Saturday, 04 April 2020 19:47

Radio Dimtsi Harnnet Sweden 04.04.2020

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April 4, 2020 News

Source: VOA

ADDIS ABABA – Much publicized COVID-19 supplies donated by Chinese billionaire Jack Ma and his Alibaba Group never made it to Eritrea, despite Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s saying the supplies had been delivered to the entire continent.

The reasons why the goods did not reach Eritrea are unclear, but rights activists accuse the government of ignoring the needs of its people.

Two officials at the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which helped organize delivery of the coronavirus masks and test kits to various African countries, confirmed to VOA that no supplies reached Eritrea.

A senior Africa CDC official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter, said the plane carrying the supplies was supposed to fly from Sudan’s capital to Asmara on March 23, but Eritrean officials never authorized the plane to land.

Forced to bypass Eritrea, the pilots instead flew to Djibouti and Kenya before returning to their starting point, Addis Ababa, he said.

James Ayodele, a spokesperson for the Africa CDC, said “the issue is still being discussed at a diplomatic level.”

Threat to health

Whatever the reason for Eritrea’s failure to accept the medical supplies, Meron Estefanos, executive director of the Eritrean Initiative on Refugee Rights, said the government is severely jeopardizing the health of its own citizens.

“I don’t believe that it was incompetence. I believe it’s just that they don’t care. If it was just because of bureaucracy, they would have just fixed the airline and they would have had it the next day. This is a country that can do lots of things. Importing something from Ethiopia to Asmara is a one-hour flight. They could even allow them to land right now, you get the point, just for medical purposes,” Meron said.

Health experts and human rights activists are gravely concerned that Eritrea is severely under-equipped in the event of a severe coronavirus outbreak. The government has confirmed 18 COVID-19 cases to date.

Meron said that rather than accepting goods from abroad, the government is asking its diaspora across the globe to give money to the government.

”Eritrea is not ready for anything. First of all, just eight months ago they shut down 29 Catholic clinics. These were the best clinics in the country, giving free service to the public. But because of the Catholics’ call for peace [and the] release of political prisoners, they shut down the clinics. But who is getting hurt?  It’s the people,” Meron said.

Talks continuing

Asked to comment on the matter, Billene Seyoum, a spokesperson for Ahmed, said only that talks were ongoing to resolve the issue. The Alibaba Foundation declined to comment.

Daniela Kravetz, the U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Eritrea, said she did not want to specifically address the matter of Jack Ma’s supplies as she did not have firsthand information.

She did underline the dire need for medical supplies in Eritrea and the need to open the door to humanitarian aid.

“I am concerned about the fact that, if this continues to escalate, the reality is that many Eritreans will not be able to seek or obtain medical help. There is a lack of functioning intensive care units with adequate ventilators, shortage of water, shortage of medical staff, shortage of labs to carry out tests. I don’t really think the country has the medical capacity to deal with a pandemic like this one,” Kravets said.

She also called on Eritrea to release political prisoners and low-risk offenders because of the risk of COVID-19 spreading inside the country’s overcrowded prison system.

