From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Tue Dec 15 2009 - 12:22:17 EST
Missing Eritrea football team 'welcome home'
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
Eritrea's national football team, who have gone missing in Kenya, are
welcome to return home, officials say.
Information Minister Ali Abdu told the BBC they would get a "good
welcome" despite "betraying" their country.
He confirmed reports that 12 players had not returned from a regional
tournament in Kenya.
The UN says hundreds of Eritreans flee the country every month amid
reports of government repression, poverty and a harsh national service
regime.
But the government denies that Eritreans are fleeing and accuses the UN
of lying about the figures.
Mr Ali told the BBC's Focus on Africa that the disappearance was "not
good news".
But he said: "This is their country. They are entitled to live and work
in their country, if they come back."
When the plane returned to the Eritrean capital Asmara from the Cecafa
competition for East and Central African nations last week, it was
reportedly carrying only the team coach and an official.
The government had earlier denied any players were missing.
Cecafa head Nicholas Musonye told the BBC programme it was the third
time the Eritrean team had failed to return home after a tournament.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8414441.stm
Eritrean national team, 08/12
<http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46927000/jpg/_46927643_-41.jpg>
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