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Ethiopia Ends Blanket Protection for Eritrean Refugees

Simon Marks

   ADDIS ABABA - Ethiopia has stopped granting automatic asylum to
   Eritreans entering the country. The United Nations and aid groups say
   the previously unannounced policy change, which went into place about
   three months ago, put Eritreans trying to flee the country at the mercy
   of unscrupulous human smugglers.

   For years, Ethiopia had an "open-door" policy towards refugees from
   countries such as South Sudan and Eritrea, earning it widespread
   acclaim among international donors.

   But according to the United Nations and humanitarian aid groups,
   Ethiopia changed its policy in late January without making an official
   announcement. The government no longer offers automatic asylum for
   Eritreans trying to flee their home country.

   The Ethiopian Agency for Refugees and Returnee Affairs told donors and
   aid groups earlier this month that the previous approach resulted in a
   "high influx of unaccompanied minors, illegal migrants and others who
   do not fulfill the criteria laid [out] for refugee status determination
   under the international instruments," according to a letter seen by VOA
   dated April 9.

   Activists and aid groups say the new policy limits options for
   Eritreans trying to avoid forced conscription into Eritrea's national
   service program.

   Ann Encontre, country representative for the U.N. Refugee Agency in
   Ethiopia, said that in some cases, Eritreans could be forced into
   trafficking networks that smuggle Eritreans north through Libya towards
   Europe.

   "The concern is really underage children, minors, who don't have
   documentation. Those are the ones who are at risk because they get
   caught up in trafficking, in smuggling, in these illegal movements
   towards Europe and elsewhere. All persons who come and who can be heard
   and their status is determined, and they have legal documentation while
   they are here, then that really mitigates the risk for them to be
   caught up in these nefarious activities," she spoke to VOA via a
   messaging app.

   Officials at both the Agency for Refugees and Returnee Affairs and the
   Prime Minister's office declined to comment.

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