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You are here: Home Press Releases Letter to Ms Angela Merkel, the Federal Chancellor of Germany (On the YPFDJ Jamboree in Berlin

Letter to Ms Angela Merkel, the Federal Chancellor of Germany (On the YPFDJ Jamboree in Berlin

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To:
H.E. Ms Angela Merkel,
The Federal Chancellor of Germany,
Bundeskanzler Amt, Berlin

To:
H.E. Mr. Guido Westerwelle,
The Foreign Office, Federal Germany,
Auswärtiges Amt, AA,
Werderscher Markt 1, 10117, Berlin                                                         22 March, 2010
                                                                                         
Dear Excellencies,

I, the undersigned chairman of an Eritrean opposition party in exile struggling for change and democratization in our country, am taking the liberty of addressing your esteemed Offices, and through your good Offices to all concerned governmental and non-governmental German institutions, to express our deep regret that some of your authorities have innocently allowed the so-called Young-PFDJs (named after the repressive People’s Front for Democracy and Justice of the Eritrean president, Isaias Afeworki) to hold a jamboree in Berlin between 1 and 5 April 2010.  This group, known to many Eritreans as the “Isaias Youth”, is an embryonic copy of the awesome Hitler Jugend of the last century. We appeal to you that this Eritrean version of an ugly history in Germany,  and an emerging tool of the hated regime in Asmara that is under targeted sanctions by the international community for its multiple abuses against the peace, security  and best interests of all peoples in the Red Sea basin, should not be encouraged to grow in Europe.

Dear Madame, Dear Sir,

As you very well know, Eritrea is turned into a big prison of its own people. Over 300,000 young men and women are kept in war-trenches and other tens of thousands of Eritrean youth are subjected to brain washing at concentration camps like the infamous Sawa, which are euphemistically called “schools”. The organization called Young-PFDJs, which is now due to gather young Eritreans in Berlin from all over Europe is nothing but a dangerous propaganda tool of the dictatorial regime in our country.

It may interest you to know how these Young-PFDJs are coming to Berlin. The parents and relatives of young persons are subjected by Eritrean embassy staff and their messengers in Germany to acts of intimidation, psychological pressure and threats of vengeance against their relatives in Eritrea if their sons and daughters ever dare fail to appear at the Berlin jamboree.  No young Eritrean and his/her parents will be given visas to Eritrea anytime, and their properties in Eritrea will be in danger if the young ones do not take part in the event.  Similar campaign through harassment of relatives is going on in all parts of Europe to make the show in Berlin a “success”.

You could already have noticed that the demonstrations the Eritrean regime organized in Geneva and other places last February against the targeted UN sanctions imposed on the regime were arranged in a similar manner of wicked intimidations and threats to life and property – brutal acts that  could not be imagined to have occurred in Europe of the 21st century.  

Dear Madame, Dear Sir,

We, members of the EPDP and other Eritreans opposed to the regime in Asmara, trust you will agree that this unwarranted act of intimidation against civilian Eritreans living in Germany and the rest of Europe is unacceptable under all circumstances. Therefore, we strongly call upon you and your esteemed governmental institutions to investigate these intimidations and threats and take appropriate action against the agents of the Eritrean regime in Germany. By copy of this message, we shall request similar action in many European countries in which Eritreans live in great numbers.

We remain at your disposal to provide any information required to justify our claims against the abuses of the Eritrean embassy staff and their agents in Germany and other countries in Europe against innocent civilians holding European and/or Eritrean passports.
With kind regards,
 
Woldeyesus Ammar,
Chairman,
The Eritrean People’s Democratic Party (short EPDP Profile attached)
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 

Comments  

 
0 #162 wedi ere 2010-04-21 12:42
All the one evil things written against eritrean opposition is By higidef himself. he has no other job except to insult tigray or saying the old slogan agame. Agame is better than the situation of any eritrean. God bless Meles he is accepting a lot of refugees. Issayas is mad dog and he will be doomed from the face of the earth
 
