Eritrean refugees say they are being arbitrarily

detained in Ethiopian camps

Exclusive: Tigrinya speakers say they face beatings, detention and privation,
and blame UN for ‘abandoning’ them, despite right to be in Ethiopia

Photograph: Maheder Haileselassie/Reuters

Lucy Kassa
Thu 28 Jul 2022 06.30 BST

Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia say they are being targeted for arbitrary arrest and forcible relocation to war-torn parts
of the country, despite having UN permission to remain in Ethiopia.

Government security officers are accused of rounding up, abusing and unlawfully detaining refugees who have legal
status, as well as Eritreans who have foreign citizenship.

Berket*, an Eritrean-born UK citizen, said he was on holiday in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, when he took a day
trip earlier this month to a religious site. Ethiopian police officers stopped his bus on the outskirts of the city. Onboard
were 140 Eritreans who had been visiting a monastery.

“They rounded up only those of us who speak Tigrinya [the language of Eritreans and Tigrayans]. Other than the
refugees, there were scores of Eritreans with European, Canada, US and UK passports. They took our belongings and
forced us into another bus.

“They did not tell us about our ‘crime’. They would not listen when everyone showed their UNHCR [UN refugee
agency] ID and passports,” said Berket.

“We refused to get into the bus since the police officers did not give us any explanation. But the officers beat and
intimidated us. There was also a mob of ordinary people verbally assaulting us. We were scared.”

The group was driven to a camp in Debark, a town in the troubled Amhara region. Berket and 20 others with foreign
passports were released 10 days later. The others are still being held in the Alemwach camp with thousands of other
Eritrean refugees.

“It is very harsh,” said Berket. “It lacks basic facilities like water. It is scary as there are many violent militias in the
area. They arbitrarily arrested me and arbitrarily released me. There is no law and order.”

ekalom*, a father of three, said he had been living and working in Addis Ababa since he fled from Eritrea in 2013. He
was relocated to the camp on 9 July, and is separated from his children and wife, who remain in the city.

“I established my life in Addis, trusting UNHCR would protect my refugee rights. But it looks now like I don’t have
rights at all. We did not get any explanation why we are held here, how long this will take.
“No one from UNHCR has asked us. They abandoned us. We have nowhere to go to claim our rights – there is
nowhere to go to ask for protection.”

The refugees said the camp was not secure. There has been no active fighting since the withdrawal of Tigray rebels in
December, during the ongoing conflict with the Ethiopian government, but those living in the camp claim bandits and
local armed groups are terrorising people.

“There are many armed people. They loot and abduct people. You don’t know who is going to attack you,” said
Lewam*, another refugee forcibly relocated from Addis Ababa.

“It is not even safe for the locals themselves. There is no water or food in the camp, and the shelters are in poor
condition.

“I had finished the visa process and was expecting to travel to Norway last week. But now I am forced to live here, left
in an uncertain situation.”

The office of the Ethiopian prime minister has not responded to requests for comment.

1. Explain in your own words what the government in Ethiopia are accused of doing?

The Ethiopian government are being accused of forcefully taking Eritrean refugees and moving them to
insecure refugee camps which are not good enough and lack basic things like water even though they have
UN permission to take refuge in Ethiopia or other countries the prime minister is yet to comment on the
situation.

2. Why do you think the government are doing this?

It is unclear from the text why the Ethiopian government are victimising Eritreans. It could be that the
Ethiopian government feel they are a threat to national security or they pose an economic threat to
Ethiopians.

3. What are the living conditions like for those who are detained?

The living conditions for people who are detained by the Ethiopian government are very poor because the
camps are lacking basic supplies like water and food and the shelters are very poor. Also, the camps aren’t
very secure because there are armed militias operating in the camps and there is no law and order.

4. Why do you think refugees from Eritrea continue to try and get to European countries, rather than simply
gaining refugee status in countries closer to Eritrea?

People want to go to European countries over Ethiopia because they believe they feel safer and there are
more economic opportunities. Also there is more higher standards of living and services like health care.