|
EHDR-UK
sends letters to the Tunisian and South African Governments
EHDR-UK -
April 2004
EHDR-UK
sent a letter to the Tunisian government to alert them about the plight of
Eritrean refugees who were rescued by a Tunisian merchant vessel
after their
own was damaged by bad weather and gale force winds.
The letter highlighted the deteriorating human rights situation in
Eritrea and the lengths people go to in order to escape the unbearable
situation in their own country.
The letter cited various human rights reports about Eritrea and
stressed the need for their protection.
The letter went on to give examples of the fate of refugees who
were forcibly returned by the Maltese government back to Eritrea.
It further expressed its confidence that the Tunisian people's
generosity and kindness will support and protect them.
The letter concluded by appealing to the government to allow the
Eritreans to stay in Tunisia or allow them to continue their journey to a
third safe country in order to guarantee their safety.
In
its letter to the South African President, EHDR-UK congratulated the
President for winning a second term and for making South Africa's
democratic process a model for the rest of the continent to follow.
The letter then highlighted the plight of Eritrean students in
South Africa and the abuses and intimidations they are encountering on a
daily basis. The
appeal letter requested the South African government to
allow the Eritrean students stay South Africa or allow them to travel to a
third safe country of their choice. It further went on to say that if
forcibly sent back to Eritrea, their future would be bleak as attested by
most human rights organizations.
The letter pointed out UNHCR's most recent communication (January
2004) which recommended that states refrain from all forced returns of
rejected asylum seekers to Eritrea and urged states to grant them
complementary forms of protection.
|
