Press Release
ICRC Sponsored Voluntary Repatriation of Ethiopians Will Commence

Voluntary repatriation of Ethiopians will commence on Monday, June 19, 2000. The first group is scheduled to depart Adi Kaih between 10:00-12:00 hours.

The ICRC-Asmara in coordination with the ICRC-Addis Ababa for the past week has been making all the necessary preparations to conduct a legally successful repatriation of Ethiopians to their home country. ICRC-Asmara had already interviewed close to 4,000 Ethiopians to determine that they are voluntarily repatriating; that upon their return to their home country their security is not jeopardized; and that there is no separation of family members.

These close to 4,000 Ethiopians have been internally displaced in Eritrea as a result of Ethiopia's naked aggression against Eritrea. As a result of the same aggression, about 1.5 million Eritreans are currently internally displaced with no adequate shelter, food, clean water and medicine.

The Government of Eritrea and ICRC-Asmara wished to start the repatriation earlier with about 1,500 to 2,000 persons per trip. Unfortunately, the Ethiopian Government was dragging its feet and refused for the first batch to exceed 500. This is not the first time Ethiopia has refused to receive its citizens. Towards the end of 1998 and the beginning of 1999, after all the necessary preparations were completed, Ethiopia refused to receive its citizens.

It is to be recalled that Ethiopia, signatory to the Geneva Convention, had illegally deported 70,000 Eritreans, confiscated their properties and separated families.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Asmara, 18 June 2000