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The Killing Fields of Eritrea No.2

June 03-2013 by Tesfazghi Yitbarek In the previous article, The Killing Fields in Eritrea No.1, I was quoting The United Nation’s Special Rapporteur, Mrs. Sheila B.  Keetharuth , who  handed over recently the  report to: The Human

June 03-2013 by Tesfazghi Yitbarek

In the previous article, The Killing Fields in Eritrea No.1, I was quoting The United Nation’s Special Rapporteur, Mrs. Sheila B.  Keetharuth , who  handed over recently the  report to:

The Human Rights Council, which as expected from a humble, capable and  independent person finished her 21 page report on Human Rights issue in Eritrea on May 28th 2013.

In her report she has approached Eritrean refugees in neighboring countries of  Djibouti and Ethiopia. From  30 April to 9 may 2013 the special Rapporteur carried out a mission to both countries  and  before that attended in the fifty-third ordinary session of the African Commission on Human  and People’s Rights in Banjul, from 9 to 12 April 2013.O)wing to lack of  access  with a view to inform her assessment of the situation of human rights in Eritrea, by means of interviews with victims of human rights violations she  decided to collect first-hand information from Eritreans who had recently left the country. Who else can give a better information than those who suffered the most harsh treatment of the regime than those she interviewed herself.

Earlier last month Amnesty International forwarded a strong condemnation to the Government of Eritrea for its handling of political prisoners and detained religious groups. Recently also came a concern from Open-door International on the imprisonment and death of the Christians by the government.

Also On World Press Freedom Day, Reporters Without Borders accuses Issaias Afeworki of Eritrea for committing crimes……………

“Imposing inhumane conditions on detained journalists – including detention in secret locations, underground cells, use of steel containers as cells, and torture – causing many deaths. So far, seven of them have died or taken their own lives in detention because of the injustice of the treatment you imposed. They are Medhanie Haile, Yusuf Mohamed Ali, Said Abdulkader, Fessehaye “Joshua” Johannes, Dawit Habtemichael, Mattewos Habteab and Sahle Tsegazab, also known as Wedi Itay.”

In general all Human Right groups have labeled Eritrea as world’s leading giant prisons and Africa’s foremost jailer for Journalists. They have pledged for freedom of all sorts that the International law has agreed for all human beings to be free and practice all God given individual rights. Thirty-seven Christian students from the College of Arts and Social Sciences in the Eritrean town of Adi Keyh and five men from the Church of the Living God in Asmara were arrested in mid-May, raising the total number of Christians known to have been arrested this year to 191.

In the report of the Special Rapporteur, provides an overview of the most serious human rights concern in Eritrea, including cases of extrajudicial killings. In many cases enforced disappearance and incommunicado detention, arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, inhuman prison conditions, indefinite national service, and lack of freedom of expression and opinion, assembly, association, religious belief and movement. Finally she addresses a number  of recommendations to Eritrea and the International community aimed at improving respect for human rights in the country.

Where do we go from here?

Information technology has already given us the power to  access even the inaccessible Eritrean security apparatus. Arbi Harnet and other social media users are able to inform their contemporaries in the country. Whatever available means is being used to reach the people in Eritrea. The East Germans in the 1980ties had no access to face book or twitter but they were able to cross the Wall in Berlin to get Free from oppression and serfdom.

Eritreans have done the same to get away from slavery and crossed the boarder despite the shoot to kill policy of the regime. However, it is not enough only to  leave the country but  we all have to work together to end the appalling human situation in our country.

