It has happened. Nobody has thought about it before, to come to Timisoara-Romania. Eritrean refugees who have been suffering for long, they are now relieved from all the past sufferance and have seen international protection for the first time. It is small transit center, but it hosts very diverse and complicated testimonies of refugees. Nobody can either write or narrate it all. It is very long and complicated; they have cried and suffered a lot. Yet, everything has an end.
The history starts as these refugees plan to escape Eritrea. Fleeing the closed country by itself is a mystery. Very fortunately, and unlike those who remained there, these refugees managed to arrive neighboring Ethiopia or Sudan. The sufferance hardly remained in Eritrea, rather it migrate with them. Yet, the sufferance was different as it was happening abroad. The way to reach Khartoum is unimaginable; to reach there many lives were paid. And the most difficult decision was the plan to cross the terrible Sahara. These refugees buried tens and hundreds of Eritreans in the sandy desert, may God receive their soul. Those who luckily arrive Libyan territory, they were welcomed to inhuman detentions.
The extents of human right violation in Libya are known to everyone, but Eritrean refugees are the witness for it. How many died in Ra’es Jedida? How many suffered in Misurata, Zileten, Garabuli, Zawiyah or Twaisha detention centers? How many innocents were killed in Ganfuda, Benghazi with cold blood? Or how many Eritreans beaten, robbed, or killed with knife in Libyan streets? Nobody has an answer for these questions, except he or she will say a lot of them. At the time of sufferance, all migrant workers and Eritrean refugees cursed Libyans for their cruel habit, and wished to see bad day of Libyans. By the end of the day, the day has really come. Now after all the sufferance of Eritreans in Libya has ended, Eritrean refugees are wishing all the best for Libyans, they forgot everything.
When Libyans start their revolution, another round of sufferance came to Eritreans and all Sub-Saharan immigrants sieged in Libya. The word “MERCENARIES” became headache after a rumor heard that Col. Gaddafi is hiring African fighters to suppress popular uprising. Eritrean refugees could not leave their rooms for food shopping. It was very hard time there. The work of Eritrean and non-Eritrean activists did unbelievable work in trying to evacuating the desperate. John Stauffer of ATDE (USA), Don Mussie Zeray of Agenzia Habeshia (Italy), Elsa Chyrum of HRC-E (UK), Eritrean activists in Switzerland and many others did their best. The work of freelancers, bloggers and journalists was also very helpful. Gabriele Del Grande was among the most hardworking bloggers to open the blind eye in the European frontiers. Many Eritreans, young and enthusiastic activists from Tripoli also did their best in exposing the amount of sufferance from inside Tripoli. Yet, all this trial did very little thing in evacuation of Eritreans from Libya. Thus, Eritrean refugees loss their hope of evacuation and NATO starts aerial bombing. Pushed by this, hundreds of Eritreans died in the sea in desperate trial of reaching Italy. The rest crossed to the west and arrived Shousha camp of Tunisia.
Now, those who had resettlement programs to USA and the Netherlands or other countries got some hope. With the help of the external pressure and the work of UNHCR & IOM in Tunisia, first 30 Eritreans arrived in Timisoara in April 20. Then, many groups followed them and arrived Timisoara Transit Center and they are enjoying some form of freedom under international protection. The work of GTR, IOM and UNHCR in running the camp is evident. With all its drawbacks, the Romanian government is working very hard in meeting the need of the desperate who suffered for more than six years all in North Africa, Libya in particular.
After all, another group of Eritreans are expected to arrive in the coming weeks, thus the Department of Homeland Security will start to screen the refugees as a final stage in the resettlement process. They are hoping the sufferance to end here, and looking very far beyond the Atlantic… it will soon happen!!!
I think the above article is placed as Political motive to demonize the government of Eritrea. If these people really have problem first they should contact their respective government representative in the region. All refuges from other countries contacted to their Embassy in the region in order to get help or assistance. Why the Eritrean refuges case becomes more dominant in every the so called opposition web out let, why the anti government elements busy in politicizing the Eritrean refuges in Libya or elsewhere in the region? I think any refuges in any place in our planet should be treated humanly by the country hosted them or by UN refuge agency representative in the region or country. But using refuges as a political tool is crime against humanity and not acceptable under any circumstance.
ReplyDeleteIf these people needs help what kind of help do they need and how this help can be granted riches in the hand of these people in need? who is going to represent them? what is the role of UN refuges agency in this matter? Why the UN ignores these refuges? I think there are so many questions needs to answered before asking for help or assistance from Eritrean in Eu, US or elsewhere.
The so called opposition creates a complex situation for these people in order to get some political sympathy from the external forces against Eritrea. Politicizing the current circumstance is not valid and not acceptable. If these people needs help rather going to the so called opposition they have to seek clear information from the UN agency in the region.
Hello Mr. Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteWith all due respect, the Eritrean refugees are where they are as a result of political crises in their home country. By virtue of this undeniable fact, their case is very political in nature and I cannot imagine seeing it being otherwise. There is nothing wrong in politicizing it as long as the politics applied to it is intend to solve it and not complicate it. Besides, you naively ( I am sorry to say this) suggested that the refugees in Libya should seek the assistance of their government's representative. Are you for real? First and foremost they cannot do that for they know too well that their representative will only exacerbate their dire situation by further expediting their deportation back to Eritrea only escort them to Gela'elo or Adi Abieto. Secondly the definition of a refugee according to Geneva convention 1951.. a refugee is someone who has got a profound fear based on race, ethnicity, political affiliation..etc...and is not willing to avail the protection of his country. Therefore, the moment they seek their conciliar services the forgo their rights as refugees. So the difference between the Eritrean refugees in libya and other migrant workers who were caught in the cross-fire is very different in nature. If citizens of other countries sought the help of their countries envoys it's OK 'cause they can even be airlifted to their country only to be reunited with their loved ones, however, in the case of Eritreans what awaits them in Eritrea is far worse than what they are probably experiencing in Libya. Truly speaking their are caught between two rocks...I hope this brings some enlightenment to you. Take care and I encourage you to be the voice for the voiceless. B.A. Markos, Canada
I am really sorry to see some Eritreans still ignoring the fact on ground. I am sure, they are doing it intentionally to protect the fact and make sure the reason of fleeing will not be exposed and the bloodsucker government may not be in the eyes of rights groups. But, it is truth. The situation of Eritreans in Libya was evident. Where was the Eritrean government while all countries were evacuating their citizens? So what does it mean when this irresponsible citizen pretend to ignore the fact on the ground. The fact now is speaking by itself. What advantage does UNHCR got by helping Eritreans? It is just doing its job, because the world has seen the crying of Eritreans who return from Malta, Libya and Egypt. Dahlak, nakura, Adi-abeyto, wi'a and gelaelo are the witness for what has happened in the past, but the world does not want to see this suffer once again.
ReplyDeleteElse, majority of the Eritrean in Diaspora are not opposition. But, you and your dictator bosses say to anybody who say the truth and speak the fact as opposition. But it is not true!!! But, it is very difficult to hide the whole glob with your small hand. Try to see the fact, and think about how this problem can be solved once forever, thus every Eritrean will come back home and enjoy freedom. Thus, no more deaths in Sahara, in the sea or in Tunisian desert. May God help Eritrea!!!