ክቡር ኣቶ ፊሊፖ ግራርዲ - ኮምሽነር ላዕላዋይ ኮምሽን ጉዳይ ስደተኛታት ሕቡራት ሃገራት - ጀነቫ

ክቡር ዶ/ር ተድሮስ ኣድሓኖም - ጠቕላሊ ዲረክተር ውድብ ጥዕና ዓለም ጠቕላሊ - ጀነቫ

ቅዳሕ፡-

ካልኦት ዝምልከቶም ኣካላት ሕቡራት ሃገራት

ንኤርትራውያን ስደተኛታት ኣዕቆብቲ ሃገራት

31 መጋቢት 2020

ጉዳይ፡-

ንኣብ ውሽጢ ሃገርን ወጻእን ዘለዉ ኤርትራውያን ጸረ-መቕዘፍቲ ኮሮና ቫይሩስ ንምክልኻል ዝዓለመ ምሕጽንታ

ክቡር ኮሚሽነር ላዕለዋይ ኮሽን ጉዳይ ስደተኛታት ሕቡራት ሃገራት፡ ኣቶ ፊሊፖ ግራንዲ

ክቡር ጠቕላሊ ዲረክተር ውድብ ጥዕና ዓለም ዶር. ተድሮስ ኣድሓኖም

 ንሕና፡ እዞም ኣስማትና ኣብ ታሕቲ ተጠቒሱ ዘሎ ንኹሉ ኤርትራዊ ፖለቲካዊ ሓይልታት ኣብ ስደት እንውክል፣ ናብ ክብርነትኩም ሓለፍቲ ሕቡራት ሃገራት ጉዳይ ስደተኛታት ሰብ-መዝን ውድብ ጥዕና ዓለምን እዚ ኣገዳሲ ምሕጽንታ ከነቕርበልኩም ከለና ሓላፍነትና ምዃኑ ብግቡእ ብምግንዛብ እዩ። ምስ’ዚ ኣተሓሒዝና፡ ናይ’ዚ ምሕጽንታ’ዚ ቅዳሓት ከኣ ነተን ንኤርትራውያን ስደተኛታት ኣዕበን ዘለዋ ሃገራትን ከምኡ’ውን ዝምልከተን ሕቡራት ሃገራት ኣካላትን፣ ብፍላይ ድማ ሱዳን፡ ኢትዮጵያ፡ የመን፡ እስራኤልን ሊብያን ክወሃብ ምኑ ከነፍልጥ ንፈቱ። እዚ ዝዀነሉ ቀንዲ ምኽንያት ከኣ ሃለዋት ናይ’ዞም ኣብ ብዙሓት ሃገራት ዓለም ተበቲኖም ዝተፈላለየ ወጽዓታት ዘሕልፉ ዘለዉ ኤርትራውያን፣ ኣቓልቦን ቆላሕታን ኣህጉራዊ ግብረ-ሰናይ ማሕበረ-ሰብ ንምርካብ ዝዓለመ ኢዩ።

ዝኸበርኩም ሰብ-መዚ

እዚ ብምኽንያት ኮቪድ-19 (ኮሮና  ሩስ) ዝላባዕ ዘሎ ሕማም’ዚ፣ ናብ’ተን ብግጭታት ዝሳቐያ ዘለዋን ኣብ ተነካኢ ዝዀነ ክፍለ-ዓለም ዝርከባ፣ ነዚ ናይ ኮሮና ቫይሩስ ለበዳ ንምግጣም ዘይተቐረባ፣ ንመብዛሕትኦም ኤርትራውያን ስደተኛታት ድማ ኣዕቊበን ዘለዋ ሃገራት ድሮ እቲ ለበዳ በጺሕወን ኣሎ። እዚ ኲነታት ኮሮና ቫይሩስ ኣብ ግምት ብምውሳድ፡ ካብ ዓለም እቲ ዝኸፍአ ማሕበራዊ ነውጺ ዘለዎ ቦታታት ምዃኑ ከኣ ብምስትውዓል፡ ብዙሓት ካብ ህዝብና ድማ እቲ ቀንድን መሰረታውን ባእታ ዝዀነ መከላኸሊ ናይ’ዚ ሕማም’ዚ ኢድ ምሕጻብ ብምዃኑ፣ ኢድ መሕጸቢ ዝዀኑ መሳለጢታት ከም ማይ ኮነ ሳምና ናይ ምርካብ ዘለዎም ዕድል ከኣ ኣዝዩ ውሑድ ብምዃኑ፣ በዚ ተላባዒ ሕማም’ዚ ምኽንያት ክቕዘፉ ዘሎ ተኽእሎታት ሰፊሕ ብምዃኑ፣ ንና ኣዝዩ የሰክፈናን የተሓሳስበና’ዩ። ብምዃኑ ኣቓልቦ ተዋሂብዎ ኣብ ግዜኡ ህጹጽ ኣትኩሮ ብኣህጉራዊ ማሕበረ-ሰብ መታን ክረክብ ብሕቡራት ሃገራት ጉዳይ ስደተኛታት ሰብ-መዝን ብውድብ ጥዕና ዓለምን ተመሪሑን ተወሃሂዱን ዕቱብ ተበግሶ ክውሰድ ኣትሪርና ንምሕጸን

