In a troubling turn of events, Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers in Ethiopia are experiencing an alarming increase in detentions, raising significant concerns for their safety and well-being. Reports indicate that hundreds have been arrested in recent weeks, with many facing long periods in custody without due process. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission has announced plans to investigate these incidents, while testimonies from refugees reveal the harrowing nature of their experiences in Ethiopia.
**Eritrean Refugees Face Crackdown in Ethiopia: A Rising Tide of Fear**
**Eritrean Refugees Face Crackdown in Ethiopia: A Rising Tide of Fear**
The Ethiopian police's intensified crackdown on Eritrean refugees has heightened anxieties in the Addis Ababa community, as reports of widespread arrests surface.
Recent events have seen some Eritrean refugees detained after simply conversing in Tigrinya, a language shared by both Eritrea and Ethiopia’s Tigray region. One refugee recounted being arrested in a café when their conversation was overheard, leading to a demand for bribes for release, further endangering the already vulnerable community. With over 20,000 Eritreans fleeing to Ethiopia in 2023 alone, many seek refuge from oppressive military conscription back home, exacerbating fears of deportation and the potential for imprisonment upon return.
The UN refugee agency has voiced its serious concern over the situation, calling attention to reports of ongoing detentions amidst distressing living conditions. Refugees express growing desperation, seeking safe passage out of Ethiopia amid fears and accounts of violence within camps, including robberies and assaults. As Eritrean refugees draw comparisons to historical patterns of mass arrests during the 1998-2000 border conflict, many are pleading for international intervention, emphasizing the severe risk they face even within a country perceived as a haven from their home nation's oppression.
The Ethiopian government remains tight-lipped about the arrests despite mounting pressure from international organizations and the refugee community. As the situation continues to deteriorate, Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia confront an uncertain future, grappling with a lack of safety and support from both local authorities and the international community.
The ongoing crises underscore the need for immediate action to ensure the protection of Eritrean refugees, as their fear turns into a call for justice and safety amidst widespread apprehension in their adopted country.
The UN refugee agency has voiced its serious concern over the situation, calling attention to reports of ongoing detentions amidst distressing living conditions. Refugees express growing desperation, seeking safe passage out of Ethiopia amid fears and accounts of violence within camps, including robberies and assaults. As Eritrean refugees draw comparisons to historical patterns of mass arrests during the 1998-2000 border conflict, many are pleading for international intervention, emphasizing the severe risk they face even within a country perceived as a haven from their home nation's oppression.
The Ethiopian government remains tight-lipped about the arrests despite mounting pressure from international organizations and the refugee community. As the situation continues to deteriorate, Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia confront an uncertain future, grappling with a lack of safety and support from both local authorities and the international community.
The ongoing crises underscore the need for immediate action to ensure the protection of Eritrean refugees, as their fear turns into a call for justice and safety amidst widespread apprehension in their adopted country.
