Eritrea Online / Dehai Homepage
1. The Ethiopian government has transferred over 1,000 Eritreans detained in Fitche to Flattien, a remote area southwest of Addis Ababa. The move is intended to further isolate the Eritrean detainees, who have been subjected to inhumane treatment in prison camps and separated from their relatives and other visitors. The Ethiopian government has been ignoring appeals from various governments and international organizations to release the Eritrean detainees, including college exchange students at Addis Ababa University. Over forty Ethiopian students on a similar exchange program at the University of Asmara have gone back home to Ethiopia after completing their studies. The Eritrean government has provided the Ethiopian students with transport and other facilities. The government recognizes the rights of Ethiopians, including demobilized TPLF fighters, residing in Eritrea.
2. One hundred thirty three Eritreans expelled from Ethiopia arrived yesterday at the port city of Assab. The Eritreans, taken from their homes and hotels, were held in custody three to ten days before their deportation. The 133 deportees include children and college students. This move came after reports of an impending third wave of deportation. So far, more than 11,000 Eritreans have been deported from Ethiopia.
3. Departures of Ethiopians leaving Eritrea of their own free will have to be done in the presence of ambassadors and representatives of international organizations, said Eritrean Government Spokesman Yemane Ghebreab. The spokesman told a German radio reporter that this procedure is needed to save the Eritrean government from baseless charges coming out of Addis Ababa. The Ethiopian government earlier accused Eritrea of expelling eighty Ethiopian teachers, who had been stranded in the port city of Assab, although the teachers left of their free will and received transport and other provisions from the Eritrean government. In a press release of July 24, the Eritrean Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated the government's unswerving policy that a person lawfully residing in the country has the right to stay in and to leave Eritrea freely.
4. Eritrean and Yemeni relations are improving, said Ali Seid Abdellah, Minister of Trade and Industry. The minister, in an interview with the Eritrean News Agency on his return yesterday from a five-Arab-countries trip, said that his visit to Yemen was part of the continuing efforts to normalize relations with Sana'a. In his tour to Djibouti, Yemen, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, the minister discussed the Eritrean-Ethiopian conflict and bilateral trade and economic relations. Abdellah said the five Arab countries view the Eritrean peace proposal positively.
Veronica Rentmeesters, Information Officer
Embassy of Eritrea to the US
1708 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington DC 20009, USA TEL: 202 588 7587 FAX: 202 319 1304
E-M: veronicX@embassyeritrea.org
Eritrea Online / Dehai Homepage