Recently, I started writing for Cache Refugee and Immigrant Connection (CRIC). My goal is to write articles providing information on why someone would want or need to leave their country and integrate in other communities around the world.
My first article is about Eritrea.
Tucked in the corner of Northeast Africa Eritrea is surrounded by Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and the dense ecosystem of the Red Sea. I can’t tell you about smells and sounds the streets present. I can’t tell you the way people greet one another, and the way the people make me feel when I’m in their presence. Africa is a continent I’ve never been to, and I have yet to meet an Eritrean. I can’t tell you what life is like for those that stay. I may never be able to, as I don’t speak any of the 9 languages, other than English, and I don’t know if I’ll ever visit. Therefore, the information below is one-sided, from Eritreans seeking refuge and from those who have extensively studied their politics, and the people that live and have lived within Eritrea.
A short history of war between Ethiopia and Eritrea for this article began in the early 60’s. The Eritrean War of Independence was fought from 1961-1991 with Ethiopia. While fighting for Independence, Ethiopia began a civil war in 1974-1991. War erupted again over border conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea in 1998. Two years later, and after 80,000 deaths, a peace agreement was made but wasn’t fully agreed upon until 2018.
According to the Reporters Without Borders in 2019, Eritrea is the third most censored country in the world just behind North Korea and Turkmenistan. Of the 4.5 million people 1% percent have access to the internet while 6% of the population have access to phones. Towards the end of 2016 The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) found approximately 459,400 Eritrean refugees in countries such as Ethiopia and Sudan. Many making the journey over the Sahara and Mediterranean to arrive in Europe. A trip that nearly 2,500 known people drown attempting every year.
Concerns from Human Rights Watch state a number of abuses and a lack of basic human rights. The United Nations’ Human Rights Council finds, rights to practice religious freedom, through weddings and meetings are conflicted by mass arrests and taking away ID cards. Not only are religions closely watched, but the LGTBQI communities are criminalised for concentual same sex acts. According to The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, woman and children trying to leave the country are subject to human trafficking and smuggling. In some cases, they are concerned senior military officers are involved in the trafficking. The same committee states concerns about the practice of female mutilation, mainly in rural areas. Besides the abuses to the people of Eritrea, concerns for scarcity in food production and malnutrition lead to infant mortality.
Throughout my research, finding something positive to represent Eritrea was few and far between. Photos of bright yellow and red food caught my eye, as well as the coral of the Red Sea. Although the atrocities from many sources paint a dark picture of what Eritreans have and are currently going through, these people show me something about Eritrean culture. They paint a picture of the people who are with us here in the US, and around the world. They’re people who want something similar to what I want, basic human rights, a relatable topic, but they’re willing to do anything for them. That tells me a lot.