Press Release
Ethiopia Forces 24 Eritrean Deportees Over Mereb River

Eritrean officials in Barentu have confirmed the arrival of 24 Eritreans who were deported over the weekend from Ethiopia across the Mereb River to Tokombia. This is the third time Ethiopia has deported Eritreans over the river although it has consistently objected to its own returning nationals' use of the same route.

The 24 Eritreans had endured months of detention in a Shiraro camp before they were deported on Saturday. According to the deportees, who are receiving medical attention in Barentu now, TPLF officials dumped them at Berkete north of Shiraro before forcing them to walk on to Adi Bigdi and instructing them to cross the Mereb River.

For two years now, Ethiopia has been targeting Eritreans and Ethiopians of Eritrean origin in an official campaign that has seen close to 75,000 civilians deported in the most brutal manner and thousands detained. Even now, 1,500 innocent Eritreans remain in detention in the Dedesa concentration camp in southern Ethiopia, despite appeals from numerous international humanitarian organizations.

The human rights atrocities being committed even today by Ethiopian forces occupying Eritrean land go beyond the pale. As a result of indiscriminate violations, including rape, by Ethiopian troops, thousands of Eritreans are fleeing those areas.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Asmara, 30 August 2000