Eritrean Refugees in Libya 19 March 2013
Human Rights Concern - Eritrea has received several disturbing reports from Libya concerning the abusive treatment of Eritrean refugees in that country: 1) 76 Eritrean refugees in Libya are being used to clear land mines in
Human Rights Concern – Eritrea has received several disturbing reports from Libya concerning the abusive treatment of Eritrean refugees in that country:
1) 76 Eritrean refugees in Libya are being used to clear land mines in Sirte, the home town of the late Gaddafi. The refugees are forced all day to clear land mines. These are not trained professionals. This is not humanitarian de-mining. This is a callous, inhuman treatment of humans as if they were disposable pieces of equipment. It amounts to nothing less than murder.
These refugees are not given access to UNHCR. It is inhuman that these refugees, who fled persecution in Eritrea, should suffer further harassment and risk being blown up while clearing the mines. The Libyans do not want to do it themselves, so they use refugees. This is barbaric and should be condemned.
2) Over 400 Eritrean refugees have been trafficked from Sudan to Libya and involuntarily held in Ajdabiya, near Banqazi. Over 120 refugees had paid a $1,700 ransom per person before their release; the remaining 400 are held inhumanly, and those who were released report that they were starving and subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment. This could not happen in such large numbers if the Libyan government took action against it, so it can only be assumed that they are complicit.
3) Eritrean refugees are also detained incommunicado and under harsh conditions at the following prisons:
Salma prison (near Tripoli) – 81refugees
Al-Khums (near Tripoli) – no numbers available
Al-Kufra – Over 300 refugees
Sabha – around 1,200 refugees
Zuwara – no numbers available
It is very sad to see what the so-called revolutionaries in Libya are doing to the refugees from Africa. We had hoped that they would empathise with the situation in Eritrea, and the plight of Eritrean refugees, as they themselves have suffered at the hands of Gaddafi. Instead, the Eritrean refugees are detained like criminals under harsh conditions. The UNHCR office in Tripoli is not notified of the presence of those refugees in Libya. Why not?
Libya is one of the signatories to the African Charter on Refugees and a member of the United Nations. And yet it flouts the most basic human rights requirements in its maltreatment of Eritreans.
We appeal to the international community to condemn these horrendous developments in Libya.
Elizabeth (Elsa) Chyrum
Human Rights Concern – Eritrea
London, U.K
www.hrc-eritrea.org
hmm@hotmail.com March 19, 2013
It is disturbing to hear all these atrocities carried out against Eritreans and it is always by the Arabs. They have no respect for Eritrean life. Eritrean must stop running away putting themselves at the hands of these barbarians. If you risk your life, why not take the same risk and work with likeminded Eritreans to topple GOE so you don’t have to run forever? If you fail and die like Wedi Ali then at least you have died with dignity.
Saba March 19, 2013
It is easy said. I thought similar before. But to talk from a nice sofa, in a comfortable apartment, with enough food in a safe country to argue with someone who has an empty stomache, no proper home, only pressure by all means no respect from his own people you cant use those arguements.
ኣንበሳ እቶን March 19, 2013
hmmm
How can Arabs have respect for eritrean life when we eritreans do not have for our life ? for what is realistic solution..those who ran away from war are robocalling eritreans from california for a total disaster..without a sober caretaker government or even a milder isayas.
Saba March 19, 2013
What surprises me even more, yesterday a friend of my mother told her that her nephew who is in Sudan who was in Shegerab but who managed to go to Khartoum wants to go to Libya because it became “safe” again to cross to europe.
I dont remember where i started and where i stopped by beeing so shocked.
I took his number to convince him to stay where he is and that he shall not move much around because he is wanted by PFDJ.
Ammanuel Eyasu told about one incredible case when he was in those refugee camps in Tigray, that one Eritrean managed to escape to Ethiopia then paid smugglers to take him via sudan,egypt to israel. Then he was kidnapped as usual in Sinai. Then he somehow managed to pay the ransom then he was caught by egyptian police then he was lucky that Ethiopia “took” him back and now one cannot understand this at all, when he was back at a refugee camp,then he travelled again via Sudan to Egypt to Sinai and was re-captured. I think he died by now.
Poor family of him to go through all this.
ahmed saleh March 20, 2013
Once a citizen feels powerless and hopeless , it sets pressure points to force him/her onto
emotional distress . Wounds come in many different forms and oppression can lead to rage ,
anxiety , flashbacks and a sense of neglected . It is not a proper approach for heaven sake
to judge others from our safe place across the ocean. In fact they dream to immigrate for the
purpose to help themselves finnancialy and to their families livelihood matters at any cost ,
that is their choice , their decision and their willingness regardless no matter what . Do not
forget at the time of revolution thousands of thousands fled to SUDAN to seek refugee status
eventhough the alternative save heaven was GHEDLI , but now do they have choices to lean on
inside Eritrean land ? The answer is NO , you are by your own !
Recently one of my familly member crossed to Libya without consulting us and you can not imagine
how she drove the whole familly nuts and scared at the same time . But thanks GOD in short period
she crossed to Europe now safe and solid . One day in our telephone conversation she mentioned the
inhumane treatment of some Eritrean females in Libya . I didn’t want her to stress in detail because
at this moment she need to rest and forget to refresh her mind , she is only 22 yrs old poor soul
Sawa product . The sad part she was born in Sudan as a refugee and resettled back in Eritrea on late 1990’s to end up a refugee again in her birth place .
Halafi Mengedi March 19, 2013
Saba,
I have also heard many similar stories. Many don’t listen even if you tell them the danger of being caught by the Bedewin, Libyans, Egptians…. Some of the young Eritreans must either be outright stupid or want to take the chance knowing full well that if they get caught they could lose their lives.
