Date: Monday, 19 June 2017
Rights Council holds interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea
Human Rights Council
LATE AFTERNOON
19 June 2017
The Human Rights Council this afternoon held an interactive dialogue with Sheila Keetharuth, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea.
Presenting her report to the Council, Ms. Keetharuth said that Eritrea had not made any effort to address the human rights concerns highlighted by the Commission of Inquiry, and had not shown willingness to tackle the impunity of the perpetrators of past and ongoing human rights violations. Conditions in detention remained harsh, leading to irreparable damage to the health of prisoners, in some instances even causing death. Ms. Keetharuth urged the international community to show a strong commitment to address the root causes of human rights violations as the key reasons fuelling the exodus of large numbers of people from Eritrea. Only justice and respect for human rights would bring a lasting solution to the problems relating to flights from the country, she said. Eritrea should take concrete steps to ensure a truly participatory process in preparation of Eritrea’s next review under the Universal Periodic Review in order to reflect the diverse voices of civil society involved in the protection of human rights.
Eritrea, speaking as the concerned country, said Eritrea opposed the report of the Special Rapporteur that it qualified as “surreal”. It must be remembered that neighbouring Ethiopia did not only have a belligerent stance against Eritrea but it was also a country seething under a state of emergency and had killed over 800 civilians while detaining 26,000 others in protests last year. Past history and Ethiopia’s incessant saber rattling left Eritrea with no other choice other than preparing for the worst so as to deter another war. If the prolongation of the national service was an onerous price that had to be paid, this would have to be done. The Special Rapporteur had been found time and again carrying out the mandate that was entrusted to her following minimum standards of neutrality, objectivity and professionalism. She was an activist committed to regime change from the outset. ..................................
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Berhane