 
0 #161 alula 2010-04-12 21:42
Welcome to Tigray People’s Democratic Movement (T.P.D.M)
http://demhit.com/
 
 
0 #160 Samuel-Jacksom 2010-04-12 21:12
tigray state will be wiped out from the face of the earth by 93+ million strong ethiopian, they just need little help from eritrean. soon the 93+ million ethiopian will over run tigray state and wipe you out with the help of eritrea
believe me the ethiopian comming after you and your tigrain people. this time they will finish you. finish tigray generation.

agame tigray will soon will be wiped out from the face of the earth.
we, eritrean must work together with ethiopian to wipe agame tigray from the face of the earth.
eritrean beware, most of these people are agame from tigray.

watch, how much the ethiopian hate agame subhuman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41I9-YaDFCY

what we eritrean got to do is work with majority ethiopian and bring adwa tigrain government down to thier knee. .
enemy of horn of africa are weyane tplf & wedi adawa .
viva Isaias Afwerki presedent of eritrea & ethiopia.

check some of ethiopian website, check it yourself how ethiopian hate weyane/tplf & chiwawa wedi adawa
time to unite bring down adawa chiwawa
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/
http://www/eppfonline.com
http://www.ginbot7.org/
http://www.ecadforum.com/
http://www.abbaymedia.com
http://www.eastafro.com/
http://www.dehai.org/
http://www.shabait.com/
http://www.ginbot7.org/
http://www.ethiforum.org/
http://addisvoice.com/
http://www.abugidainfo.com/
http://www.ethioguardian.com/news.php
http://www.ethiomedia.com/
http://www.ethioforum.org/
 
 
0 #159 Eri 4 eritreans! 2010-04-10 12:39
YPFDJ: Eritrea tyrant Afewarki's youth organization equivalent to Hitler Youth (Hitler Jugend) both in essence and purpose.
YPFDJ is Eritrea tyrant Afewarki's youth organization equivalent to Hitler Youth (Hitler Jugend) both in essence and purpose. In the acronym YPFDJ, the Y stands for Young and PFDJ stands for 'People's Front for Democracy and Justice'. PFDJ is only a label because PFDJ as an organization doesn't even exist. The first and last organizational meeting of the PFDJ was 15 years ago when the then EPLF (Eritrean People's Liberation Front) was renamed PFDJ. That said:

Like Hitler Youth, YPFDJ is out there not advocating Democracy, Human Rights, rule of law, or justice but cheering tyranny, making mockery of all of the above, and exclaiming utter loyalty to tyrant Afewarki and clamoring 'long live PFDJ'! Long live Afewarki, analogous to the 'Heil Hitler' slogan of Hitler Youth.

Like Hitler after the WWI, Afewarki after the border war saw a major challenge to his tyrannical authority in the adult generation, call it older generation, hence he generated antipathy toward the older generation calling them corrupted, too old to govern, tainted by the past and even disloyal to their country. Accordingly, like Hitler, Afewarki saw Eritrean Youth properly organized and indoctrinated as the “guarantee of his future”and believes that they are the only organization that he could trust without reservation. In line with that, YPFDJ are indoctrinated as the future and defenders of the Land.

Like Hitler, Afewarki practices what Hitler termed 'Gleichshaltung' whereby any and all organizations either join PFDJ or are disbanded. Consequently, only PFDJ affiliated associations are allowed in Eritrea.

Like Hitler, Afewarki also maintains kind of ' Junior Gestapo' agents functioning as internal political police, maintaining order at meetings, ferreting out disloyal members, and denouncing anyone who criticized Afewarki or the PFDJ including, in a few cases, their own parents.


Who is YPFDJ?

YPFDJ consists mainly of Eritrean youth in the diaspora. But they are not monolithic. They are young Eritreans born and raised abroad, or those that migrated with their parents, or those that find themselves abroad on their own. Either way, they all live in a country where there is elections, parliament, some kind of rule of law, respect for human rights, free press etc., which they all benefit from politically, socially, and economically?

