Eritreans, Friends of Eritrea, Swiss associations and non-governmental organizations will hold information stands to inform the Swiss public opinion on problems of Eritrea and Eritreans.

From September to October 2015, information stands will be held in major Swiss cities including Geneva, Zurich, Berne, Basel, Lucerne, Lausanne and Fribourg. Our compatriots wish to establish a dialogue with the population on the issue of Eritrea in the context of the current electoral debates.

This electoral context requires parties to take a position on issues that affect our country, the reasons of our exile and the situation of Eritrean refugees in Switzerland. Unfortunately, these positions are very frequently based on insufficient information about the current situation in Eritrea and sometimes leading some to define the Eritrean refugees as economic migrants. Others brandish development aid to the State of Eritrea to stem the flow of migrants.

These debates surprise us much but they have the advantage of motivating us to inform more about the political and social situation of our country.

Therefore, the purpose of these information stands is to initiate a dialogue through direct and pragmatic exchange with the Swiss population and, at the same time, with political parties on the current situation of Eritrea. For many years now, gross violations of human rights have been perpetrated by the Eritrean authorities over its entire population. 

The themes we will address in our information stands will be:

- The proposals made by the various political parties during the summer;

- The totalitarian system in Eritrea and crimes against humanity that may have been committed there (forced labor, sexual slavery, arbitrary imprisonment, extrajudicial executions, etc.);

- Illegal activities of the Eritrean consulate in Geneva;

By force of circumstances, we have been propelled at the centre of the debate. We take the stage!

"Those who believe that the Eritreans leave their country for economic reasons only ignore the sad record of the country's human rights."

Mike Smith,

President of the UN Commission of 

Inquiryon Human Rights in Eritrea

Media are cordially invited to cover this action.

Dates:     Geneva, Saturdays 12, 19 and 26 September

               Lausanne, Saturday 5 and September 19

Information on the place, time and dateswill be announced later.

Media Contacts

Genève: Mme HudaBakhet (078.618.38.90), M. FilmonAbraha (076.389.39.82)

Lausanne: Mme SenaitAlmedom (079.625.20.63), 

Fribourg: M. Siem Haile (076.382.86.06)

Bern : M. Michael Rezene Haile (076.248.37.72)

Basel: Mme AlmazZerai (0049.177.552.94.77), M. George Drar 

Lucerne: M. Samson Kidane (076.443.14.86)