Eritrean female pilot seeking asylum in Saudi Arabia
An Eritrean female pilot is seeking political asylum in Saudi Arabia after she was sent to bring back the presidential VIP plane, which remained in Saudi Arabia after the defection of two Eritrean pilots last
An Eritrean female pilot is seeking political asylum in Saudi Arabia after she was sent to bring back the presidential VIP plane, which remained in Saudi Arabia after the defection of two Eritrean pilots last year. According demo.archive.assenna.com an opposition website from the UK, the Eritrean government is trying to convince the Saudi authorities to reject her asylum request in an effort to deport her back to Eritrea, where her life would be in imminent danger.
The defection of Rahwa Gebrekrstos, a 34 years old pilot, is another blow to the Eritrean government after the widely publicized last year’s absconding of two experienced pilots of the Eritrean Air force to Saudi Arabia. Taking the presidential plane Yonas Weldeab and Mekonen Debesay flew to Saudi Arabia last year, where the Saudi Authorities agreed to return the plane back to Eritrea, and the Eritrean government sent the female pilot to retrieve the plane, where she too ended up seeking political asylum.
She is currently in custody in Gezan police station, where the Saudi authorities are negotiating with the Eritrean ambassador to Saudi Arabia whether they should return her back to Eritrea, if they do so it is feared she could be tortured and possibly executed as a high profile defection in Eritrea is considered to be a crime punishable by death.
We urge the human rights organizations and UNHCR to pressure the Saudi government to give her protection.
Paradiso March 31, 2013
Rahwa, welcome to freedom.
Given the Arab world’s very bad record on human rights, Saudi Arabia may not be best place to seek asylum. However, you are on the steps of the free world as long as you stick not to return to the worst land on earth, also known as “hell on earth” called Eritrea. The best option to any Eritrean high ranking military officer seeking asylum is to contact the American Embassy or the Ethiopian Embassy.
I urge to all concerned to contact the American Embassy in Saudi Arabia or the State Department immediately or better through the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The best option is to contact the Ethiopian Embassy.
Genet March 31, 2013
PARADISO
I AGREE
SHE NEED TO DO SOME THING, ANY THING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I HOPE SHE HAS CONNECTIONS. HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS NOW THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO DO RIGHT BY ERITREAN. THEY HAVE TO SAVE THIS HEROINE ERITREAN. I AM PROUD OF YOU RAHWA.
Genet
josef March 31, 2013
In 1995 while I was in asmara visiting the “bete gergish” zoo, there were no lions left but only too many hyenas and monkeys, I heard an old man saying ” This is a bad sign that an era of lions is over and at the same time an era of hyenas is coming.” exactly what’s taking place now.
Embasorya The Mighty March 31, 2013
“She is currently in custody in Gezan police station. ”
That is very worrying.
Genet March 31, 2013
DEAR RAHWA
THANK YOU FOR REJECTING THE DICTATOR AND PJDJ. THIS IS A SIGN FOR THE PFDJ’S OPERATIVE AND THE DICTATOR THAT THE END IS NEAR AND THEY NEED TO RUN LEAVING THEIR SUPPORTERS IN A TOTAL CONFUSION. RUN, RUN, RUN DICTATOR RUN……
Genet
Amir kezaA March 31, 2013
She is indeed a hero to take this courageous extra mile by siding herself with the people of Eritrea seeking freedom. All concerted efforts should be made including but not limited to: Contacting the American Embassy, International and regional Human right organizations, the Ethiopian Embassy and organizing demonstrations in support for her release and moving her to a safer country where she can decide her destiny. The primary role for this has to rest on the various opposition groups.
sidiabdu@gmail.com March 31, 2013
The more the Eritrean Government tried to hide its injury the more the injury ozzes for the world to see. Budy,you can’t hide the sun through your hands. It is time you admit you messed up the country and give others the chance to fix your mess,I hope.
Said March 31, 2013
Great job we love love you .but you forgot to bring the dictator withe you , u see I’m wetting for his arrest.
Ahmed March 31, 2013
Sister good lucky I wish you the best but remember you are in Saudi Arabia so I don’t know if that is better than been a pilot in eritrean again I can only say good luck. You have done enough for Eritrea and I thank you as an eritrean and I hope I get a chance to serve Eritrea as a pilot now to replace you and to feel how you felt. Anyway whatever you do please don’t go to Ethiopia where the agames are.
Said April 1, 2013
Ahmed what are saying??? do u now that we have eritrean in the ground.by eritrean and ethoipia border..ready so she going to be ok .and we most to be aware what’s going on around us domes.
Ahmed April 1, 2013
What do you mean by saying we have eritrean on the bored Ethiopia and Eritrea, I hope you don’t mean to librate us or protect us because that would be funny. Anyway I am not a politician so I don’t really care whether Eritreans are on the ground or not but I just hate agame that’s all I care about. Did you forget what the agame did to our people who used to live in Ethiopia in 1999, if you did not me I will remember that as long as I am alive
Tamrat Tamrat April 1, 2013
I dont understand the policy of usa on isayas government. A girl like this can not staty more than an hour in saudi police station. She was supposed to move to us embassy at once. This is double standard. the us governmet agitate these Young People to stand against the dictator but when they are in need due to their sacrifice the west or US are not intersted at all to help them. What is the use of this corocodile tears in multitudes wester websiet. This is dobule standard. If a North korea pilot does this, he or she is already in white house.
Said April 1, 2013
Tamrat .what do you think same bady to do the job for you u get to be joking this job is ours no bady going to do it . Or help let’s get overt. Get to wark.don’t stand by an wet .united against dictator.love in peace in eritran
ahmed saleh April 1, 2013
I have a feeling , her achievement to get on the level of professional PILOT and being
a female will bring attention on her favor . My wish is to hear happy ending about her
story . I hope some human right advocates would fight on her behalf to secure her safety .
MAY GOD BE ON HER SIDE TO SEE THE FREEDOM SHE SEEK ON HER DREAM .