Mrs.  Sheila B. Keetharuth writes in her report

the appalling human rights situation in Eritrea, which in one way or another touches the life of almost every family” and stated that “real change would require a fundamental reform process transforming the current culture of rights denial into one anchored in the rule of law and in respect for and the realization of all human rights and human dignity.” She expressed her concerns on extrajudicial killings; the shoot-to-kill policy; enforced disappearances and incommunicado detention; arbitrary arrests and detentions; widespread torture, both physical and psychological, during interrogation by the police, military and security forces; inhumane prison conditions; compulsory national service of an unspecified and extended duration; no respect for civil liberties, including the freedoms of expression and opinion, assembly, association, religious belief and movement; discrimination against women, and sexual and gender-based violence; violation of child rights, including conscription, and its profound impact on education; and precarious living conditions. The Special Rapporteur also noted that these violations were “cited as reasons pushing a constant stream of Eritreans to cross the borders”.

Enough evidences for those who want to see the defect PFDJ handling of innocent prisoners and those who do not agree with the war mongering leader DIA. How many of the mass graves do we need to see and act evidently to stop such killings?. The dungeons are full of  human  remains and God knows how many people have perished since 1993.The Adi Abeito, The Ala and The Dahlak & Naqura islands are used as prisons and filled  with  people detained in Shipping Containers, most of them Youth and women.

The regime in Eritrea has done what was already planned before 1966, to cause the maximum damage to the Eritrean people who aspired for the sacred independence of their ancestral land. In 1961 after all the peaceful avenues were closed our fathers went to the UN office to make clear that the Eritrean people ask no less than to be independent from Ethiopia which took over our country by force, annulling the federation agreement by the UN. The same claim by some Ethiopians is still echoed in the hope that Issayas Afewerki would unilaterally annex Eritrea with Ethiopia after all the struggle for Independence that cost the Eritrean people more than 100,000 of its best youth.

Arbitrary arrest and detention, torture and prison conditions:

From several accounts, several government officials, administrators, community and religious leaders, business people,  journalists, teachers as well as ordinary citizens have been incarcerated in jails without charges. The number of Eritreans jailed for their perceived  political opposition, is according to Amnesty International around 10,000 to 15,000,. Although difficult to confirm the figures, the number of people arrested and detained without charge or due process amounts to thousands. National service evaders or those suspected of wanting to flee  or caught during flight further swell detention figures and may reach tens of thousands. Former  detainees describe various types of torture and cruel, or degrading  treatment inflicted upon them, which is still being used today. Some of the earlier known types; The helicopter, The Otto (eight) and pointing pistol at detainees were commonly used. Imagine the traumatic effects and consequence on the individual detainee even after released from detention. Deaths in prison from torture overcrowding, disease inadequate food and other harsh conditions are frequent, though no exact figures are available due to lack of access to Eritrea..

Appeal

An appeal to all Eritreans in the Diaspora to come together in one Platform and seek for an urgent solution for our country which we have paid dire for our Independence, and unite behind the Youth who are struggling for Democratic Change. I call upon all Senior Citizens and those who were fortunate to get Higher Education  in the periods between 1950-1980 and later in the diasporas, at least to couch the Youth, who are desperate to change the tyrannical system and build a democratic State in its place.

Individuals like Tesfay Temnewo have done their share, and we should thank them ,but why don’t others contribute to help the young Eritreans to fellow the right path to alleviate the Eritrean people from the long years of suffering. No one foretells the future but the Eritrean Youth requires political as well as Institutional  organization of their own making different to the Old and Aging Diaspora  political kind of organizations.

Again,  I call upon all Eritrean Seniors and especially those who already acquired Higher Education in the Years between 1950-1980 or became professors and experts in different fields, to give a helping hand to the Diaspora Eritrean Youth who are desperately trying to Salvage the Failing State of Eritrea before it is too late.

We shall overcome.

God Bless Eritrea

                                  =======================

Foot Notes:

1.Report of the Special Rapporteur in May 2013

2.Amnesty International issuing report

3.Reporters without Boarders/RSF-Paris on world Free-press day

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13 COMMENTS
  • ahmed saleh June 5, 2013

    Well , we all recognize the hardship journey of this movement for change . We also recognize the obstacles and the following threat not to success on our aim from outside and inside forces . At the same time , we are aware to the
    reactions of our negative past politics impact which produced the mentality of THERE THEY GO AGAIN . But the most
    depressing part is as the writer stated above , our highly educated showed negligence not to react on our innocent
    people miseries . It is only a matter of morality and personal integrity to do GOD works .