YPFDJ act, talk, and walk like Hitler Youth including wearing uniforms, they identify themselves with Afewarki's tyranny, cheer Afewarki's tyrannical emissaries abroad, etc.

Are YPFDJ folks conscious of the political situation in Eritrea?

If YPFDJ folks were not conscious of the political situation in Eritrea why then identify themselves with the perpetrator of tyranny in Eritrea, PFDJ? YPFDJ folks could have organized themselves as 'Eritrean Youth in diaspora', without affiliation with any political organization, for example? It is not too late, they can still do that? Who is kidding whom?

No one has to convince YPFDJ folks that democracy, justice, elections, parliament, rule of law, or respect of human rights is RIGHT? We are not talking about toddlers here? YPFDJ folks have families?

It is not yet too late, if YPFDJ folks want to prove to themselves, to the rest of Eritrea, and the international community they are not equivalent to Hitler Youth, all they need to do is to come out denouncing Afewarki's tyranny publicly and calling for democracy, human rights and justice in Eritrea in deeds and words. Absent that, YPFDJ folks will remain equivalent to Hitler Youth because, like Hitler Youth, they are serving tyranny and tyrannical oppression in Eritrea in words in deeds. Deal?
 
 
+1 #158 Samuel-Jackson 2010-04-08 16:13
http://www.eastafro.com/EriTV1/
http://www.eritrea-chat.com/eritrean-television.php/
http://www.dehai.org/
http://www.shabait.com/
http://www.meadna.org
http://www.horna-tv.com/


Doom day for agame tigray/tigray comming soon.
agame tigray will soon will be wiped out from the face of the earth.
we, eritrean must work together with ethiopian to wipe agame tigray from the face of the earth.
eritrean beware, most of these people are agame from tigray.

watch, how much the ethiopian hate agame subhuman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41I9-YaDFCY

what we eritrean got to do is work with majority ethiopian and bring adwa tigrain government down to thier knee. .
enemy of horn of africa are weyane tplf & wedi adawa .
viva Isaias Afwerki presedent of eritrea & ethiopia.
check some of ethiopian website, check it yourself how ethiopian hate weyane/tplf & chiwawa wedi adawa
time to unite bring down adawa chiwawa meles nazi
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/
http://eppfonline.org/index/
http://www.ginbot7.org/
http://www.ecadforum.com/
http://www.abbaymedia.com
http://www.ginbot7.org/
http://www.ethiforum.org/
http://addisvoice.com/
http://www.abugidainfo.com/
http://www.ethioguardian.com/news.php
http://www.ethiomedia.com/
http://www.ethioforum.org/
http://mahder.com/
http://www.galbeed.com/
 
 
0 #157 Samuel-Jackson 2010-04-07 19:04
http://www.eastafro/eritv
http://www.eritrea-chat.com/eritrean-television.php/
http://www.dehai.org/
http://www.shabait.com/

Doom day for agame tigray/tigray comming soon.
agame tigray will soon will be wiped out from the face of the earth.
we, eritrean must work together with ethiopian to wipe agame tigray from the face of the earth.
eritrean beware, most of these people are agame from tigray.

watch, how much the ethiopian hate agame subhuman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41I9-YaDFCY

what we eritrean got to do is work with majority ethiopian and bring adwa tigrain government down to thier knee. .
enemy of horn of africa are weyane tplf & wedi adawa .
viva Isaias Afwerki presedent of eritrea & ethiopia.

check some of ethiopian website, check it yourself how ethiopian hate weyane/tplf & chiwawa wedi adawa
time to unite bring down adawa chiwawa
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/
http://www.ginbot7.org/
http://www.ecadforum.com/
http://www.abbaymedia.com
http://www.ginbot7.org/
http://www.ethiforum.org/
http://addisvoice.com/
http://www.abugidainfo.com/
http://www.ethioguardian.com/news.php
http://www.ethiomedia.com/
http://www.ethioforum.org/
 
