January 17, 2003

 HARASSMENT OF REFUGEES IN THE SUDAN CONTINUES

 As part of an expected crack down on Ethiopian refugees in the Sudan, the Khartoum police have been detaining a number of refugees and subjecting them to interrogation. The latest refugees to be detained in Khartoum are Birhane Mariam, Abera Atalay,Fantahun, Mussie and Yeneneh. Reports indicate that they have now been released.

The detention is connected with the officially declared intention of the Aliens section of the Sudanese Ministry of Interior to conduct a house to house search to "register" Ethiopian refugees. Many fear that the declared "registration" is but an intention to round up the refugees who are accused of having no valid identity cards. It is to be noted that almost all Ethiopian refugees have no valid refugee ID cards since the March 2000 when the UNHCR arbitrarily imposed the "cessation clause" and withdrew the refugee status from all post 1991 Ethiopian refugees. It was in 1991 that the EPRDF took power in Ethiopia and the UNHCR has surprisingly reached the conclusion that the repressive regime is actually democratic.

 The harassment and rounding up of Ethiopian refugees in the Sudan brings grain to the mill of the EPRDF which has not hidden its intention and desire to have the refugees deported back to Ethiopia. SOCEPP calls on the Sudanese government to respect the rights of the refugees and to halt its crack down on them.

SOCEPP once again calls on the UNHCR to recognize the rights of the refugees and to give them due protection.

SOCEPP calls on Ethiopians in the Diaspora to send protest letters to the Sudanese government and the UNHCR and to render prompt and necessary support to the Ethiopian refugees in the Sudan.

SOCEPP