ብእምነትና ብሰንኪ ኣብ ኤርትራ ዘለዉ ጸገማት ብዙሕ መንእሰያዊ ሓይሊ ካብ ህዝብና፡ ብኣሽሓት ዝቚጸሩ ኣረጋውያንን ኣብ ተኣፋፍን ሓገዛት ኣብ ዘድልዮም ግዜ ንድሕሪት ገዲፎም ዝፈትዉዋ ሃገሮም ጠንጢኖም ናብ ስደት ከም ዘምርሑ ካባኻትኩም ዝተኸወለ እዩ ኣይንብልን። ብካልእ ወገን ካብ ነዊሕ ግዜ ጀሚሩ ነቶም ንድኹማት ሓገዝ ክህቡ ዝጸንሑ ግብረ-ሰናይን ሃይማኖታ ትካላትን ካልኦት ናይ ማሕበራዊ ውሕስነት ትካላትን ኩሎም ኰነ ተባሂሉ ብመደብ እቲ ዘሎ መንግስቲ ኣፈራሪስዎም ይርከብ። ብተወሳኺ መብዛሕትኦም እቶም ናይ ሕቡራት ሃገራት ግብረ-ሰናይ ማሕበራትን ዘይመንግስታዊ ትካላትን ኣብ ኤርትራ ንጥፈታት ካብ ዘቋርጹ ዓሰርተታት ዓመታት ኣቚጺሮም እዮም።  

 ክቡራት ኣህጉራውያን ሰብ-መዚ!

ኣብ’ዚ እዋን’ዚ እቲ ሓፈሻዊ ኤርትራዊ ኲነታት ተዳኺሙን ነብሱ ክሕግዘሉ ዝኽእል ኲነታት ከም ዘየብሉን ርኡይ ሓቂ ኰይኑ ኣሎ። ጸብጻባት ከም ዝሕብሩ፣ እቲ ኣብ’ታ ሃገር ዘሎ ካብ 300 ንላዕሊ ዝኸውን ቤት ማእሰርትታት ኣብ ልዕሊ ብጻዕቂ እሱራት ኣዕለቕሊቑ ተጸፋጺፉ መሊኡ ምህላዉ ነዚ ሓደገኛ ዝዀነ ለበዳ’ዚ ክከላኸል ዝኽእል ዓቕምን መሳርሕን የብሉን። እቲ ብስም “ሃገራዊ ኣገልግሎትን” ግፋን ዝእከብ ዘሎ ናይ ባርነት ስራሕ ዝሰርሕን፣ ገዚፍ ኣሃዱታት ሰራዊት እንተዀነ’ውን ኣዝዩ ጻዕቂ ኣብ ዘለዎ “መደበራት” ስለ ዝነብር ነዚ ለበዳ ሕማም’ዚ ንኽላባዕ ክፉት ዕድል ዝህብ ኲነታት እዩ ዘሎ።  

በቲ ሓደ ወገን ከኣ፡ ኣብ ሱዳን፡ ኢትዮጵያ፡ የመን ከምኡ’ውን ኣብ እስራኤል ኣብ ናይ መዕቆቢ “መደበራትን” ኣብ ከተማታት ዝርከቡ መዕቆቢታትን ዘለዉ ኤርትራውያን፣ ስሉጥ ኣህጉራዊ ናይ ግብረ-ሰናይ ማሕበራት ተዋሳእቲ ብተግባር ዝንቀሳቐሱ እንተዘሃልዮም፣ ብዙሓት ኤርትራውያን ኣደዳ’ዚ ለበዳ’ዚ ክኾንሉ ዝኽእሉ ዕድላት ዓቢ እዩ። ኣብ መደበር ስደተኛታትን ግዝያዊ መዕቆቢታትን ኣብ ናይ መጀመርያ ናይ ምቕባል መስርሕ ኣብ ብዙሓት ሃገራት እንተላይ ሃገራት ኤውሮጳ ዘለዉ ኤርትራውያን፣ እተን ዝቕበላ ዘለዋ ሃገራት ብተገዳስነት እንተደኣ ብዝምልከቶም ኣካላትብፍላይ ሕቡራት ሃገራት ናይ ስደተኛታት ሰብ-መዚ፡ ሓለፍቲ ኣህጉራዊ ውድብ ጥዕና ዓለም ሓገዝን ምኽርን ዘይተሓዊስዎ፣ ኤርትራውያን ስደተኛታት ኣደዳ ኮሮና ቫይሩስ ኰይኖም ንሓደጋ ክሳጥሑ ዝኽእልሉ ተኽእሎ ዓቢ ምዃኑ ክንገልጽ ንፈቱ

