Eritreans protest against disputed Danish report
Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers march through Copenhagen to denounce the results of Denmark's controversial fact-finding mission to the east African country. The Danish Immigration Services (Udlændingestyrelsen - DIS) report on Eritrea that has led to
Upwards of 500 people participated in a protest action spearheaded by Eritrean asylum seekers and refugees in Denmark.
Protesters marched through Copenhagen before delivering what they called “an urgent appeal” to parliament to disregard the recommendations of the controversial report.
“As the highest organ of the Danish people, we Eritrean refugees in your beloved country appeal to you, Folketinget [the Danish parliament, ed.], not to use the contentious Danish report of the Danish Immigration Service (DIS) in determining our case for political asylum in Denmark,” the group’s open letter to parliament reads.
In a press release sent prior to Friday’s protest, Eritrean asylum seekers and refugees stressed that they “are very thankful to Danish people and to their democratic government for hospitality and liberty”.
“We want to assure the Danish people that we are law-abiding citizens and hardworking people who are made to abandon their beloved country and family due to gross human rights violations in Eritrea,” the press release reads.
DIS’s fact-finding report on Eritrea came after the number of Eritreans seeking asylum in Denmark exploded over the summer. But the report has been heavily criticised, first by its only named source and later by those familiar with the situation in Eritrea and international human rights organisations including Human Rights Watch.
The Eritrea report has also led to allegations and finger pointing within and between DIS and the Justice Ministry.
New figures released by DIS on Friday showed that the number of Eritreans seeking asylum in Denmark fell by 89 percent between August and November. Just 64 Eritreans sought asylum in Denmark last month.
For more stories about Denmark, join us on Facebook and Twitter
Simerrr2012 December 21, 2014
This is the dumbest report any civilized country ever made. How on earth is possible to believe the victimizer over the victim. The whole sources the mentioned have no names and addresses, all mentioned by Embassy A,B or source A etc.Did they ask the embassy of Yemen,Sudan or North Korea if there is one at all or the president office? We all know some individuals who work for the goverment and some naiv asylum seekers trafel to Eritrea with the refugees pass port and may be the pfdj mafia showed them some copies of the documents , however exceptions doesn’t apply to all.I wish those individuals had talk to the mothers who were sent to prison for their children left the country, to children whose fathers suffer in prison, to young Eritreans who can’t move freely with in their towns and villages, to women whose love once disappears for years, to religious institution who have no right to exercise freely, to teachers who work without being paid, to workers in the mining industry without proper clothes and without paid . The report is just a garbage. I am sorry for the tax payers Danish people …wasting money for cheap pfdj propaganda .who knows the mafia regime may paid them or blackmailed them.
Sol December 21, 2014
The only named source Pro Gaiem denied the report and he stated that he was betrayed. And the report mentioned an unnamed NGO and since NGOS are not allowed in Eritrea it must be of the National Unions of DIA.
ERITRAWIT December 21, 2014
Nhager zegelgelew nhsya bzeyblew skayen mekeran yrekbew. Etom tebelestey bjeka m-bla mstay kale zeyfeltew YPFDJ dekey baba Isaias kedew hjey hagzwo manta telas!!!!!
Mulue December 26, 2014
I am very hopeful that Dannish willnot repeat the historical mistake of Norwegians!!! “With out pre condition Eritrea must united with Ethiopia” this statement was the mistake!!! Justice will be prevailed sooner or later !!!!