Fundamental questions of accountability: EU sued for forced labor in Eritrea
15 May 2020

Fundamental questions of accountability: EU sued for forced labor in Eritrea

by | posted in: Eritrea, European Commission, European Parliament, European Politics, European Union, Forced labour, Horn of Africa region, The Netherlands, UN Special Rapporteur, United Nations, United States | 0

A Dutch Foundation of Eritrean refugees, Foundation Human Rights for Eritreans, has filed a lawsuit in the Amsterdam court against the European Union (EU) for its role in financing a road building project in Eritrea that uses forced labor. The Foundation, together with their Dutch Lawyer Emiel Jurjens, demand the EU stops the 80 million euro support to Eritrea. While the European Commission acknowledges that the funded project entails labour from Eritrea’s indefinite and forced national service, in direct violation of EU’s fundamental principles and international law, it deflects blame by claiming that the EU is not paying directly for labor itself but rather for the equipment. Besides the use of forced labor, the EU has no direct oversight or proper monitoring scheme to safeguard the Eritrean national conscripts forced to work on the project or ability monitor how the money is spent. The EU has already pledged 80 million and is looking to spend an additional 120 million on subsequent phases. The lawsuit enters uncharted legal territory in a complex web of jurisdiction and accountability.

News highlights: Eritrean refugee children at risk in Ethiopia, IOM concerned over missing refugees in Libya, Partnership between MSF and SOS Mediterranee ends
24 Apr 2020

News highlights: Eritrean refugee children at risk in Ethiopia, IOM concerned over missing refugees in Libya, Partnership between MSF and SOS Mediterranee ends

by | posted in: COVID-19, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Hitsats camp, Médecins Sans Frontières, Refugee Camps, Unaccompanied Minors | 0

This week’s news highlights: Unaccompanied Eritrean refugee children at risk; Sex workers in Kenyan slums face difficulties due to COVID-19; Concern about conditions in Eritrea’s prisons; Plan to close Hitsats camp despite COVID-19 concerns; New locust swarms threaten East Africa harvests; African refugee camps at risk of COVID-19; Increasing needs for forcibly displaced children; Number of people facing food crisis will double, warns WFP; Half of German refugee camp tested positive for COVID-19; MSF ends partnership with SOS Mediterranee; Alan Kurdi odyssey ends; European rescue solidarity plan requested by 4 member states; Refugees tested positive for COVID-19 in Portugal and Greece; Survey impact COVID-19 pandemic on migrants and refugees; Concerns about missing migrants and refugees in Libya; And Stranded Tunisian migrants return home

News highlights: Eritrea refuses COVID-19 medical supplies, Italy declares ports unsafe, EU’s €15.6 billion COVID-19 plan for developing countries
10 Apr 2020

News highlights: Eritrea refuses COVID-19 medical supplies, Italy declares ports unsafe, EU’s €15.6 billion COVID-19 plan for developing countries

by | posted in: COVID-19, Eritrea, Ethiopia, EU funding, European Union, Italy, Mediterranean Sea, Migration, Refugee Camps | 0

In this week’s news highlights: COVID-19 supplies refused by Eritrea; Eritrean refugees in Hitsats camp in danger should the camp close – closure delayed due to coronavirus; Somalia on critical juncture to halting COVID-19; HRW urges Ethiopia for justice in deadly violence in October protests; Italy declares own ports unsafe; EU provides more than €15.6 billion to curb COVID-19; Asylum-seekers and migrants killed and abused along Greek-Turkish border, says Amnesty; Malta quaratines refugee camp due to COVID-19 cases; Second Greek refugee camp in lockdown; UNHCR needs $255 million for Africa COVID-19 response; IGAD COVID-19 summit; Story from the slums of Kenya; Libyan war continues; Tunisia makes the first step towards helping migrants in the context of COVID-19; And migrants and refugees launch hunger strike Tunisia.