ERINA Update
(Eritrean News Agency,
Tel: ++291-1-117627, Fax: 127385)
Monday, May 17, 1999
1. Several international organizations operating in Ethiopia continue
toinform the Eritrean government about the plight of thousands of Eritreancivilians
who have been prevented from leaving Ethiopia despite the factthat they
have been dismissed from their jobs and had their property andlivelihood
confiscated. While the government in Addis Ababa has notforcefully deported
these Eritreans, they have refused exit visas andconfiscated the travel
documents of close to ten thousand Eritreans who hadbeen residing in Ethiopia
and have expressed a desire to leave. NGOs andvarious humanitarian organizations
have been working on behalf of thestranded Eritreans who have been prevented
from returning to Eritrea.
2. The Eritrean Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement
todaycalling for a concerted effort by the OAU and the international community
atlarge to focus on the provisions and measures for the implementation
of theOAU Framework Agreement. The ministry statement questioned "Ethiopia'spreferred
choice which seems to impede the peace process by raising issuesof interpretation."
The ministry statement asserted that the agreement was"unambiguous" and
did not justify Ethiopia's preconditions.
The ministry released a statement yesterday condemning Ethiopia's unprovokedair
raids on the port city of Massawa in which one civilian was killed. Anofficial
in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today said, "The internationalcommunity
should have sufficient evidence as to the desire of Ethiopia tothwart all
peace efforts. They seek to provoke us into a new round of fightsand throw
the whole agreement out the window."