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UN Rapporteur: Eritrea Exodus Will Continue in Absence of Reforms

Lisa Schlein

   GENEVA - A U.N. special investigator warns that an exodus from Eritrea
   will continue if the human rights situation in the country does not
   improve and the government fails to implement reforms guaranteeing
   basic freedoms. The official submitted her first annual report to the
   U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva Tuesday.

   U.N. Special Rapporteur Daniela Kravetz welcomes the strengthening of
   ties between Eritrea and Ethiopia since the countries signed a Joint
   Declaration of Peace and Friendship one year ago. Despite those
   positive developments, she says there have been no tangible
   improvements in the human rights situation in the country.

   "The dividends of peace are not yet benefiting ordinary Eritreans. Nor
   are there any signs to suggest they will. As a result, hundreds
   continue to flee the country every month," she said.

   Kravetz noted that national service remains one of the main drivers of
   migration from Eritrea. The government introduced compulsory military
   service for everyone ages 18 to 50 for a period of 18 months. She says
   in reality, people are trapped in a system of indefinite military
   conscription -- a system that has forced thousands to flee the country.

   The U.N. rapporteur is urging the government to reform the national
   service, demobilize recruits and create jobs. She expressed great
   concern about the continued use of indefinite and arbitrary detention
   and enforced disappearance, without any recourse to justice.

   "One example is that of Ciham Ali Abdu, a dual Eritrean-American
   national who was arrested when she was only 15 years old as she tried
   to flee the country without an exit visa in December 2012. This past
   April, she turned 22. She remains in custody and her whereabouts are
   not known," the rapporteur said.

   Kravetz is calling for the release of all political prisoners and for
   Eritrea to uphold and strengthen the rule of law and justice.

   Ambassador Tesfamicael Gerahtu from Eritrea's Ministry of Foreign
   Affairs was critical of what he called interference in his country's
   sovereign rights. He accused the U.N. Human Rights Council of targeting
   his country over the past eight years with unwarranted resolutions and
   special mandates on trumped-up charges of a human rights crisis.

   He said the objective of the special rapporteur's mandate was to
   vilify, isolate and destabilize Eritrea and further complicate regional
   peace, security and development.