ብምዃኑ እምበኣር ኮቪድ-19 ናብ ኤርትራ ከይላባዕ ንምክልኻል፣ ኣብ ብዙሓት ሃገራት ብፍላይ ድማ ኣብ ኣፍሪቃ ከም ዝርአ፣ ኣብ ኤርትራውያን ዝነብርሉ ናይ ስደተኛታት መዓስከራትን ኣብ ከተማታት ብጻዕቂ ዝቕመጥሉ ኲነታት ስለ ዘሎን፣ ሓደጋ ኮሮና ቫይሩስ ከይዝርጋሕ ንምክልኻል፣ ኣትሪርና ክንብሎ እንደሊ ነገር እንተሎ ህጹጽ ስጉምቲ ክትወስዱ ብፍላይ ከኣ እዞም ዝስዕቡ ኣብ ግብሪ ንኽውዕሉ ንምሕጸን፡-  

  • ኣብ’ዘን ኤርትራውያን ተዓቚቦሙለን ዘለዉ ቦታታት እኩል ናይ ክንክን ጥዕና ማእከላት እኹል ቀረባት ናይ ማይ፡ መሕጸቢ ሳምናታት፡ ጸረ-ለኽፊ ዝዀኑ ፈሰስቲ፡ “ጓንቲ”፡ መሸፈኒ ኣፍን ንጽርየት ዘገልግሉ ወረቓቕትን ከም ዝህሉ ምግባር፣
  • እቶም ቦታዊ ናይ ክንክን ጥዕና መርበባትን ትካላትን በዚ እከይን ሓደገኛ ኮሮና ቫይሩስ ዝተለኽፉን ዘይተለኽፉን መፍለጢ ዝኸውን ናይ መመርመሪ ናውትን መሳለጢታትን ከም ዝህልዎም ምርግጋጽ፣
  • ኣህጉራዊ ግብረ-ሰናይ ማሕበረ-ሰብ ነቲ ኣብ ውሽጢን ኣብ መደበር ስደተኛታትን ዘሎ ህዝቢ ኤርትራ ካብ’ዚ ሓደገኛ ብቕልጡፍ ዝላባዕ ዘሎ መቕዘፍቲ ለበዳ ኮቪድ-19 ንምድሓን ዝከኣሎም ክገብሩ፣

ዝኸበርኩም ሰብ-መዚ

ብእምነትና ትሕዝቶ እዚ እነቕርበልኩም ዘለና ኣገዳስን ሕልኽልኽ ዝመልኦ ኲነታት ናይ’ዞም ኣስታት ኣርባዕተ ሚልዮን ኣብ ውሽጥ ሃገር ከምኡ’ውን ኣስታት ክልተ ሚልዮን ኣብ ወጻኢ ዝርከቡ ኤርትራውያን ነዚ ኣብ ልዕሊኦም ኣንጠጥዩ ዘሎ ለበዳ ንሓደጋ ተሳጢሖም ከም ዘለዉ ትርድእዎ ኢኹም ኢልና ንኣምን።

ኣኽበርትኹም፡-

(ኣቦ-መንበራት

  1. ኤርትራዊ ሃገራዊ ባይቶ ንደሞክራስያዊ ለውጢ (ኤሃባደለ)
  2. ኤርትራዊ ሃገራዊ ግንባር (ኤሃግ)
  3. ሰልፊ ዲሞክራሲ ህዝቢ ኤርትራ (ሰዲህኤ)
  4. ውድብ ሓድነት ንዲሞክራስያዊ ለውጢ (ሓደለ)
  5. ሓድነት ኤርትራውያን ንፍት (ሓኤፍ)
  6. ሞክራስያዊ ውድብ ዓፋር ቀይሕ ባሕሪ (ዲውዓቀባ)

إلى/ سعادة السيد فليبو جراندي،

المفوض السامي لمفوضية الأمم المتحدة لشؤون اللاجئين - جنيف

إلى/ سعادة الدكتور تيدروس أدحنوم ،

المدير العام لمنظمة الصحة العالمية - جنيف

نسخة إلى:

  • هيئات الأمم المتحدة المعنية الأخرى
  • الدول المضيفة للاجئين الإرتريين

التاريخ: 31 مارس 2020

الموضوع: نداء لحماية الإرتريين داخل الوطن وخارجه من وباء فيروس كورونا

 

 

سعادة/ مفوض المفوضية السامية للأمم المتحدة لشؤون اللاجئين، السيد فيليبو جراندي ،

سعادة/ المدير العام لمنظمة الصحة العالمية ، الدكتور تيدروس أدحنوم ،

 

نحن ، الكيانات الموقعة أدناه التي تمثل مجموعة المنظمات السياسية الإرترية في الخارج، رأينا أن نرفع هذا النداء الهام إلى المفوضية السامية لشؤون اللاجئين، ومنظمة الصحة العالمية، مع إرسال نسخ منها إلى أجهزة الأمم المتحدة المعنية والبلدان التي تستضيف أعدادًا كبيرة من اللاجئين الإرتريين، وفي مقدمتهم السودان، وإثيوبيا، واليمن، وإسرائيل وليبيا، من أجل لفت انتباه المجتمع الإنساني إلى محنة الإرتريين ومعاناتهم في مناطق كثيرة من العالم.

