June 23/2003

Ethiopian refugees, many of them former members of the Ethiopian Navy, have been exiled to Yemen (most in Sanaa since 1991) and their condition has worsened from year to year without the UNHCR giving them adequate protection. Their present situation is in fact critical and many of them fear the possibility of deportation.

The refugees in Sanaa and other parts of Yemen are in admire condition as the UNHCR office is close to them and the ID cards given to them as refugees have expired as of 31 December 2001 thereby making them virtual "illegals" and depriving them the chance of getting employed or existing legally. Since 1991, only 14 refugees have been resettled in a third country by the UNHCR. Moreover, the EPRDF in power in Addis Abeba has been consistently trying to compound the problems of the refugees and to evewn have some of them deported.

SOCEPP thus calls on the UNHCR and on the government of President Field Marshall Ali Abdallah Salih to see to it that the Ethiopian refugees (both Marines and civilians) are given due protection and possible resettlement opporunity in Third Countries. SOCEPP also calls on Ethiopian in the Diaspora to take up the case of the refugees and to campaign for the improvement of their condition. In this connection please send fax or e mail to the UNHCR, to the authorities in Yemen (c/o ambassador@yemenembassy.org  ..... or fax 202-337-2017).

SOCEPP