Ethiopia: Information on the treatment of Ethiopian Jews (Falasha) by the government

According to Country Reports 1993, which is currently available at your Regional Documentation Centre, there were no reports of official discrimination against Jews or other religious minorities (1994, 95). A number of oral sources consulted by the DIRB supported the above statement. They included an editor of the Los Angeles-based Ethiopian Register (20 Sept. 1994), a representative with the Ethiopian Community Centre in Washington, DC (20 Sept. 1994), a professor of economics at Michigan State University in East Lansing (20 Sept. 1994), a professor of political science at the University of Maryland in Eastern Shore, Maryland (21 Sept. 1994) and a law professor at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia (21 Sept. 1994).

The Ethiopian Register editor added that the Ethiopian government has not been known to mistreat Falashas (20 Sept. 1994). The government treats Falashas, like any other religious group, as political enemies if they oppose the government (ibid.). According to the editor, the Falashas have not been known to be opponents of the government.

The representative with the Ethiopian Community Centre agreed with the above analysis provided by the editor (20 Sept. 1994). He explained that people's ethnicity rather than religious affiliation is central to the government's notion of its political enemies (ibid.). The professor of economics at Michigan State, who specializes on Eritrea and Ethiopia, stated that he is unaware of any information indicating that Falashas are ill-treated by the Ethiopian government (20 Sept. 1994). He added the Falashas are not perceived to be a threatening group in Ethiopia (ibid.). The Maryland University professor, who has written on Ethiopian politics, and the College of William and Mary professor, who also specializes on Ethiopian law and politics, corroborated the information provided by the Michigan State University professor (21 Sept. 1994; 21 Sept. 1994).

For further information on the Falashas, particularly on some government abuses against them in the past, please refer to the attachments.

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.

References

Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 1993. 1994. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.

Editor, Ethiopian Register, Los Angeles, California. 20 September 1994. Telephone interview.

Ethiopian Community Centre, Washington, DC. 20 September 1994. Telephone interview with representative.

Professor of economics, African Studies Centre, Michigan State University, East Lansing. 20 September 1994. Telephone interview.

Professor of law at the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia. 21 September 1994. Telephone interview.

Professor of political science, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, Maryland. 21 September 1994. Telephone interview.

Attachments

The Jerusalem Post. 19 August 1991. Herb Keinon. "Falash-mura A Delicate Problem." (NEXIS)

Kessler, David and Tudor Parfitt. 1990. No. 67 The Falashas: The Jews of Ethiopia. London: Minority Rights Group, pp. 4-14.

The New York Times. 15 May 1981. Late City Final Edition. David K. Shipler. "Jews in Ethiopia Reported Beaten." (NEXIS)

PR Newswire. 22 May 1991. "Jewish Organization Urges Compassion by Ethiopian Government in Treatment of Jews." (NEXIS)

United Press International (UPI). 21 April 1985. AM Cycle. Charles Mitchell. "Ethiopian Rebels Claim Falashas Persecuted by Government." (NEXIS)