أصحاب السعادة،

إننا قلقون للغاية من أن الوباء الناجم عن COVID-19 قد وصل الآن إلى بلدنا، الذي لا تتوفر فيه الامكانيات الضرورية لمواجهة مثل هذه الحالات، وإلى دول الجوار التي تأوي معظم اللاجئين الإرتريين، والتي تقع أصلًا في أكثر مناطق العالم معاناة من الصراعات والنزاعات. ولا يخفى على كل المتابعين للأوضاع في بلادنا، بأن الغالبية العظمى من شعبنا تفتقر إلى إمكانيات أو مرافق تؤمن لها الوقاية الضرورية لمواجهة انتشار هذا الوباء الجامح، ونخشى ألا يتسبب ذلك في إزهاق أرواح أعداد كبيرة من أبناء شعبنا داخل الوطن وفي مناطق اللجوء. وعليه فإننا نؤكد لكم على أن شعبنا بحاجة ماسة إلى التفاتة من المجتمع الدولي والحصول على اهتمام ودعم فوري منه من خلال المبادرات التي نرجو أن تقوم بها المنظمات الدولية المعنية، وفي مقدمتها مفوضية الأمم المتحدة لشؤون اللاجئين ومنظمة الصحة العالمية.

لا شك بأنكم على دراية تامة بالظروف السيئة التي تمر بها إرتريا، والتي فرضت على عشرات الآلاف من شبابها ترك ديارهم واللجوء إلى بلدان مختلفة بحثًا عن ملاذ آمن، تاركين وراءهم المسنين والضعفاء من ذويهم. وفضلًا عن ذلك فقد تم بشكل منهجي تدمير مقومات المجتمع المحلي وهدم الجمعيات الخيرية والمؤسسات الدينية الراسخة التي كانت تقدم يد العون للمحتاجين من أفراد المجتمع، ويعرف القاصي والداني أن إرتريا أصبحت خالية من المنظمات الإنسانية التابعة للأمم المتحدة وكذلك من المنظمات غير الحكومية المحلية منذ عقود.

أصحاب السعادة الموقرين،

يعيش الشعب الإرتري في الوقت الراهن في وضع صعب للغاية، حيث تؤكد تقارير عديدة، على أن الآلاف من أبنائه يقبعون في أكثر من ثلاثمائة من السجون والمعتقلات، تفتقر إلى الحد الأدنى من المقومات الصحية والإنسانية المتعارف عليها دوليًّا. وبسبب اكتظاظ هذه السجون بأعداد كبيرة من المعتقلين، فإن ذلك يشكل خطرًا كبيرًا على حياتهم في ظل انتشار فيروس كورونا الوبائي. وبالإضافة إلى ذلك فإن الأعداد الضخمة من المجندين العسكريين قسرًا، وأعضاء الجيش والملتحقين والذين اقتادهم النظام إلى أعمال السخرة، يعيشون في معسكرات مكتظة ومزدحمة، مما يعرضهم لخطر الإصابة بالوباء المنتشر حاليًا.

ومن ناحية أخرى، فإن اللاجئين الإرتريين في كل من السودان، وإثيوبيا، واليمن، وإسرائيل وليبيا ومناطق أخرى من العالم، سيكونون فريسة لهذا الوباء، إذا لم يتدخل المجتمع الدولي ومؤسساته الإنسانية، وفي مقدمتها المفوضية السامية لشؤون اللاجئين، ومنظمة الصحة العالمية، وكذلك البلدان المضيفة بتقديم الدعم والرعاية الضرورية لهؤلاء اللاجئين.