 
-1 #156 Samuel-Jackson 2010-04-07 19:04
http://www.eastafro/eritv
http://www.eritrea-chat.com/eritrean-television.php/
http://www.dehai.org/
http://www.shabait.com/

Doom day for agame tigray/tigray comming soon.
agame tigray will soon will be wiped out from the face of the earth.
we, eritrean must work together with ethiopian to wipe agame tigray from the face of the earth.
eritrean beware, most of these people are agame from tigray.

watch, how much the ethiopian hate agame subhuman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41I9-YaDFCY

what we eritrean got to do is work with majority ethiopian and bring adwa tigrain government down to thier knee. .
enemy of horn of africa are weyane tplf & wedi adawa .
viva Isaias Afwerki presedent of eritrea & ethiopia.

check some of ethiopian website, check it yourself how ethiopian hate weyane/tplf & chiwawa wedi adawa
time to unite bring down adawa chiwawa
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/
http://www.ginbot7.org/
http://www.ecadforum.com/
http://www.abbaymedia.com
http://www.ginbot7.org/
http://www.ethiforum.org/
http://addisvoice.com/
http://www.abugidainfo.com/
http://www.ethioguardian.com/news.php
http://www.ethiomedia.com/
http://www.ethioforum.org/
 
 
0 #155 Samuel-Jackson 2010-04-07 18:26
http://www.eastafro.com/
http://www.dehai.org/
http://www.shabait.com/

Doom day for agame tigray/tigray comming soon.
agame tigray will soon will be wiped out from the face of the earth.
we, eritrean must work together with ethiopian to wipe agame tigray from the face of the earth.
eritrean beware, most of these people are agame from tigray.

watch, how much the ethiopian hate agame subhuman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41I9-YaDFCY

what we eritrean got to do is work with majority ethiopian and bring adwa tigrain government down to thier knee. .
enemy of horn of africa are weyane tplf & wedi adawa .
viva Isaias Afwerki presedent of eritrea & ethiopia.
check some of ethiopian website, check it yourself how ethiopian hate weyane/tplf & chiwawa wedi adawa
time to unite bring down adawa chiwawa
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/
http://www.ginbot7.org/
http://www.ecadforum.com/
http://www.abbaymedia.com
http://www.ginbot7.org/
http://www.ethiforum.org/
http://addisvoice.com/
http://www.abugidainfo.com/
http://www.ethioguardian.com/news.php
http://www.ethiomedia.com/
http://www.ethioforum.org/
 
 
-1 #154 Samuel-Jackson 2010-04-07 00:01
www.eastafro.com
www.dehai.com

agame tigray will soon will be wiped out from the face of the earth.
most of these people are agame from tigrain or born in eritrea. I am 100% this people are not eritrean.

watch, how much the ethiopian hate agame subhuman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41I9-YaDFCY

what we eritrean got to do is work with majority ethiopian and bring adwa tigrain government down to thier knee. .
enemy of horn of africa are weyane tplf & wedi adawa .
viva Isaias Afwerki presedent of eritrea & ethiopia.

check some of ethiopian website, check it yourself how ethiopian hate weyane/tplf & chiwawa wedi adawa
time to unite bring down adawa chiwawa
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/
http://www.ginbot7.org/
http://www.ecadforum.com/
http://www.abbaymedia.com
http://www.ginbot7.org/
http://www.ethiforum.org/
http://addisvoice.com/
http://www.abugidainfo.com/
 
 
0 #153 Samuel-Jackson 2010-04-05 16:40
eritrean beware, most of these people are agame from tigrain or born in eritrea. I am 100% this people are not eritrean.
don't be tricked.
watch, how much the ethiopian hate agame subhuman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41I9-YaDFCY

what we eritrean got to do is work with majority ethiopian and bring adwa tigrain government down to thier knee. .
enemy of horn of africa are weyane tplf & wedi adawa .
viva Isaias Afwerki presedent of eritrea & ethiopia.