  • gual kehawta June 5, 2013

    Eritrea’s problem emanates from nothing but for lack of TRUTH. we all know PFDJ/EPLF was full of Lies since its days in the bush, but no one was bothered as long as that served to bringing on board thousands of youth. came 1991; the mafia reigned and setup its propoganda machines very well. The nation seemed to enjoy those “bedtime” stories untill that time the new youth got tired of the stories – stories that can never be turned into a slice of bread. Now where are our youth??
    I believe its time for action, and nothing less.

  • Ruba_anseba June 5, 2013

    I strongly agree with the writer that the human right situation in Eritrea is Dismal. Yet, I don’t agree with your saying that Eritrea is a failed state. Moreover, I don’t agree that the educated in the diaspora, which are largely detached from the reality on the ground, or the Youth moments in the diaspora which are composed of people who left Eritrean with pitiful educational background are in a position to bring about the needed change or reform. What worries me most is however is the fact that most of the opposition movements have neither the competence nor the right vision and strategy to challenge the Eritrean government arduously. Coming to power of those opposition groups most of which are divided along religious and ethnic lines is what I think is a perfect recipe to the creation of failed state. Change does not always entail improvement and progress. Sometimes change can mean loss leading to deterioration of the status quo. As far as the human rights in Eritrea is concerned this: I think the human rights situation in the country cannot be improved unless Eritrea is aided in resolving the central problem it is facing today, mainly the no-war and no-peace situation with Ethiopia. I think the UN and the USA government can help in advancing the general living conditions in Eritrea by sincerely helping Eritrea and Ethiopia to iron out their stalemate. Without doing so, it would be unfair to criticize Eritrean government’s short coming. Cornered by unconventional problem, the Eritrean forced government is forced to take unconventional measures.

  • Kiflom June 5, 2013

    Thanks Tesfazdi Y. for calling all senior scholars of Eritrea, but why from 1950-1980 only. What made you choose this period? Do you think these are the only ones that are concerned about the problem at hand. Don’t you thing most of these were and are part of the problem and not the solution? However, I admire your endeavor and I would like to advise you to take the lead and coordinate them through the websites we have. I think you need to make a general call to all of them using their e-mails. you can do it at least for 100 at a time. Do you think there are such a number of individuals who are or were not “WELFARE STUDENTS OF EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE”. I could cite Bereket and his other seven colleagues who were sent abroad by the Emperor for training directly selected from Eritrea.

    • A.Salim June 5, 2013

      “I could cite Bereket and his other seven colleagues who were sent abroad by the Emperor for training directly selected from Eritrea.”

      So, what do you want to say?

  • zaki June 5, 2013

    Had it not been for Forto 21 retreating , everything would be now okay.That special operation deteriorated the relationship between the stoic leader Esaias Afewerki and muslims of Eritrea.Because some muslims were Among those who performed the armed uprising.This special operation has also made the life of the Eritrean muslims, who were in some high Governmental position in particular and Eritrean muslims in general, Difficult.Now, What is the use of coming and Going of the special envoy of The United Nation’s Special Rapporteur, Mrs. Sheila B. Keetharuth when the bun is in the stove? I wonder if all those chanting “death to higdefists” asked themselves the reason behind the failure of the the Forto 21 operation? won’t it because of some traitors who tricked them into that that heinous operation that took the lives of a lot of true Eritrean who trusted their comrades but ended up either in prison or clandestine death lot? From now on nobody would dare to perform like that heroic deed.to be frank with you christians were and Are behind all the ordeals that Eritreans are forced to suffer either inside or abroad, a point in case is sinai . “when do dogs start to fight? after they chased the hyena ” After they chased Moslims in 1994 on the pretext of fifth column and Jihadists Christians started eating. each other. and led eritrea and eritreans where they have reached now. God forbid, what we would see next? Long live Wedi Afom!

