Symposium on Human Rights in Eritrea

Monday 19 September 2005

 

EHDR-UK is organising a whole day symposium to highlight the human rights situation in Eritrea.  The month is selected, as it was a single month when numerous voices were collectively suppressed.  We'll remember all those detained illegally for their political or religious beliefs or those for expressing their views.  Current day Eritrea is cited by many as the location for some of the world’s worst human rights violations. There is a grave concern over the situation that progressively deteriorates with each passing day. Today Eritrea is a land where;

 

Ø      Many youngsters flee, choosing an unknown often dangerous future than the prospect of and indefinite state of uncertainty and unrest in their country.

Ø      People face the risk of arbitrary and indefinite detention, without due process and for undisclosed ‘offences’

Ø      Basic rights such as freedom of worship, freedom of expression and association have been severely curbed.

Ø      There is no free press at all and journalists and broadcasters have been detained or been exiled in the purge to silence their discourse.

Ø      Parliamenterians, senior government officials, elders, members of the opposition have been languishing in unknown detention centres for years, for voicing their concern over the state of affairs in their country.

 

The aim of this symposium is to bring together various stakeholders and interested parties, to guage and assess the impact of this gross violation of the most basic human rights, and think about ways forward in adressing the catastrophe unfolding.

 

The symposium in general is aimed to have the following themes.  It'll include various speakers who have a good knowledge of the country and its people as well as time for questions and discussion.

 

Setting the scene 

Political and Institutional evolution in Eritrea since independence with special emphasis in human rights

 

Giving a face to an Experience 

Ø       The stories of refugees fleeing current day Eritrea 

Ø       The story of religious persecution

Ø       The story of families whose loved ones have either disappeared or have been detained for years

Ø       The strory of the jounalists

Ø       The story of women

 

Responses to Persecution and human rights abuse

Ø         The legal test case filed at the African Commission

Ø         From the perspectives of an international Human rights organisations

Ø         From the perspectives of advocates of journalists' rights

Ø         From the perspectives from Eritrean politicians

Ø         From the perspectives of the international media

 

Impacts of the situation

Ø         The influx of refugees and asyum seekers to the UK and the current status of Eritrean Asylum seekers

 

Diascussion on ways forward