check some of ethiopian website, check it yourself how ethiopian hate weyane/tplf & chiwawa wedi adawa
time to unite bring down adawa chiwawa
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/
http://www.ginbot7.org/
http://www.ecadforum.com/
http://www.abbaymedia.com
http://www.ginbot7.org/
http://www.ethiforum.org/
http://addisvoice.com/
http://www.abugidainfo.com/
http://www.ethioguardian.com/news.php
http://www.ethiomedia.com/
http://www.ethioforum.org/
 
 
0 #152 mati 2010-04-05 14:09
wha u don't live eritria alon
 
 
0 #151 shanice 2010-04-04 01:59
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkcnIrj_7PI
 
 
0 #150 Samuel-Jackson 2010-04-02 16:02
eritrean beware, most of these people are tigrain . don't be tricked. what we eritrean got to do is work with majority ethiopian and bring adwa tigrain government down to thier knee. .
enemy of horn of africa are weyane tplf & wedi adawa .
viva Isaias Afwerki presedent of eritrea & ethiopia.

check some of ethiopian website, check it yourself how ethiopian hate weyane/tplf & chiwawa wedi adawa
time to unite bring down adawa chiwawa
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/
http://www.ginbot7.org/
http://www.ecadforum.com/
http://www.abbaymedia.com
http://www.ginbot7.org/
http://www.ethiforum.org/
http://addisvoice.com/
http://www.abugidainfo.com/
http://www.ethioguardian.com/news.php
http://www.ethiomedia.com/
http://www.ethioforum.org/
 
 
+2 #149 Elsa Gual Shabiea! 2010-04-01 00:02
The thing that i dont understand is why do guys "Asmarino.com" LIEEEE! Sooo much; i mean seriously.. Thats all you guys doo; is lie,lie,lie. It amazes me on how much you would bring soo much distress to your country,people and governement. You fake ass Eritreans. Agame!
 
 
+6 #148 mariam 2010-03-31 01:20
I was astonished to see in asmarino.com’s web site there is a picture of president obama wearing surgical hair cover and under it said, “Say no to health insurance”. Puzzled by this and started to research what was it all about? This web site c/o about human suffering, anthracites in Eritrea day in day out and do not want a universal health for all American that was weird. God behold the answer was not far from my sight, the lobbyist, the same one who are the hired gun for melles chenawie of Ethiopia. The lobbyist of Ethiopia, the one and only one standing and shouting we want our America back…got closer to my TV stared and shocked and join the dot Mr. dick army advertising against the health care bill and lobbing for Ethiopia to kill HR 203 and igniting Eritrea with UN to have resolution 1907 and labeled as terrorist state.
The same operate to outset Obama from his presidency because he is black and smart. The tea party movement as a cover up motivated with hate to kill his success.

Shame on you asmarino.com you chooses to go to that route, and president Obama you got your hand burned by this liars and they are orchestrated against your good well. How about Mr. Obama takes off your mask look straight not every body is your friend, criticism and ridicule is coming to your loyal friend you call Ethiopia and showing disrespect jamming voice of America and internet service. They are daring you Mr. president do not waste your time spinning your tail with this bible holding, hate monger, crying wolf all the time.
Lobbyist for Ethiopia;
DLA PIPER/ Dick Army--------450,000 USD paid
Vernon liipfert---------225,000 USD was paid
Cr international---------300,000 USD was paid
And the new comer, Jendaye Frazer working as strategic advisor to Rosa Whitaker
Why could a country always begging for hand out pay this much in one month. We the taxpayers of USA supporting melles chenawie to float.
Buzz off all of anti Eritrea your days are coming to end soon thanks to technology…
And the,
More to spill again,
Mariam
 
 
+3 #147 Samuel-Jackson 2010-03-30 18:52
eritrean beware, most of these people are tigrain from adawa. don't be tricked. what we eritrean got to do is work with majority ethiopian and bring adwa tigrain government down to thier knee. other tigrain are victim chiwawa meles wedi adwa gang. we eritrean must work with ethiopian people.
ethiopian are good poeple.
lets bring the chiwawa wedi adawa.
enemy of horn of africa are weyane tplf & wedi adawa .
viva Isaias Afwerki presedent of eritrea & ethiopia.

