara assets the National Service wrest positive: "The alternative would be for many Eritreans unemployment", they can be in the report quote.
Lenient sentences for deserters
Most tellingly, also with regard to the admission policy of the Confederation, are the findings of the Danes about dealing with conscientious objectors and deserters. This would not be punished systematically and uniformly. Was possible detention of a few days up to a maximum of six months. A UN agency has doubts, however, that at present at all objectors or deserters are imprisoned. A western embassy points out that normal people ("Ordinary People"), who refuse or deserting, "not be prosecuted or detained" and that they would not have to fear being deported to service ("They are not at risk of Disappearances" ).
This is all the more remarkable, as Eritrea is still living with the former motherland Ethiopia in a tense relationship somewhere between war and peace. Many other countries would probably veer in a similar situation harder with deserters.
The government needs the manpower and therefore tend caught deserters to return to work rather than go to prison, so declare diplomats.
Overall, the regime has become much milder in recent years, it said in the report. The stresses also a native of Eritrea and teaches at the London South Bank University Professor Gaim Kibreab, a specialist in migration and refugee issues. Over the past two or three years the government's attitude towards the National Service was "relaxed" become so Kibreab.
Returnees welcome
Objectors and deserters who left the country illegally can even go back and legalize their status. The procedure is simple: you have to pay on an Eritrean embassy a unique income tax by two percent, and sign a letter of apology ("apology letter"). Several Exileritreer would have made of this charm offensive of the Government use, without any complications. On record are also cases of deserters who returned for visits to Eritrea and could then leave again undisturbed.
Western envoys and international organizations suggest that a substantial number of Eritreans regularly on and emigrating to visit relatives to visit to do business or tourist attractions.
An NGO in Asmara also rejects statements, according to which relatives of deserters would prosecuted. That was definitely not the policy of the government. Thus the Danes report contradicts an argument put forward that Eritrean asylum seekers like and apparently meets with the Swiss authorities on sympathetic ears.
Recent developments are encouraging, accounted for the Report of the Danish Migration Office. The regime has changed its course towards emigrants for the better. The government has realized that the mass exodus of young women and men is hindering the development of Eritrea. Returnees are therefore welcome. The government had the express wish to move expatriate compatriots to return, and therefore go human to them.
Several respondents wonder that these positive changes have not yet been reflected in the majority of human rights reports. These reports could therefore apply no longer as a reliable basis for assessing the situation.
Even the Federal Office for Migration (FOM) in Bern Wabern the new facts are not yet really arrived. "The FOM is aware of the Danish report. He is not without controversy. Our country specialists are in the process of evaluating the report and to analyze to what extent it new elements for our asylum practices arise ", it says on request. That does not sound like an early departure from the geratenen out of kilter admission policy.
Switzerland thus ultimately serves no one. Legendary 90 percent of Eritrean refugees recognized by the S0zialhilfe. So they are hardly integrated. At home she would meanwhile urgently needed in order to advance the positive trend of recent years.