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Eritrean residents in Ethiopia’s capital have reported widespread arrests amongst their neighborhood, sparking worry amongst refugees and asylum seekers who fled their properties in the hunt for a greater life.
While not unprecedented, the size and depth of the present crackdown in Addis Ababa is important, with lots of reportedly detained in current weeks.
The metropolis’s police didn’t reply to the BBC’s requests for remark however the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission – an impartial physique arrange by the nation’s parliament – mentioned it could launch an investigation.
Eritrea and Ethiopia share a border and stress between the 2 neighbours has been fraught for many years.
Ties appeared to strenghten following a 2018 peace deal, solely to deteriorate once more.
One Eritrean refugee, who wished to stay nameless for security causes, mentioned he was arrested after somebody heard him talking Tigrinya – a language utilized in Eritrea, in addition to Ethiopia’s Tigray area.
“We were sitting in a café when someone overheard us speaking Tigrinya and called the police.
“Six officers arrived and detained us. Later, the inspector in cost demanded money to launch us, with funds organized secretly to keep away from proof,” he alleged.
Many Eritreans in Addis Ababa are refugees who fled forced military conscription and government oppression in their country of birth.
Over 20,000 Eritreans have crossed into Ethiopia this year, adding to the 70,000 refugees already registered in the country.
While some Eritreans sought security in Ethiopia after a brutal civil war erupted in Sudan 18 months ago,
One refugee told the BBC that his sister was arrested on her way to the shops and had been held in custody for three weeks.
“I can’t go to her as a result of I worry being arrested myself, so I ship Ethiopian buddies to examine on her and ship meals and garments. I fear they may deport her to Eritrea,” he said.
Returning to Eritrea would put many refugees at risk of imprisonment.
While some detainees have been released, many remain in custody. Some have been held for weeks or even months without due process.
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) told BBC Tigrinya it had received reports of Eritrean refugees being detained and expressed deep concern over the matter.
Refugees are getting increasingly desperate, with many seeking alternative ways to leave Ethiopia. But there are reports Eritreans have even been arrested while attempting to inquire about the travel documents they need to leave.
The arrests have highlighted broader concerns about Eritrean refugees’ safety across Ethiopia. At Alemwach refugee camp in the Amhara region, refugees speak of frequent robberies, kidnappings, and physical assaults by armed groups.
“Some refugees have been shot, whereas others have been stabbed for his or her belongings, like cell phones. At least 9 refugees have been killed previously 12 months,” said a representative from the camp.
Some refugees are drawing parallels to the mass arrests and deportations of Eritreans during the 1998–2000 war between the two countries, when thousands were forcibly expelled from Ethiopia.
Ties have deteriorated as soon as once more following the top of a two-year civil war in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region.
Flights and phone lines between the two countries have been suspended, and diplomatic contact between their leaders has ceased.
Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia are calling on the international community, particularly the UN and rights organisations, to intervene.
One Eritrean who has lived and studied in Addis Ababa for six years, described the arrests as indiscriminate and deliberate.
“Both documented and undocumented Eritreans are being focused. Even moms visiting detained relations have been arrested,” he told the BBC.
Another refugee said: “The arrests are unjustified, and our lives are at risk. We fled persecution in Eritrea, solely to face it right here.”
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