Plight of Ethiopian refugees in Yemen worsens
By Socepp
March 15, 2004

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A two-month-old sit-in protest by Ethiopian refugees in Yemen (Yemen Times photo)

The Solidarity Committee of Ethiopian Political Prisoners (SOCEPP) has received an appeal letter from refugees in Yemen and is presenting it below while calling on Ethiopians in the Diaspora to stage protest demonstrations in front of Yemeni consulates and embassies. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) should also be flooded with protest letters for once again ignoring the plight of Ethiopian refugees.

LETTER BY REFUGEES IN YEMEN

Dear Sir/Madam,

We used to feel, that we are refugees as per the Geneva Convention, Declaration of human rights and as well to other UN provisions. To our misfortune, we have not even once experienced such facility and all the more sad is the fact that the UNHCR branch office in Sana’a, has been unsympathetic to our plight.

It is a general practice for the UNHCR to virtually implement the convention and provisions contained in it relating to labor conditions, welfare and education, which have been long observed in different parts of the world. Over and again we have appealed to the UNHCR in a peaceful and honorable ways to find a solution for our problem. To our dismay, we have had many false and broken promises.

From time to time we have been saddled with terrible burden we couldn’t throw off. WE HAVE ENDURED MUCH RIDICULE AND MUCH CONTEMPT FROM THE UNCLEAR STANCE OF THE UNHCR BRANCH OFFICE. WE HAVE TO ENDURE UNWORTHY TREATMENT CAUSING SHAME AND LOSS OF RESPECT THEREBY TRESPASSING ON OUR INALIENABLE RIGHTS. In view of this, we trust at least by now our case would be considered sympathetically and JUSTICE WOULD BE RENDERED. We have become despondent and desperate–the silence of the UNHCR branch office has driven us to despair.

After 13 solid years, our situation is worse than one could imagine. Meanwhile, the UNHCR branch office is still quoting the convention and trying to define things to our detriment. After unfruitful negotiations with the UNHCR branch office, which regrettably have been very obstinate, we release the following statement: –

(1) Our demand is not endless dialogue, verbal and paper promises, but DURABLE SOLUTION as per 1951 Geneva Convention and its 1967 protocol. As from our past experience, dialogue, verbal and paper promises are not worthy of any trust now. On April 4, 1995, the branch UNHCR office had released a written letter particularly concerning our group, which is saying “…UNHCR is obliged to shift its support towards the encouragement of refugees to achieve durable solutions.” Up to now, we are waiting for the fulfillment of this written promise.

(2) Our motive, in whatever way possible, is not to file an accusation but to bring the truth to light. The branch office is financed by the regular UN budget as well us from funds for specific assistance programs that are received from voluntary contributions from an array of Government, inter-and non-governmental organizations and individuals. However, the death of our friend because of lack of medical assistance of YR50000 equivalent to $270, a curable disease changed into seizure and left them exhausted. We are puzzled as to how much a minor sickness becomes fatal. But, the UNHCR dramatized our case to make it baseless by saying, “…the protesters want to be resettled in countries such as the USA…” (YEMEN TIMES, 12 February 2004).

(3) Over and again we have appealed regarding ups and downs of life,

– Lost friends (missing of our 34 colleaggues), our great concern and discontent as regarding this issue we have reference letter at hand. Indeed, we are in the state of apprehension.

– Killed fellow refugees (Assassination oof Lieutenant Mulugeta by slashing him with an axe, Petty officer Bogale poisoned dead, and others.) No legal action or proper investigation had been seen.

— Death from mental disorder and physicaal ailments

– The tremendous emotional and psychologiical sufferings to the living refugees is to live with sorrow and pain even after burying our fellow refugees in unsanctified burial place the difference of culture and religion.

– Obviously Christians are undeserved of graveyard, religion and race causes controversy. We are obliged to change names, which goes against all our beliefs. After 13 years in Yemen it may be perfectly right to assume that we have completely integrated in the society. But the truth is far from that assumption. We have not integrated fully into Yemen and there are many obstacles that we daily face.

(4) The political crisis in Ethiopia continues to worsen and the regime believes that those in exile are one of the causes of its malaise and thus stretches its long arm to harass or abduct the ill-fated and defenseless refugees, etc…
We appealed time and again to the branch office of UNHCR, in a peaceful and honorable way and above all with trust and confidentiality, to find a solution. In response, the branch office of UNHCR did release a letter, dated 18 August 2003, to:

– Minister of Human Rights, CC: Minister of Interior and CC: -Chairman of the Central Organization for Political Security, saying,

“…They have directed similar and false letter, and some of these letters are endangering the interest of the country and its international reputations, to many international authorities and parliaments in many countries. In these letters, they state false accusations against this country saying that they are suffering of religious, political and security persecution, which is baseless. The main objective of these allegations is to find a legal basis as a justification for their re-naturalization in other countries such as America, Canada and Australia. ….”

As far as we are concerned, we feel the branch office has failed to exercise its competence and mandated authority in affording protection by way of preventive measures against all odds or misfortunes. This implies the mandated office has exposed our confidential letters, which is unethical and already created antagonistic contradiction between us and Yemenis (hosting country) and we are deeply concerned. ”

The letter from the refugees in Yemen goes into further details to specify the suffering of the Ethiopians in that country. The refugees bear no ill will to the Yemen government and the fraternal people of Yemen. On the contrary, they express their gratitude. What they are demanding is respect of their rights as refugees particularly by the UNHCR. They are afraid for their lives; they are justifiably fed up of their suffering and want the UNHCR to do its duty of defending the rights of the refugees.

SOCEPP calls on all Ethiopians in the Diaspora and all defenders of human rights to

• call on the UNHCR to defend the rights of the refugees instead of ignoring its duties and trying to blame them:
• call on the government of Yemen to respect the rights of the refugees;
• call on Third Countries to give resettlement rights to the Ethiopian refugees