ERINA Update

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

Eritrean News Agency Update September 8, 1998

ERINA Update (Eritrean News Agency,

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

Monday, September 8, 1998

1. Ethiopian radio announced yesterday that the Ethiopian government has begun taking over houses occupied by the families of deportees. According to the radio statement by the General Manager of the Ethiopian Rental Housing Department, Mr. Shanquo Desalegn, houses belonging to deportees will now fall under the control of the Housing Department. Mr. Desalegn added that the presence of families of deported Eritreans in the homes will not bear upon the government's decision to take over the homes. The general manager went on to say that Eritreans evicted from their homes are taking refuge in empty fields as the department resettles Ethiopian families in their homes.

2. Three hundred seventy family members of deportees who the Ethiopian government had earlier pledged would be allowed to continue to live and work in Ethiopia are now to be expelled after the Ethiopian government ordered the takeover of their homes. The Ethiopian government had initially said that these family members, largely women and minors, constituted no threat and would not be forced to leave. An Ethiopian government spokesperson has now said that the family members were actively engaged in espionage. The spokesperson said the deportees would be escorted to the border by Red Cross officials.

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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