  • samuel June 5, 2013

    ከመይ ጌርካ ኢኻ፡ ንሓደ ዘይሕለል ቃልሲ ዘካየደት ሃገር፡ ተቐማጦኣን ኣብ ስደት ዝነበሩ ደቃን ትስፉው መጻኢ ሃረር ዝበሉላ፡ ኮታስ፡ ነፍሲ-ወከፍ ኣስተዋጽኦኡ ከይተሓተተ ከበርክት ብወለንታኡ ድኽነት ከጥፍእ፡ አየር ናጻነት ከስተንፍስ ዝተሃንጠየ ህዝቢ፡ ነዚኣ ዝኣመሰለት ሃገር፡ ከመይ ጌርካ ኢኻ እተዕንዋ? በዚ፡ ኢሳያስ አፈወርቂ ኣብራሃም ተዓዊቱ እዩ። ተስፋይ ተመንዎ ገሊጹዎ እዩ። ኢሳያስ አፈወርቂ፡ ቅድሚ ዓሰርተ ዓመታት ንብጾቱ አፍሊጡዎም እዩ። እቶም ካልኦት ብጾቱ፡ ንሱ ባዕሉ ክመርሖም እንተዘይኮይኑ፡ ኣብ ልዕሊኦም እምነት ኣሕዲሩ አይፈልጥን እዩ። ንሱ፡ ንበይኑ እዩ፡ ኤርትራ እንታይ ከም ዘድልያ ዝፈልጥ። „ምናልባት፡ ድሕሪ 30 ዓመታት፡ ምናልባት እውን፡ ድሕሪ 40 ዓመታት፡ ዴሞክራሲያ…።“ መዓስ፡ እንታይ ክሕሰብ፡ ክእመን (ሃይማኖት) ከም ዝግብኦ ዝፈልጥ ንሱ ጥራሕ እዩ። እዚታት እዩ፡ ንኢሳያስ ኢሳያስ ዝገብሮ። ጠባዩ እንተደኣ ቀዪሩ፡ ካብ‘ታ ዘፍቅራ (ኪስንጀር ከም ዝበሉዎ፡ „ስልጣን ከም ኣፍሮዲያዛካ እያ።“) ስልጣኑ ከልግስ እዩ።
    ሰላም

    • samuel June 5, 2013

      ይቕረይታ!
      “ኣፍሮዲዚያካ” ተባሂሉ ይነበብ።
      ሰላም

  • simeret neber June 5, 2013

    mr tesfazghi, do believe in disinformation tesfay timnewo? he is a big liar. he confused us the whole year. we have learned a lot, we will not confuse for the second time, all young Eritrean mustn’t be emotional. we need to look 360 degrees. HAWINA SEMIAYO NI ADHANOM MEWTSIE ZEBLU GERU YEKTKITO ALO MIS CHIBTITATU. ABLISHIWA EYU MERET TESFAY TIMNEWO KAB PAYLOT ZEYHASH SEB GERMIWO ZELO

  • A.Salim June 5, 2013

    Tesfazghi Yitbarek,

    I sense that you are somewhat arrogant and ignorant. Why can’t you accept the fact that Eritrea is a poor country? Your arrogance and ignorance tell you that,by now, we should be at a stage comparable to some developed countries.

    • Tesfazghi Yitbarek June 5, 2013

      Thank you
      With the nickname A.Salim,whoever you may be;
      I may be an ignorant but I know who made Eritrea poor,poorer and poorest from the day he became the Party leader(PFDJ)the only party in Eritrea.
      I guess you are smart enough to question yourself..WHO ,Why and for what reason?Power…………………

  • ida June 5, 2013

    What breaks my heart is to see Eritreans fighting all the time. What made us forget to respect one another? Meshaki Guana?

  • KFLOM June 6, 2013

    Let us accept his call and support our youth who are our future leaders. Let us do it now, We are losing our country and our people. So what are waiting for?

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