وبناءً على ما تقدم فإننا نناشد بشدة الجهات الدولية المعنية والبلدان المضيفة للاجئين الإرتريين تقديم كل المساعدات الضرورية التي يمكن أن تمنع انتشار COVID-19 بين الإرتريين، داخل الوطن وفي معسكرات اللاجئين ومواقع أخرى. ويأتي في مقدمة هذه المساعدات الضرورية:

  • تأمين الرعاية الصحية وتوفير مستلزمات الوقاية من تفشي الوباء، كالماء، ووسائل النظافة والأقنعة الواقية وغيرها من الضروريات.  
  • دعم المراكز الصحية بأجهزة الفحص المخبري لتحديد الأشخاص المصابين بفيروس كورونا في الوقت المناسب.
  • تحمل المجتمع الدولي ومؤسساته المعنية بمسؤولياته الإنسانية تجاه شعبنا لتمكينه من مواجهة انتشار هذا الوباء الخطير.

أصحاب السعادة،

إننا على ثقة بأنكم تتفهمون جيدًا فحوى مناشدتنا هذه، ونتوسم خيرًا في أن تنظروا باهتمام وجدية إلى الوضع المأساوي والمخاطر المحدقة بشعبنا بسبب انتشار هذا الوباءـ إن كان داخل الوطن أو في بلدان اللجوء والشتات.

وتفضلوا بقبول فائق الشكر والتقدير،،

هذه المذكرة موقعة من رؤساء القوى الإرترية التالية:

  1. المجلس الوطني الإرتري للتغيير الديمقراطي
  2. الجبهة الوطنية الإرترية
  3. حزب الشعب الديمقراطي الإريتري
  4. تنظيم الوحدة من أجل التغيير الديمقراطي
  5. الوحدة الإرترية من أجل العدالة
  6. التنظيم الديمقراطي لعفر البحر الأحمر

To: H.E. Mr. Filippo Grandi

High Commissioner, UNHCR, Geneva,

To: H.E. Dr. Tedros Adhanom,

Director General, WHO Geneva

CC:

Other Concerned UN Bodies,

Host Countries of Eritrean Refugees

March 31, 2020

Subject:

An Appeal for Protection of Eritreans at Home

and abroad from the Scourges of Corona virus

Dear UNHCR Commissioner, Mr. Filippo Grandi,

Dear WHO DG, Dr. Tedros Adhanom,

We, the undersigned entities representing the ensemble of Eritrean political organizations in exile, felt the obligation of sending this earnest appeal to Your Excellencies at UNHCR and WHO, with copies to concerned UN organs and countries hosting Eritrean refugees, on top of them Sudan, Ethiopia, Yemen, Israel and Libya, in order to draw the attention of the international humanitarian community to the plight of Eritreans in many countries of the world.

We are deeply concerned, Sirs, that the pandemic caused by COVID-19 has now reached our ill prepared country and the countries in the region that provide shelter to most of the Eritrean refugees in one of world’s most conflict ridden and sensitive regions. We are worried that, given the situation where many of our people lack access to hand washing facilities and detergents - the most effective preventive treatment, the pandemic would leave an even bigger number of people killed and cause more societal disruption than in any other country in the world. For that we need the timely and immediate attention and support of the international community led by appropriate initiatives from your esteemed organizations, the UNHCR and WHO.

We believe you are well aware of the problems in Eritrea where young people flee the country in thousands leaving the old and vulnerable at home. Local community structures, charities and long-established religious support institutions and other societal safety networks have been systematically demolished and exist no more. Most of the UN humanitarian organizations and INGOs have not been active in Eritrea for decades.

Excellencies,

The general public in today’s Eritrea is left pauperized and helpless. The reported over 300 dungeons in the country where thousands of pollical prisoners languish under inhuman conditions are congested and poorly equipped to handle the current pandemic. Divisions of the Eritrea’s huge army of conscripts and “national service” forced-labor workers living in spartan and overcrowded camps will be an easy prey to the pandemic.

On the other hand, Eritrean refugees in camps and urban concentrations in Sudan, Ethiopia, Yemen and Israel are likely to be ravaged by this pandemic without an effective intervention of international humanitarian actors. Eritrean refugees in reception camps and temporary shelters in many countries, including in many European countries, shall be exposed to danger unless the host countries are advised and supported by concerned bodies, especially the UNHCR and WHO.

