Author: E. Berends

Random roundup in Khartoum: Eritrean refugees targeted

Eritreans in Khartoum are in an unsafe situation as random arrests – mainly targeting Eritrean refugees – are taking place in the Sudanese capital. Witness Araia Kidane tells about the situation in a Facebook post and says that security forces are “hunting” eritrean refugees in the streets, offices and their houses. The victims are arrested and have to pay “50,000 or more” to be released. Sources told Araia that people are asked for their identity before being captured.

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News Highlights: Extremist groups funded by human trafficking in Libya, EU ‘deepens partnership’ with Morocco on migration, UNHCR pressures people to leave GDF in Libya

In this week’s news highlights: Nobel Peace Prize winner Abiy Ahmed avoids talking to the media; Africa requests funding to fight climate crisis during COP25; Eritrean girl Ciham Ali Abdu held incommunicado since she was 15; New initiative to assist internally displaced persons introduced in Ethiopia; Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces plans to categorise immigrants in the UK ahead of election; Asylum seekers at risk when crossing the Croation border; Eritreans protest in Norway; President Ursula von der Leyen meets representatives from AU to discuss cooperation; New Return and Reintegration Platform initiative formalised; New app to assist refugees in Italy; EU to strengthen cooperation with Morocco on migration through new funding, UNHCR pressures refugees to leave the GDF; UN experts release report on foreign armed groups in Libya, stating IS in Libya is funded largely by human trafficking; State Representatives discuss Libya at the Rome Mediterranean Dialogues; And Sudanese citizens abused by human traffickers in Libya.

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EU unable to defend decisions about funds to Eritrea: questions remain unanswered

“In 2019, the EU began to use the Emergency Trust Fund for Africa to support the procurement of equipment for a road building project in which it accepts that national service labour (i.e. forced labour conscripts) may be used. How will the Commission independently monitor the human rights impact of its funding, including working conditions?” Member of the Parliament, Michèle Rivasi (Greens/EFA), asked this written question to the commission on November 4. As of yet, Rivasi did not receive a written reply. Despite the criticism, the EU keeps funding projects in Eritrea and seems unable to defend its decisions.

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