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UN Human Rights Council: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Eritrea

Human Rights Watch’s research on Eritrea confirms many of the concerns raised in the Special Rapporteur’s thorough report.  The human rights situation in Eritrea remains dire, with no improvement since the last Universal Periodic Review. 

Human Rights Watch’s research on Eritrea confirms many of the concerns raised in the Special Rapporteur’s thorough report.  The human rights situation in Eritrea remains dire, with no improvement since the last Universal Periodic Review.  Many Eritreans are denied fundamental human rights, including the right to express opinions, form associations and peacefully protest.  Scores of people continue to be arbitrarily detained and imprisoned without trial at the whim of commanders and

security forces; many are tortured.  Freedom to practice the religion of one’s choice is denied if the government disapproves of the choice.

 

The Eritrean government’s policy of indefinite military conscription and other patterns of serioushuman rights violations described above continue to prompt thousands of young Eritreans to flee their country. According to UNHCR, over 313,000 have fled, over 6% of the population.  The results have been tragic.  Fleeing Eritreans undertake horrific journeys to reach places of refuge and many have fallen victim to traffickers who torture them in order to obtain ransom from their families.  Many other Eritreans have been among those drowned trying to reach Lampedusa, Italy, including 366 who died when their boat capsized in October 2013.

The departure of so many has left the country desolate, as described by four Eritrean Catholic bishopsten days ago in an open letter.  The letter notes that“aged parents are left with no one to care for them and have been spiritually damaged” as their offspring are “scattered in national service . . .[in]rehabilitation centers [and] prisons” or abroad.

The promises that the government made during its first UPR remain unimplemented, including the commitment to ratify the Convention against Torture. In fact, Eritrea showed during it second cycle of the UPR that it was only determined to distort facts and to bluntly reject well-documented allegations of rights abuses. The government also showed that it has no interest to let any independent human rights monitor inside the country – including the Special Rapporteur. However, despite the government’s efforts to restrict information, the Special Rapporteur has succeeded in documenting the grim human rights situation and in exposing to the world the dire reality of millions of Eritreans. This is the clear demonstration of why her mandate is so much needed and should be renewed and strengthened.

The Council should call on the Eritrean government to implement the recommendations contained in its previous resolutions and unequivocally call upon the authorities to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur. We also call on members States to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur’s mandate. The Council should weigh the need for further investigation of the patterns of abuse identified by the Special Rapporteur in order to determine whether such abuse amount to international crimes in order to ensure that those responsible are held into account.

Source: HRW

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21 COMMENTS
  • michael Tedla June 19, 2014

    The Eritrean dictatorship will continue unless the people get up for thier rights. I hope one day torture will stop because the shall say no more and fight back.

  • Tes June 19, 2014

    The international communities are doing their homework. What about us Eritreans. They are telling us the dire situation in our country. Are we going to sit and wait others to do the job for us. It is unfair to leave the task to the international bodies. It is time to say no to PFDJ and start from our own house. Clear our house first which is the base of our suffering. Don’t be confused and leave your brother or sister to support PFDJ as his/her right. To support a repressive regime doesn’t account to right. It is simply wrong to help a killing machine. Face them and tell them the truth and explain the damage inflicting to our society. It is getting in to unrepairable level but lets try to revive it from the salvage. …ask yourself Where is my brother?

  • Med June 19, 2014

    I wonder sometimes we Eritreans are just waiting for the international community to solve our problem. Please lets wakeup from our dreams; no one can solve our own problem except ourselves. Dejen the brave Eritrean pilot has already mentioned in his interview that; If you made a mistake purposly; you never correct it and he said if you are turtured or arrested by criminals never expect justice.

    What ever the international community is reported or posted nothing can change the mind of PFDJ gangs; so the only solution that can bring change is when we act and fight for our right not by words but by direct action; finally I want remind you one thing if we don’t step our feet on the mainland of eritea never ever expect change.

    God bless Eritrea and Erireans!

  • Merhawi June 19, 2014

    our ppl.and our country are suffering a lot. the Damega is to much. very hard to repair it againg,We, Eritreans must wake Up before to late,, the International community is doing their best, we should help them to Solve our problems.

