News Highlights: Dutch parliament motion to close Eritrean embassy, businesses shut down in Asmara, EU divided over relocation

In this week’s news highlights: Dutch parliamentarians express their concern over the influence of the Eritrean regime and ask the government to close the Eritrean embassy; European Union sets June 2018 deadline for divisive relocation quota vote if no compromise is found; migration needs long term solutions, says European Commissioner; businesses in Eritrea close in what activists say is a move to control people; Human Rights Watch fears mistreatment of activists in Sudan; more clashes in the Oromia region of Ethiopia; and UN Refugee Agency wants to move 5.000 – 10.000 people out of Libyan detention centres in 2018.

Dutch parliament demands closing of Eritrean embassy

In a debate in the Dutch parliament on Wednesday 20 December, a motion has been issued by parliament members to close the Eritrean embassy. The Dutch parliament and government have debated multiple times in the previous years over intimidation, threats, 2% diaspora tax and the role of the embassy and Eritrean government in the Eritrean diaspora community in the Netherlands. The recent report on the 2% diaspora tax in Europe has further fueled the concerns, and it is now supported by recordings from the Dutch radio programme Argos that show the coercion in action. 

News Highlights: Study 2% Eritrean diaspora tax, clashes in Ethiopia, remembering crackdown Eritrea

In this week’s news highlights: new study published on 2% diaspora tax for Eritreans in Europe confirming reports of coercion and threat; German charity denies Italian allegations that its rescue ship has had contact with Libyan smugglers; European Parliament delegation visits Tunisia to discuss about current situation of migrants and refugees; BCC launches websites for Eritrean and Ethiopian audiences; Ethiopian ethnic crisis may escalate as officials point fingers at each other; Eritrean people remember the day in which the government crackdown of 2001.