From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Tue Feb 23 2010 - 07:59:43 EST
Eritreans protest UN sanctions2010-02-22 22:11
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Geneva - About 5 000 Eritreans from around Europe rallied on Monday in
front of the UN European headquarters in Geneva to protest against UN
Security Council sanctions on Eritrea, police said.
The demonstrators waved Eritrean flags and carried banners such as "No to
sanctions based on lies", and "Eritrea will never go on its knees".
The Security Council in December voted for an arms embargo and targeted
sanctions against Eritrea, which has been accused of trying to destabilise
the Western-backed government in neighbouring Somalia.
One of the organisers of the rally in Geneva, who declined to be named, told
AFP that members of the Eritrean diaspora had travelled to the Swiss city
from 14 European nations.
A spokesperson from police in Geneva said about 5 000 people took part in
the protest, which passed peacefully.
Other demonstrations were staged in the Australian capital Canberra and in
San Francisco, while the Eritrean community gathered in Saudi Arabia,
according to an Eritrean government website.
Asmara has condemned the sanctions decision, which includes a travel ban on
senior officials, as "a shameful day" for the UN.
The Security Council accused Eritrean leaders of aiding Somali rebels and
pressed Asmara to withdraw troops immediately from disputed territories
along its frontier with Djibouti.
- AFP
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