Eritrea: Whether deportations of Ethiopians still occur (November 2005)

Current information on deportations of Ethiopians from Eritrea could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Citing a British Fact-Finding mission of April 2003, an October 2005 report from the United Kingdom's Immigration and Nationality Directorate noted that in Eritrea, the attitude towards Ethiopians had changed since 2000, not as a "result of any Government led initiative but as a result of a shift in the attitude of the public and police towards them" (UK Oct. 2005b, Sec. 6.107). The same report added that "the inability [of Ethiopians] to earn a living had been a leading cause for those that chose to be repatriated" (ibid.). In Eritrea: Risk Groups and Protection-Related Issues, published in January 2005, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), citing a March 2004 United States Department of State report, stated that "at least one Eritrean of Ethiopian origin was stripped of citizenship and expelled to Ethiopia" in 2003 (UN Jan. 2005, Sec. 9).

Referring to those who voluntarily chose to be repatriated, an October 2005 report from the United Kingdom's Immigration and Nationality Directorate, citing two August 2005 United Nations reports, estimated that between 226 and 298 Ethiopians had been repatriated from Eritrea under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) (UK Oct. 2005b, Sec. 6.110 and 6.111). Also published in October 2005, another United Kingdom report, citing ICRC statistics, stated that 160 Ethiopian civilians were repatriated from Eritrea on 25 February 2005 through ICRC (ibid. Oct. 2005a, Sec. 6. 132). Two hundred Ethiopians were repatriated from Eritrea through the ICRC on 26 November 2004 (ibid.) while about 549 Ethiopians were repatriated voluntarily with ICRC participation during 2004 (Country Reports 2004 28 Feb. 2005, sect 2.d).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2004. 28 February 2005. United States Department of State. [Accessed 28 Nov. 2005]

United Kingdom (UK). October 2005a. Immigration and Nationality Directorate. "Country Report: Ethiopia." [Accessed 25 Nov. 2005]
_____. October 2005b. Immigration and Nationality Directorate. "Country Report: Eritrea." [Accessed 25 Nov. 2005]

United Nations (UN). January 2005. United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Eritrea Risk Groups and Protection-Related Issues. [Accessed 25 Nov. 2005]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral source: A researcher on both Ethiopia and Eritrea with Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the Ottawa-based UNHCR office did not respond to an information request within time constraints.

Publications: Africa Confidential, Africa Research Bulletin, Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent, Resource Centre country file.

Internet sites, including: Abyz News Links, AllAfrica.com, Amnesty International, BBC News, CIA World Factbook, European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI), Factiva, Freedom House, Human Rights Watch (HRW), IDP report of Norwegian Refugee Council, International Crisis Group (ICG), Migration News, Relief Web, , UNHCR, United Kingdom – Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND), UN Security Council on Eritrea, US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, U.S Department of State.