  • Abraham June 19, 2014

    Eritreans are not doing good to end the life of the regime in Eritrea.
    Eritreans are divided so that is good to the dictator.
    In deed Eritreans are not doing much more than the regime is doing to destroy us.
    It is time otherwise it is clear which direction is the brutal regime going.

    Abraha

  • Dani June 19, 2014

    Weyane propaganda misson just Laik assena radio u all go to hell god bless eritrean poeples and issayas afewerki

    • Verify June 19, 2014

      Dani , how low do you go to be degraded by Isyases . I just don’t understand , do you have a personal benefit or it is just an emotional issue?

      Just wonder when I see people supporting Isyases at this moment ( Remember we are in 2014 ! not in 60’s )

    • Sorobeti June 20, 2014

      Dani

      In the beginning of eightieth WEYANE were the closest allies of DIA and he granted them Bademe as a reward for their collaboration in civil war between ELF and EPLF and the same Isayas ordered one of his ignorant generals to retake the same Bademe in 1998 when he get annoyed with his x-allies, shedding the blood of Eritreans on both times.

    • Smerrrrrrrr June 20, 2014

      You have a right to support Issaias and we have to accept that

  • Michael Tesfamariam June 19, 2014

    So, what we can do? We have read, listened, above all as Eritreans, we have been experiencing this despicable human right violations for years. The immediate question that must come across every Eritrean’s mind is what should be our reaction to this tragedies that we are subjected to for more than 17 years now. We must be able to accept the fact that no international community including UN human rights watch has the incentive to do more in stopping this unspeakable crimes that are being perpetrated by the PFDJ gangs. UN human rights watch and other UN organizations cannot/will not be expected to act beyond reporting or publishing their observations. If we are expecting them to solve our problem, we must be deluded. If the UN were such a powerful or influential organizations, they could have done something in stopping the shameful events in Ruwanda, Chechnya, North Korea, and many others nations, the UN human rights watch is simply powerless, we should not anticipate them to press the regime without our involvement on the ground . We know pretty much well what is happening to us as Eritreans, it is not new and has never been new to us. Our people is now expecting a robust and an effective reaction from us, otherwise we are simply waiting for UN to do the work for us, we are simply failing our people.

  • Kombishtato June 19, 2014

    Eritrea consulate still extorting ‘diaspora tax’ in Canada, a year after top diplomat expelled over scheme
    Republish Reprint

    Stewart Bell | June 18, 2014 |

    TORONTO — A year after Ottawa expelled the consul-general of Eritrea to put a stop to a money-making scheme his regime had set up in Canada, the dubious “diaspora tax” program appears to be continuing undeterred.

    Under the system, the Eritrean consulate in Toronto tells expatriates they must hand 2% of their wages to the repressive African regime. The setup is part of a strategy that “routinely involves threats, harassment and intimidation,” according to a United Nations report.

    Foreign Affairs officials have repeatedly warned Eritrea to end the practice. Last month, as a condition for maintaining a diplomatic post in Toronto, Eritrea agreed the consulate would not have any role in the solicitation and collection of taxes.

    But several Eritreans who recently phoned the Toronto consulate said they were told they would have to pay the tax. They tape-recorded the conversations as evidence the consulate was still an active player in the taxation scheme.

    http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/06/18/eritrea-consulate-still-extorting-diaspora-tax-in-canada-a-year-after-top-diplomat-expelled-over-scheme/

    —-

  • Bus.zone June 19, 2014

    I will tell you what we can do , instead of we running away , Let us Re-visite 1961, and take army until we do that forget about Eritrea just keep eating your Trans fat ridden Fast food

  • Yerhiwo June 19, 2014

    It is very sad we ERITREANS can’t eradicate the Dictator Wedi Medhin Berad (originally from Tembien). He is taking our country to hell. What are we waiting for? Why are we dying slowly? Are there any men left in Eritrea who can put this drunkard snake dictator in the sewer? Where are the mothers and fathers who lost their kids? Can we demonstrate at least to demand justice and freedom? Where is that slogan “we Eritreans are special”? Are we special just to tolerate abuse, rape , torture and injustice? Ask where your brother is!!! Wake up Dekebat Eritreans and eliminate Dictator Isaias Afwerki and his cousins Hagos Kisha and Yemane Monkey!!!

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