We, therefore, strongly appeal for your most urgent measures that could prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Eritrea, and in particular in the refugee camps and urban concentration of Eritreans in several countries, especially in Africa. Needless to say, the topmost priorities of action will include:

  • Making sure that health clinics in those areas have access to adequate supply of water, detergents, disinfection liquids, gloves, masks and napkins;
  • Looking to it that local health centers and agencies have check-up facilities for timely identification of persons infected with the vicious corona virus;
  • The international humanitarian community to do what it takes to help people inside Eritrea from the scourges of this pandemic.

Dear Sirs,

We very much feel that you understand the essence of this modest call to you to seriously look at the precarious situation of the estimated four million Eritreans at home and about two million Eritreans in the diaspora who are exposed to the looming danger facing our world today.

Sincerely yours,

(Signatories) Chairpersons of

  1. Eritrean National Council for Democratic Change (ENCDC)
  2. Eritrean National Front (ENF)
  3. Eritrean People’s Democratic Party (EPDP)
  4. Organization Unity for Democratic Change (UDC)
  5. United Eritreans for Justice (UEJ)
  6. Red Sea Afar Democratic Organization (RSADO)

European Court

The ruling underscores Europe’s bitter divisions over migration, though the three ex-communist nations face no immediate penalty as the relocation of tens of thousands of people agreed by the EU was only envisaged until 2017.

“By refusing to comply with the temporary mechanism for the relocation of applicants for international protection, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic have failed to fulfil their obligations under European Union law,” the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union said in its ruling.

The eurosceptic, nationalist governments on the EU’s eastern flank had cited national security reasons in refusing to take in any of the mostly Muslim refugees and migrants who had fled wars and poverty in the Middle East, North Africa and beyond.

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Wealthy northern European states such as Germany also criticised the ex-communist east for refusing to help while continuing to benefit from generous EU financial aid.

More than a million people reached Europe’s shores from across the Mediterranean in 2015, catching the EU unprepared as they trekked across the continent and triggering a new wave of support in some quarters for far-right, anti-immigrant parties.

The EU has since cracked down on immigration, fortifying its external borders and offering money and aid to countries such as Turkey to help prevent migrants from heading to Europe.

But the internal EU divisions on migration are far from healed. The 2015 mass influx of migrants at least partly contributed to Britain’s 2016 decision to leave the EU, in the worst setback for European integration since World War Two.

The EU now faces a fresh test of its unity from the coronavirus pandemic, with member states mostly pursuing their own strategies to counter the spread of the disease and the worst affected nations - Italy and Spain - again complaining of a lack of European solidarity and aid.

Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Gareth Jones

 
Source=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-migrants-east-ruling-idUSKBN21K0YA
Thursday, 02 April 2020 21:02

Former Somali PM Dies of Coronavirus in London

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Somalia's former prime minister Nur Hussein Hassan speaks during the opening ceremony of peace talks between Somalia's opposition Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS) and the government in Djibouti, Jan. 25, 2009.
Somalia's former Prime Minister Nur Hussein Hassan speaks during the opening ceremony of peace talks between Somalia's opposition Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS) and the government in Djibouti, Jan. 25, 2009.

 

Former Somali Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein has died of coronavirus at a London hospital, the family told VOA’s Somali service.

Relatives of the former prime minister, popularly known as Nur Adde, confirmed his passing. A family member said Nur Adde died at around 5:00 a.m. Wednesday. He was 82.

Nur Adde was prime minister between November 2007 and February 2009. During his term, he was credited with leading peace talks between the Ethiopia-backed government and Eritrea-based rebels. The talks, held in Djibouti, led to the formation of a unity government in which the leader of the rebels, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, was elected as Somalia’s president on January 30, 2009.

Nur Adde competed against Ahmed in the election but lost. 

Prior to entering politics, he served as secretary general of the Somali Red Crescent for 17 years. 

Nur Adde also served in the Somali police department, where he rose to the rank of colonel during the government of Mohamed Siyad Barre.

In a statement, the family said Nur Adde will be buried in London.

In Mogadishu, Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo announced three days of national mourning, during which flags will be flown at half-staff.

Members of the Somali communities in Britain and in Sweden have been severely affected by the coronavirus. Community leaders have blamed lack of awareness, crowded housing and a close-knit community for spreading the ailment. Fourteen Somalis in Britain and six in Sweden have died of the infection. They include a 13-year-old boy in Britain.

Source=https://www.voanews.com/science-health/coronavirus-outbreak/former-somali-pm-dies-coronavirus-london

Thursday, 02 April 2020 20:55

Radio Dimtsi Harnnet Kassel 02.04.2020

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