Eritreans flee as new border war brews

November 30 2005 at 06:47AM

By Nicolas Germain Asmara -
Eritreans are fleeing their country in growing numbers amid fears of a new war with Ethiopia and economic hardships blamed on authoritarian government policies, according to observers.In the first eight months of this year, more Eritreans have risked death to leave the impoverished Horn of Africa nation than in all of 2004, according to UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) statistics.As border tensions with Ethiopia rose and Asmara tightened already tough economic restrictions, 6 113 Eritreans fled between January and August, compared to 5 542 last year, the statistics show.
'It is not at all a subject of grave concern'Of both figures, 69 percent went to Sudan and 31 percent to Ethiopia, where most of them were granted refugee status, according to the UNHCR.Diplomats say the numbers are rising even as those who leave risk being shot if caught and their families face prosecution, something Eritrean officials deny.

"It is not at all a subject of grave concern," information minister Ali Abdu said, adding that "most of the time the UNHCR figures are politicised"."Here and there, some people are going, this is a global phenomenon. The endurance of people differs, some are selfish."In Eritrea, the subject of people fleeing is taboo and few broach the subject.
Eritrea has warned conflict is looming againAsmara-based diplomats and numerous Eritreans say those leaving are doing so to escape compulsory military service, economic hardship, and a lack of freedom of expression.The country has only one political party, has had no presidential elections since independence from Ethiopia in 1993, closed all independent media outlets in 2001 and is regularly criticised for religious clampdowns.Eritrea is also facing an economic crisis, with some fuel prices more than doubling this year and the creation of state-run food and tightened currency restrictions."More and more people are leaving now because of the tensions on the border with Ethiopia and they really don't want to fight a war," said one military-age Eritrean in his 20s.He and others recalled the 1998-2000 war with Ethiopia that claimed about 80 000 lives.The United Nations warned this month that the situation on the border is "tense and potentially volatile" amid troop movements on both sides and the UN Security Council threatened to slap sanctions on each in the event of new war.Eritrea has warned conflict is looming again because of Ethiopia's refusal to accept a 2002 legally-binding border ruling.Diplomats say Eritreans suffer harsh consequences if a member of their family is found to have fled."Usually they arrest the oldest family member," said one. "It could be the grandmother. She is fined up to 50 000 Nakfa (about R22 000) and put in prison."Ali Abdu did not deny that such arrests took place but said they would take place only when the person who fled did so to illegally avoid military service."If people ask to go and they have fulfilled their obligations, they can go via the legal channel," Ali said.But many Eritreans believe the government grants exit visas only to the elderly, forcing younger people who want to leave to rely on often unscrupulous middle men to make the dangerous exit journey.Diplomats say it costs up to $2 000 for an Eritrean to pay a middleman to get them fake documents and then cross into Ethiopia or Sudan."Some Eritreans try to go alone... and they get lost or die of thirst," said one diplomat. "You can get caught and put in prison several months, and even longer if you try to enter Ethiopia."But consequences could be even harsher. "If you are caught, you are either imprisoned or shot," said one Eritrean.