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Eyewitness: Exposing the
Lies of Asmara Regime
Department of Information and Culture
Eritrean People’s party
January 26, 2009
This is an eyewitness account
of an Eritrean woman who was among the 800 Eritrean refugees
forcibly returned from Egypt to Eritrea in 2008. The eyewitness who
chose not give her identity recently fled to Sudan for the second
time. She is now seeking political asylum in Sudan. Her accounts
highlights the collaboration and deal reached between the
governments of Egypt and Eritrea on the deportation plan, involving
travel arrangements, payment of air fare for the returnees, round
trip air fare expenses for Egyptian security guards, and the
reception the government of Eritrea held to welcome the returnees
and the subsequent transfer of the returnees to Wia prison camp.
Before I was forcibly returned to Eritrea, I had been detained for four
months in Egypt. During this time, Eritrean priests who live in Egypt
paid us a visit and provided us with some clothing items such pajamas.
Prior to our deportation arrangement came into effect, Egyptian
authorities picked us (women, children, and men) up from different
detention centers and gathered us in one place. Shortly, Egyptian
authorities presented us with following three options:
1.
That we will be deported back to our country if the government of
Eritrea agrees to pay our travel expenses as well as a round trip travel
expenses for the Egyptian security guards. And if the government of
Eritrea refuses, then
2.
Each one of us will be deported back to the place where we came
from after paying $300 US dollars in fine.
3.
If unable to pay the fines, there will be six months jail time
followed by deportation back to the place where we came from.
Since we did not want to go back to Eritrea, we had hoped that the
government of Eritrea would refuse to pay the expenses. We thought such
refusal would have left Egyptians with no options other than deporting
us back to Sudan. However, after some back and forth and
indecisiveness, the government of Eritrea finally agreed to meet all the
Egyptian demands.
It was a mix of convergence of interests of both governments that
subjected us to deportation back to our country. In additions, the
deportation was carried out in the face of weak opposition from UN human
rights institutions and other humanitarian organizations. Our number was
800, which comprised women, men, and children.
When we arrived at the Egyptian airport, we overheard our soon would-be
security guards receiving instructions and briefings on the type of
security measures they should follow during our flight back to Eritrea.
They were instructed to carry out threats against us as well as to exert
strict measures of control on us. We were handcuffed in pairs
(handcuffed two people together) before we boarded the aircraft. One
security guard was responsible to watch two returnees who were already
handcuffed together. We remained handcuffed until we arrived at Asmara
airport.
When we arrived in Asmara, as seen in television, they gave us a big
reception. Senior government officials welcomed us, a welcome filled
with good words and promises. However, we soon faced obstacles despite
their promises to treat us humanely.
All the good dramas and speeches you heard on television were designed
to deceive the international community; it was both theatrical and false
promises the government displayed to improve its image.
The truth is after we arrived in Asmara, we were herded to the reception
stadium under heavy security watch. From the reception stadium all, but
26 pregnant and new mothers were taken to prison. We were under heavy
police escort. They released the pregnant and new mothers after issuing
instructions that require them to register their names with the police
department in their neighborhood as well as after agreeing to report to
police department every week and sign their names. Each one of them also
received 500 Nakfa ($ 25 US dollars) before they finally let go.
Shortly after the reception was over, the remaining 774 were transferred
to Wia prison camp that is known for its deadly heat. In the prison, we
were subjected to unimaginable threats, beatings, and humiliations. We
faced a number of questions that was unknown to us. They asked us on
matters that did not concern us. They forced us to sign a statement
admitting mistakes that we did not do.
I stayed in Wia prison for five months. Yet, given the adversity I had
to endure in the prison, I felt as if I stayed for five years. Yes,
after my release from prison, I then fled the country for the second
time and entered Sudan.
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