It’s also surprising to listen from some of the refugees unnecessary complaint directed at the UNHCR in particular and the international community in general. Instead of complaining against the PFDJ who has made their lives miserable, they blame on the international community as if the internal community had an obligation to save their lives from where ever they are.
UNHCR’s good will is a privileged for these Eritereans..thats one thing they should understand. As Ethiopians say ” mikerew mikerew embi kale mekera yimikerew”.
hmm@hotmail.com March 19, 2013
Saba
You are making my point. If these guys risk their life, why not risk it to the good cause? For a better cause? Even if they were successful to flee Eritrea, they have left their siblings behind. What frustrates me is the fact that Eritreans become so cowards to the point where they are hunted like animals by illiterate nomads who don’t even read or write. What happens to their military education in Sawa? We hear about more than 100,000 Eritreans residing in Sudan, if they were courageous, they could take over Sudan let alone a couple criminal rashaida families. Eritreans must stop playing victim and start to solve their own problems. Somalians are respected wherever they go because they are not afraid to confront anyone who wrong them. Eritreans have to unite themselves and stand shoulder to shoulder to protect each other.
dekiabat March 19, 2013
You are right saba. You can not stop a person from committing suicide. But you can deter others from following the same path by sending a clear message that you will not help them, that they are on their own and to a certain death. All those who died in Sinai, Libya, sudan , other arab countries and Mediterranean sea are more than 8000. If they have sacrificed their lives to remove the lunatic isias the entire Eritreans will remember them forever. But sadly they died like animals and their bones scattered everywhere, what a waste. People might say we are saying this because we are living in good condition. Let me tell you if i have to face the same predicament , if i am in Eritrea, i will bear arms to fight the vampire isias instead of running to the rashaidas and boduins and disturbing my family and Eritreans painfully across the globe and an imminent death. The other thing is when they reach Israel through torture of Sinai , they send to Eritreans pictures of themselves with a good life in Israel ,Europe, America and invites others to join them. Women knowingly that they will be raped they are prepared to pay that price. In their view they are saying The end Judges the means. They do not care even if they reach Israel or Europe with half of their body. all they care is half of their body part has reached its destination. Look at the British Eritrean Women Lemlem Ghebru Interviewed by BBC about her children kidnapping. Why she did not want to give her story to Eritrean medias concerned about Sinai. She only told BBC because she wants their help to get her children out of Sudan. She was silly when she went to the KASSALA Bank accompanied by two kidnappers to give them money. Why didn’t she write a note to the bank teller to call police or protect her from the men. She was lucky she and her children were saved.
ኣንበሳ እቶን March 19, 2013
hmm@hotmail
somalians have a broken country but a real identity.Eritreans are doing what is good for them..ie..leaving the bloody country…Eritrean heroism is manufactured through lies ,coersion,forced conscript & made up identity that is not worth dying for.There is no colonel to force them to shoot….maybe if they called the Rashaidas,Libyans,Bedouins,Egyptians..Agame ..maybe the hatred raised poor young people could react.
thank you Eritrea..for the biblical proportion sufferings..unfortunately the worst is not over.
abab March 19, 2013
Dekiabat
U think that would be good. But the reality is different. U guys don’t know how the reality happens. If it was taking a gun and fight strait away and destroy pfdj, wow these u r seeing on the streets domenstrating woud go and do it. But what i want to advice u is come and join them and
let these who say they are Eritreans but they don’t even know Eritrea or Eritrean language but they help pfdj know all what is happening to Eritreans in sudan libya and Sinai and also tell them to read all this like you. If they are real Eritreans they will
Feel what it feels to to you.
Going back to your comment please please try to go with Eritreans for coffee,tea,or just have a chat constantly. When you see eritreans these Eritreans you might say oh this guys don’t seem they are enjoing them selves if you did born or grew up abroad. Because they are always with the
Feeling now and they are the real Eritreans with anice heart . If u get intouch with them and be incontact constantly you will fighd the truth. The reality can not be reatn bet can be spoken.
Halafi Mengedi March 20, 2013
Dekebat has good points. Many of these young Eritreans who are running away from PFDJ in droves are either cowardice, or stupid. Many of them have repeatedly been told what could await them if they trek the Sahara desert to reach Europe. They always think , rightly or wrongly, of Europe as a land of milk and honey. Those few who reach their destination live the same life as before – they don’t work, but receive food, clothing and shelter. What is life about if you live off government handouts in Europe for the rest of your lives.
Hailu March 19, 2013
Thanks Elsa haftna for updating this information
What is happening on our people is mind blowing and can not be comprehended with our normal thinking.
God bless our people
wedi zibolo March 20, 2013
Are we have even a single day for Eritrean a good day. Always we hear disturbing news about our citizens it is harsh life on earth that given to us. My follow citizen what we are waiting till we dis exist on earth. We left our mother land involuntary, all the problem follow us every where we stay. I think that is our weakness let we face the dictator and we live a life in our country.
abe March 20, 2013
Hmmmm,wonder how one desperately wants to be a member of Arab league or choose Arabic as second language to appease our historical enemies and what are the so called 10th or 9th Eritrean?nation ,(the ONLY Arabic speakers) called?Rashahida/Eritrean organ trader Arabs,evil criminals. Can anyone tell me when in history/since the creation/an Arab person/country/organization did some thing positive towards humanity? never.From nothing did they fabricate ELF so as to disintegrate/dismantle and eventual destroy Habesha.Now we are harvesting the fruit of their gift, LIBERATION?FREEDOM………. Sorry to say this ,but I think the worst is yet to come.