Ethiopia: Over 1600 Eritrean refugees resettled in the US

December 17, 2009 (ADDIS ABABA) – Since June 2009, some 1,650 Eritrean refugees who were screened from different camps resettled to the United States under the UN refugee agency assisted third country resettlement program. Administration for Refugees and Returnees Affairs (ARRA) said.

According to the Administration, which is an implementing partner to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), the above figure doesn’t include the 4,112 Eritrean refugees previously resettled to a third country. Similarly an additional 50 Eritrean refugees were also resettled to Canada, Australia and Switzerland during the specified period of time.

Nearly all Eritrean refugees here refuse to return back home for safety reasons and UNHCR believe that resettlement to a third country is the only appropriate option for them.

Last year, the US government offered to receive 6,800 Eritrean refugees from camps in Ethiopia.

Law and protection head within the administration, Estifanos Gebremedhin said that there is a plan to resettle 2,800 Eritrean refugees to the United States and to other western countries for next year.

After UNHCR in cooperation with IOM and the Ethiopian government began the resettlement program, a total of 5,822 Eritrean refugees are resettled to a third country.

In the aftermath of the 1998-2000 Ethiopia-Eritrea border war, an unfolding number of Eritreans flee to Ethiopia in protest to prosecution, oppression, mandatory military service and wide imprisonment by the Eritrean government.

On daily bases, dozens of Eritreans trickle to borders in Ethiopia. Many others are reported to have been caught or killed by Eritrean border security guards up on attempt.

The latest figure revealed by ARRA indicates that, currently Ethiopia shelters 37,574 Eritrean refugees in four camps.

(ST)

1 Message

Ethiopia: Over 1600 Eritrean refugees resettled in the US 20 December 2009 16:06, by Mohammad100

Dear all,

Currently Ethiopian arrivals to Yemen as a refugee surpasses the Somali, and Eritrea’s. Please reed Aljazeera.

......."Refugees and migrants make the risky journey under harrowing conditions. In some cases they are beaten, raped, killed or just thrown overboard into the shark-infested waters. In addition, the overloaded and overcrowded boats sometimes capsize, resulting in the drowning of many onboard.

According to the latest UNHCR statistics, at least 309 people drowned or did not survive the trip this year. In 2008, some 590 people died during the crossing. Many more people went missing and are presumed dead. The mixed migration route through the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea is presently the busiest and the deadliest one in the world.

Unlike in previous years, Somalis are no longer the majority of arrivals. With nearly 32,000 Somali arrivals this year their number remains steady in comparison to 2008. However, the number of Ethiopians reaching Yemen more than doubled this year to above 42,000.

While virtually all arriving Somalis approach the two, strategically positioned reception centres in Mayfaa and Ahwar, where they receive protection and assistance, only some 9,000 Ethiopians went to these venues this year. Most press on towards the Persian Gulf states in search of job opportunities.

The Mayfaa and Ahwar reception centres are open for all nationalities arriving in Yemen. In addition to provision of temporary shelter and assistance, they offer information and possibilities to apply for asylum and issue passes, valid for 10 days, for onward travel to Sana’a or Aden, where refugee status determination is carried out.

Upon arrival in Yemen, all Somali nationals are automatically recognized as refugees by the Yemeni authorities, under its group recognition policy. Presently, Yemen hosts some 150,000 Somali refugees. Other nationalities, including Ethiopians, wishing to apply for asylum are required to undergo the refugee status determination procedure conducted by UNHCR. The refugee agency believes some Ethiopian arrivals may have avoided approaching the reception centres, fearing arrest and detention as those who do not apply for asylum and are found to be in the country illegally could be deported".........

God help Ethiopian people from the disguised crocodile known as Meles Zenaw who embezzled more resources from the Ethiopian Nation
banking in foreign banks in the names of his wife and all his concubines.

Mohammad.