DECEMBER 9/2006

 YEMEN CONTINUES TO VIOLATE RIGHTS OF ETHIOPIAN REFUGEES

More than 200 Ethiopian refugees who have crossed the treacherous waters of the Gulf of Aden (in which more than 190 Ethiopia asylum seekers have already perished) to seek refuge in Yemen are facing deportation threats from the Yemeni government.  Pleas by the UNHCR have been ignored.

 Yemen gives asylum rights and in a clear act of discrimination has vowed to deport all Ethiopian asylum seekers. Among those threatened by the deportation, there are many who risk death if they are handed over to the vindictive and repressive regime in Addis Ababa. It is to be recalled that Sudan had also deported several Ethiopian refugees who have consequently been "disappeared" by the ruling EPRDF. Yemen has given no official explanation for its arbitrary decision other than the existing good relations between it and the regime in Ethiopia.

 SOCEPP condemns in strong terms the Yemeni drive to deport Ethiopian refugees and the ill treatment that is being meted out to them. Discriminating against Ethiopians cannot be condoned whatsoever. The deportation threat must be stopped, the UNHCR must be allowed to visit the asylum seekers and the rights of the refugees should not be trampled upon by a government that had singed the relevant international documents pertaining to the basic rights of refugees.

SOCEPP