Djibouti hands 267 Eritreans over to UNHCR
By Abebech Tamene, Monday, April 14, 2014 ADDIS ABABA — The Djiboutian government has handed 267 Eritreans, seized during a three-day border conflict in 2008, over to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), presidential adviser Najib Ali Tahir
By Abebech Tamene, Monday, April 14, 2014
ADDIS ABABA — The Djiboutian government has handed 267 Eritreans, seized during a three-day border conflict in 2008, over to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), presidential adviser Najib Ali Tahir said Monday.
“Some of them are military deserters and prisoners of the Djibouti-Eritrea war, which broke out on June 10, 2008,” Tahir told Anadolu Agency.
Tahir said the Eritreans were technically under Djibouti’s protection, going on to note that “there are [another] 19 prisoners of war (POWs) temporarily under our protection.”
“We have made them talk to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to facilitate their return to their country, and we’re doing this despite the fact that we never heard of Djibouti’s POWs,” Tahir said.
U.N. Special Envoy to the African Union Ambassador Haile Menkerios welcomed the announcement.
“Eritreans and Djiboutians are brotherly people,” Menkerios told Anadolu Agency via phone. “No political tension between the governments of the two countries should affect the peoples.”
Djibouti and neighboring Eritrea have twice engaged in border conflicts. In April 1996, they almost went to war after a Djiboutian official accused Eritrea of shelling the town of Ras Doumeira.
Three years later in 1999, Eritrea accused Djibouti of siding with its longstanding rival, Ethiopia, while Djibouti counter-accused Eritrea of supporting rebels fighting against its government.
As a result, Djibouti recalled its ambassador and broke off relations with Eritrea, which weren’t fully restored until 2001.
The two countries clashed again for three days in June of 2008, leading to another deterioration of ties and a U.N. embargo on Eritrea.
Copyright © 2014 Anadolu Agency
rezen April 14, 2014
Great News.
And everlasting THANKS to Elsa Chirum.
tesfom Haileab April 15, 2014
@Elsa Chirum, our HERO, please do the same hunger strike also for the victim Eritrean who are still in the Sinai-Guantanamo ! Please, please Elsa, our next [woman] president in the comming free Eritrea, you can achieve it if you only want it !
God bless you ELSA!
Tes April 15, 2014
tesfom & Rezen,
guys don’t be naive it is not the result of three days hanger strike of Elsa changed the heart of Djibouty government it was a long pressure from different sources. Be-careful when you giving all credit to single individual and undermining to those who fight more for this to happen.
rezen April 15, 2014
“Be-careful when you giving all credit to single individual and…”
Tes, I know what you mean. Believe it or not, in my mini-world, I am a champion against developing “cult phenomenon”. It is the most dangerous thing that people can do. So you and I are on the same wavelength. With that background, I still have great admiration for Ms. Elsa Chirum.
selamawit2 April 16, 2014
no, “tesfom Haileab”. We need a bold and healthy Elsa Chyrum. But there is always the possibility to follow her example of hunger strike…
m April 15, 2014
what a joke evryday tragedy we are cowerdes and very very selfish pepole why we humilaiting in jail like monkeyss, we have to go back to our land to fight the dictator not we run a way like rats we have to be man like Wadi Ali Forto he is the hero he stay and die for freedom
haben April 15, 2014
ma`An`Ta yelen! hizbi eritra hageru raHriHu tesedidu kinebr yimerits!
selamawit2 April 16, 2014
“m” after your advice, you can only be in Eritrea. am i right?
Simerrr2012 April 15, 2014
Even this tiny country Djibouti showed at the end common sense to hear the plight of these innocent Eritreans who has no crime at all to be treated like criminals for years.I do understand their frustration for not getting their POW from Asmara street gang leader mentality dictator. This the only regime in the world who never ask for his POW , who used to say we had no pow during border war with Ethiopia, a government who exists on lies and deceive its own people. Thanks to all individuals and organization who worked to make this possible. Special recognition for Elsa for showing us a single person can make a difference. I always say our women are doing great practically when the men talking in 4 5 stars hotel to seize power in the new Eritrea,
Simerrr2012 April 15, 2014
Tesfom,
Say let us do it not please Elsa do it.You have responsibility to do your part as well.Ladies first doesn’t work here. A US female journalist did a story on gender roles in Kuwait. She noted that there it was customary for women to walk 10 feet behind their husbands. After the war, she returned to Kuwait and was pleased to observe that now the men walked 10 feet behind their wives. She approached a woman at the airport and asked, “What enabled Kuwaiti women to achieve this role reversal?” The Kuwaiti woman replied, “Land Mines.” So do not expect only our women do the dirty job.
Selomun April 15, 2014
TEMESGHEN NE TI KULO ZIKALO GOYTA. TEMESGEN KIA NETA HAYLIN TSENATIN HILINNA ZEHABA NI ELSA EMO SEBIN EXGHIN ZIFETUWO ZIGHEBERT. Thankyou very much ELSA CHIRUM
Tamrat Tamrat April 15, 2014
The very complex of Ethio-eri relation can be explained by a simple fact how two nations behave after they have engaged in war. What Djibouti has done against eri-refugees is a normal routine while the eri treatment in Ethiopia is totally differetn. This doesnt mean we ethiopians are better than the djiboutinas. No. NO! What the eri regugees or any eritreans for that matter is treated not as enemy if not like a Citizen (if we know how different Citizens in Ethiopia treated differently). What i am saying Ethiopia is goooooooodddddddddd for Eritrea.
ERITRAWIT April 15, 2014
Very good news thank you for everyone who works and help our people. Isaias was denai he didn’t have any prisoners even had any conflict with Djibouti. I hope he will hand over and our Brothers will be free too.
Sam April 15, 2014
It is very nice to hear this people are out finally. To be honest Elsa used to put a precondition on them if she is going to work on their case; She used to say if they are going to go to Ethiopia she would withdraw from the process and let them be on their own. The young and courageous Adyam played a vital role to make this happen equally if not more than to what Elsa did. The fact of the matter is our women are working hard! where are the men on this picture?????????????????????
Petros April 15, 2014
I hope every Eritrean is free. Contests & thanks to all that worked hard on this but n doubt the big effort came from Elsa Chirum.