Brief Summary on
the Saga of Eritrean Refugees Deported from Malta
EHDR-UK, was at the forefront in the campaign to stop the cruel and
illegal deportation of Eritrean nationals from Malta. We were in contact
with various Maltese church personalities, newspapers and government
officials before, during and after the deportation of the refugees. We alerted various human rights
agencies such as Amnesty International and Human Rights watch to
intervene on behalf of the refugees. We also sent an emissary to Malta to
meet and discuss the deportation issue and plead with local authorities
and human rights activists. Together with other civic societies in
Europe, we run a petition to protest the deportations.
Our argument was based on the 1951 United Nations Convention
Relating to the Status of Refugees, which is designed to provide
protection to people at risk of persecution in their home countries. We
pleaded with the Maltese officials that as a result of that ruling the world
became relatively safer. However, the Maltese government, although a
signatory to the Convention, went against the essence of the Convention
and deported Eritrean refugees back to Eritrea
Between 30 September and 3 October 2002, 223 Eritreans refugees
were deported. We believe that more refugees were deported soon after.
The deportees were detained for an indefinite period without charge or
trial, without any protection against unlawful detention at Adi Abieto
detention camp in the outskirts of Asmara. At present, EHDR-UK has lost
trace of the whereabouts of the deportees after their relocation to one
of the Dahlak islands in the Red Sea.
According to the resolution of The UN Convention obligations come
into effect after an asylum seeker has entered a signatory country, and
the responsibility of that person’s safety falls squarely on that
country. The core obligation is not to send someone back into a situation
of possible persecution. Another important obligation is not to penalise
asylum seekers for entering a country 'illegally'.
The current human rights situation in Eritrea, as
attested by various international agencies, is very poor at the
moment. The European
Parliament, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other agencies
have been expressing their concern on the deteriorating human rights
situation in Eritrea.
In Eritrea, arbitrary arrests, disappearances and coercion have
become so common that many are fleeing the country. Citizens whose views are
different than that of the government are living in constant fear of
being targeted as many before them have been victims of the State’s
terror campaign.
We believe the actions the Maltese authorities have taken against
Eritrean refugees are inappropriate and against the resolution of the 1951
Refugee Convention.
Therefore, based on the UN resolutions and the current human
rights situation in Eritrea EHDR-UK is considering to mount a legal
challenge against the Maltese and Eritrean governments in tracing the
whereabouts and well being of the deported refugees.
Board of Directors
Enclosures
Amnesty International Press Release AI INDEX: EUR 33/001/2002, 10 October 2002
EPLF-DP’s statement on Eritrean Refugees in Malta
AFROL News:
Eritrean Refugees Deported Back Home
Protest Letter to UNHCR and the Government of Malta
-EHDR - UK
Malta Media: Eritrean immigrants deported from Malta
wounded in Eritrean detention camp
Amnesty International urges Malta to stop deportations
to Eritrea
Letter of Protest Against Maltese Government’s Plan to
Deport Eritrean Refugees: Awate EHRAG
Government of Malta denies use of Excessive Force
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