check some of ethiopian website, check it your self how ethiopian hate weyane/tplf & chiwawa wedi adawa
time to unite bring down adawa chiwawa
http://www.ginbot7.org/
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/27150
http://www.ecadforum.com/
http://www.abbaymedia.com'
http://www.ethioforum.org/
http://addisvoice.com/
http://www.abugidainfo.com/
http://www.ethioguardian.com/news.php
http://www.ethiomedia.com/
http://www.ethioforum.org/
 
 
+3 #146 samuel-Jackson 2010-03-30 16:21
eritrean beware, most of these people are tigrain. don't be tricked. what we eritrean got to do is work with majority ethiopian and bring tigrain downto thier knee.

enemy of horn of africa are weyane tplf & tigray people..
viva Isaias Afwerki presedent of eritrea & ethiopia.

check some of ethiopian website, check it your self how ethiopian hate weyane/tplf & tigray people
http://www.ginbot7.org/
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/27150
http://www.ecadforum.com/
http://www.abbaymedia.com'
http://www.ethioforum.org/
http://addisvoice.com/
http://www.abugidainfo.com/
http://www.ethioguardian.com/news.php
http://www.ethiomedia.com/
http://www.ethioforum.org/
 
 
+3 #145 samuel-Jackson 2010-03-30 15:56
eritrean beware, most of these people are tigrain. don't be tricked. what we eritrean got to do is work with majority ethiopian and wipe tigrain from the face of the earth.

enemy of horn of africa are weyane tplf & tigray people..
viva Isaias Afwerki presedent of eritrea & ethiopia.
death to weyane tplf/tigrain people

.check some of ethiopian website, check it your self how ethiopian hate weyane/tplf & tigray people
http://www.ginbot7.org/
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/27150
http://www.ecadforum.com/
http://www.abbaymedia.com'
http://www.ethioforum.org/
http://www.abugidainfo.com/
http://demhit.com/
 
 
0 #144 ERITREAn 2010-03-30 10:03
woldesus amar AGAME, HASAWIIIIIAND MOST OF ALL LOSERRRRRRRRRRR R!!! WHY ARE U EVEN GUYS WASTING UR TIME WHEN NO BODY IS FOLLOWING U. U GUYS VERY WELL KNOW AND ARE HAVING THE HEAD ACHE COZ U DONT HAVE LATE ALONE THE POPULAR SUPPORT BUT THE SUPPORT OF ERITREAN COCROUCHES!!!!
AND ASMARINO.COM U R TRYING THE IMPOSSIBLE FOR LIE IS ALWAYS LIE TRY TO BRING SOME THING GOOD IF U WANT TO ADD SOME CREDIBILITY!!!! !!!!!!
 
 
+2 #143 wediaker77 2010-03-29 19:13
REPRESENTATIVE OF WOYANE AITE WOLDESUS AMAR.
hOW IS YOUR SISTER TEACHER MINIA. IS SHE OK ? SHE WAS ONES MY GIRL FRIEND....
 

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We are happy to report that the Supreme Court accepted our appeal against a verdict issued in a lower instance court that rejected the Hotline for Migrant Workers' request to release an asylum seeker who survived the torture camps in Sinai from the Saharonim internment camp. The outrageous lower instance ruling by Judge Eliyahu Bitan stated that severe torture cannot be considered as an "exceptional humanitarian reason" for release under the Anti-Infiltration Law. All asylum seekers who have entered Israel since June 2012 have been jailed under this draconian law according to which asylum seekers can be released only in exceptional circumstances  including "exceptional humanitarian" cases. ...

