http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/schweiz/standard/Der-geheime-EritreaBericht/story/16284609
The secret Eritrea report
09/05/2016
A first integral report by the Federal testifies to great skepticism about government promises in Asmara. And rightly so, as it turns showing.
>From 20 to 24 January 2015 Urs von Arb, deputy director traveled the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), for an exploratory mission to Eritrea. His mission: to explore, whether it may be cooperating closely with the African country in the field of migration. In the summer of 2015 made the "Rundschau" parts of the paper public, followed by a discussion ensued as to whether the situation in Eritrea is not better be but as commonly represented by the SEM.
Tagesanzeiger.ch/Newsnet requested via Freedom of Information Act to the publication of the report. The SEM refused this on the grounds that international relations with Eritrea could be affected. Tagesanzeiger.ch/Newsnet moved on the case, and the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner - the conciliation body - recommended the publication. Then the SEM handed the report Tagesanzeiger.ch/Newsnet: here he is first made integrally publicized. The redactions are done according to SEM from source protection reasons.
"Indicate on an opening"
The six-page report noted at the outset that multiple events "indicate an opening of Eritrea" in the second half of the year, 2014. So the country has about signed the Anti-Torture Convention. In addition, a presidential aide had informed the competent Swiss ambassador in Khartoum (Sudan) that Eritrea have interest in cooperation in the field of migration. Von Arb writes: "Because of the isolation of the country, the economically desperate situation and the high emigration of its mainly young population, it is possible that Eritrea considers a change in its policy as necessary."
The SEM Deputy Director met subsequently Foreign Minister Saleh Osman, Minister of Justice Fozia Hashim and presidential adviser Yemane Ghebreab to talk. His conclusion: "The government is struggling to communicate openly." It is remarkable what the interlocutors say for National Service. The indefinite conscription is one of the main causes for the flight of many Eritreans. Von Arb will report: "The government officials said that the National Service will re limited to 18 months."
As reported by Arb further, there are from the perspective of government officials, "especially pull factors, such as their opinion false asylum and propaganda that led to high emigration". The delegation from Bern deposited in turn the concerns of Switzerland, such as the respect of human rights or that Eritrea was represented in Geneva by an ambassador. The delegation also met with several heads of missions of foreign embassies, who had already served the Danish fact-finding mission in 2014 as an interlocutor. This mission portrayed a positive image of Eritrea, but was later criticized as sugarcoated view. According to von Arb the Heads of Mission welcome the report "unison" because he "anspreche many points that previously appeared taboo".
The SEM Deputy Director also spoke with representatives of international organizations on the ground. According to this, the situation is "more sophisticated than described and not bad in all areas". Reason for emigration was "rather the general prospects as the National Service". In summary, writes von Arb: ". The situation in Eritrea is complex and not black and white, there are many shades of gray" According to almost all interlocutors, so von Arb, many foreign report on Eritrea did not correspond to the facts. At the same time mentioned by Arb the will to change the regime, but maintains: "All statements are relativized by the speakers at once." Announcements like the limitation of the national service thus are "objectively verifiable". The situation in prisons and the human rights situation had the representatives of Eritrea do not want to discuss.
According to von Arb's 2015 "crucial year in which it is to be seen whether the regime is willing to sustainable improvements and changes, or whether the regime will only play on time." His conclusion: ". The conditions are not (yet) given to initiate a bilateral co-operation in the field of migration concretely" As the current assessment by Secretary Mario Gattiker shows, the hopes for an improvement in the situation have not been confirmed.
(Tages-Anzeiger)
---------
http://www.luzernerzeitung.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/schweiz-sda/Asylexperten-nach-Eritrea-Reise-ernuechtert;art46447,733034
May 9, 2016, 10:27 am
Neue Luzerner Zeitung Online
disillusioned asylum experts to Eritrea Travel
ASYLUM ⋅ Eritrea has the hopes of an opening disappointed by the federal government, 2015. "The opening did not take place," said Mario Gattiker, State Secretary for Migration. Escaped Eritreans "have upon returning at worst expect detention and torture".
This threatens still Eritreans, "who illegally leave their country or have fled from the National Service". Eritrea had announced in 2015 that it wished to limit the national service to 18 months.
But "Eritrea has the limitation of the National Service officially withdrawn," Gattiker said in an interview with the newspaper "Tages-Anzeiger" and "covenant" of Monday. The National Service in Eritrea can sometimes take years or even decades.
disillusionment
A two-week reconnaissance trip in March this year of asylum experts from the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) brought more disappointments. The experts should "consider whether it is possible to improve cooperation on migration with Eritrea" on behalf of the Federation.
But "the dialogue is not yet at a point where a depression would be possible. Still missing is also evidence for an improved human rights situation," said Gattiker.
Last year, Eritrea had signed the anti-torture convention of the UN. But if the country keeps it well, the two Swiss and a German expert mitgereister could not verify, because the access to military facilities and prisons were denied. In addition, asylum experts were accompanied at every step of representatives of the Eritrean Government.
Other asylum practice possible
Yet could the SEM people in Eritrea "very broad information" collect, Gattiker said. "The findings, like the state of the economy or of the education system, (...) an important addition to the overall picture," Gattiker said and added: ". Today, I can not exclude certain adjustments of the asylum"
Although nothing has changed in the National Service. Changes but it could be in the illegal departure. "We make sure that returnees who had left the country illegally from Eritrea still risking severe penalties."
What is an excessive punishment?
Gattiker warned against high expectations. While doing the "economic prospects" in addition to the human rights situation young Eritreans from the country. "However, asylum Legally it is crucial that returnees risk an excessive punishment." Nevertheless, the SEM review on behalf of the Federal Council, the conditions under which rear creations are possible.
Gattiker manifests itself for the first time publicly about the results of the fact-finding mission of the SEM. In February, the SEM had relatively open a journey of five politicians - criticized by Eritrea - four members of the National Council and the green Aargauer Councillor Susanne Hochuli.
The politicians were privately traveled at the invitation of the Honorary Consul Toni Locher to Eritrea. The politicians called then, inter alia, migration partnership. (Sda)
(Software translation)
Received on Mon May 09 2016 - 05:59:37 EDT