ERINA Update

(Eritrean News Agency,
Tel: ++291-1-117627, Fax: 127385)
Wednesday, September 7, 1998

Eritrean News Agency Update September 7, 1998

ERINA Update (Eritrean News Agency,

Tel: ++291-1-117627, Fax: 127385)

Monday, September 7, 1998

1. The United Nations has strongly condemned Ethiopia's harassment of Eritreans working in various UN organs in Ethiopia. In a letter to the Ethiopian government, the UN described the accusations of espionage being brought against the Eritreans as baseless and cautioned the Ethiopians against mistreating the Eritreans who enjoy special privileges as UN workers in a foreign country. Eritreans employed by the UN have been moved to safe locales while the legal office of the UN seeks to resolve the issue with Ethiopian officials.

2. The Ethiopian government continues its mass expulsion of innocent Eritreans and Ethiopians of Eritrean origin living in Ethiopia. Over the last week, the government has deported 704 Eritreans. Three hundred forty five Eritreans arrived last Friday through the volatile war zone of Zalambessa. The deported victims reported the regime's denial of any educational opportunities for Eritreans residing in Ethiopia and the confiscation and auctioning of properties of deported Eritreans. Most of them have left their properties in Ethiopia and are certain the properties have since been confiscated by the Ethiopian government. Among the deportees were handicapped, elderly, priests and 28 minors. Another 359 deportees rounded up from Addis Ababa and its surrounding came in yesterday through Zalambessa. The deportees include women and children in addition to youth who have been imprisoned in Shegolye near Addis Ababa. The long four day walk suffered by the Eritreans exposed children to hunger and disease, the deportees explained. One pregnant woman began labor after passing Debre Birhan and, although the deportees pleaded with Ethiopian officials to let her return to Debre Birhan and give birth, the soldiers refused. Eventually she gave birth on the way to Dessie where soldiers forced her to stay. The Ethiopian government has, to date, expelled over 20,000 Eritreans.

3. President Isaias Afwerki has stated that the Ethiopian government continues to demonstrate its unwillingness to seek a peaceful resolution to the on-going border conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia. President Afwerki, who returned from the 12th Summit of Non-Aligned Nations in Durban on Friday, said that the Ethiopian government refused to accept peace proposals put forward by the Summit and did not attempt to put forward any plans of their own. The president confirmed that Ethiopia would not accept calls from the Summit for a cessation of all hostilities and continues to wage a war campaign.

Veronica Rentmeesters, Information Officer

Embassy of Eritrea to the US

1708 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington DC 20009, USA TEL: 202 319 1991 FAX: 202 319 1304

E-M: veronicX@embassyeritrea.org

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