Eritrea: Information on Eritrea's independence referendum, including whether Eritreans in Toronto were required to register and pay $75 in order to obtain voting cards, whether the voting card was in fact an EPLF identification card, and whether those who did not vote would be considered criminals
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 January 1994 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | ERT15957.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Eritrea: Information on Eritrea's independence referendum, including whether Eritreans in Toronto were required to register and pay $75 in order to obtain voting cards, whether the voting card was in fact an EPLF identification card, and whether those who did not vote would be considered criminals, 1 January 1994, ERT15957.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6acc372.html [accessed 3 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The information contained in this response was provided by a representative of the Eritrean General Consulate in Washington, DC (13 Jan. 1994). The representative explained that Eritreans in North America, including Canada, were invited to participate in the referendum. Committees were set up in Canada and the United States, and Eritreans were identified through Eritrean community centres and associations and the Eritrean Relief Association (ERA). All Eritreans were requested to fill in forms and provide references from three respectable Eritreans corroborating the applicant's authenticity. Although they were required to pay a processing fee of $75, those who could not afford it were exempted and not barred from participation. An identity card bearing the name and picture of the bearer functioned as the voting card.
Eritreans who did not participate in the referendum are free to return to Eritrea but are required to apply for a visa, and once in Eritrea, to prove that they are Eritreans.
The representative explained that Eritrea was devastated by years of war and is in the process of reconstruction, including the rehabilitation of about 10,000 war victims. A recovery tax two per cent of earnings has been imposed on all Eritreans working inside and outside Eritrea. Eritreans who fail to comply may not expect service from Eritrean consulates abroad. The representative emphasized, however, that this will not affect their right to apply for and be issued with passports.
Information on whether the voting card was in fact an Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) identification card and whether the Eritrean government stated that people who did not vote in the referendum would be considered criminals could not be found among the sources currently available to the DIRB.
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
Reference
Eritrean General Consulate, Washington, DC. 13 January 1994. Telephone interview with representative.