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Eritrea supports Egypt’s position over Nile water dispute

Eritrea supports Egypt’s position over Nile water dispute

April 18, 2013 (ADDIS ABABA) – The Eritrean government said this week that it supports Egypt’s stance over a colonial-era treaty that granted Egypt a right to utilise the lions share of Nile river’s water resources.

The Red Sea nation expressed its support in a message sent from the Eritrean president and delivered to Egypt’s president by Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh and Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs, Yemane Gebreab.

The Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsi, has highly welcomed Eritrea’s position towards Egypt’s "historic rights" over the sharing of the water of the Nile River.

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Eritrea accused of sending arms to Seleka rebels, says CAR ex-President Bozize

Eritrea accused of sending arms to Seleka rebels, says CAR ex-President Bozize

Allegations have surfaced this week against the government of Eritrea regarding their role in the in arming the rebels in the Central African Republic who recently overthrew Francois Bozize.

In an interview with ex-President Bozize recently ran in the media, the former CAR leader claimed that "the arms used by the Seleka rebels during their final assault on the presidential palace were purchased from Eritrea and transited through Chad with the permission of President Deby"

The Eritrean Ministry of Foreign Affairs this week issued a strong denial.

(Photo: Seleka rebels believed to be armed by Eritrea)

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UN expert to assess human rights situation in Eritrea

UN expert to assess human rights situation in Eritrea

Banjul, 11 April 2013 – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Eritrea, Beedwantee Keetharuth, today regretted that the Eritrean Government continues to deny her access to assess the situation of human rights in the country, and announced she will undertake a mission to neighbouring countries to talk to Eritrean refugees.

“I have urged the Eritrean authorities to cooperate with my mandate, as required by the UN Human Rights Council,” Ms. Keetharuth said during the 53rd session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) in Banjul, The Gambia, where she held an ad-hoc meeting with the delegation of Eritrea in the margins of the event.

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Eritrea: 'Freedom Friday' Movement Challenges 'North Korea of Africa'

Eritrea: 'Freedom Friday' Movement Challenges 'North Korea of Africa'

A new grassroots movement in Eritrea that draws inspiration from the Arab revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia is poised to challenge the one-party authoritarian rule of president Isaias Afewerki, who has been in power for twenty years.

The Freedom Friday (Arbi Harnet) movement, started in November 2011 by the Eritrean diaspora, is finally gaining momentum inside the country according to Meron Estefanos, a human rights activist and presenter with the Sweden-based Radio Erena, which broadcasts in Eritrea and around the world.

In tandem with Eritrean Youth for Change (EYC) and the Eritrean Youth Solidarity for Change (EYSC), Estefanos has set up a new campaign to reverse the Arab-style call to take to the streets every Friday. Instead, it urges Eritreans to empty the streets.

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Eritrean Refugees and POWs in Djibouti - 2nd Visit

Eritrean Refugees and POWs in Djibouti - 2nd Visit

TB has been rampant at the detention centre for the last two years or more, but neither the Djiboutian government nor the UNHCR have taken the necessary actions to eradicate the diseases.  Many detainees were suffering, some diagnosed as TB sufferers, but medication was not provided. They all live together, and those who were diagnosed were not separated from those who were not diagnosed. There has not been a proper TB programme for so long. Not having a proper TB assessment in such a situation is tantamount to  condemning the refugees to death. At the time of Ms Chyrum's visit over 10 refugees were showing signs of TB symptoms and 7 were on medications. If a proper TB programme is launched, out of 250 detained refugees and 19 POWs, more will be identified as a carrier of the virus.

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Fleeing Eritrea's bombs to fight racism in Australia

Fleeing Eritrea's bombs to fight racism in Australia

About 2,000 Eritreans live in Australia, many of them granted asylum after being tortured by President Isaias Afewerki's regime. Despite the emotional and sometimes physical scars they bear, some have become prominent figures in Australian society. Berhan Ahmed is one of them. He is the first person of African descent to run for a seat in parliament.

The relaxed scene in the back garden of Ahmed's family home in a quiet suburb of Melbourne, couldn't be further from the conflict he fled to come to Australia.

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