The Exodus of Eritreans

Recently there was a large demonstration of Eritreans and Sudanese asylum seekers in Tel Aviv. Its quite an experience watching and listening to a loud ( yet peaceful) demonstration in the city in which I am living.

These asylum seekers are a result of thousands of Eritreans and Sudanese being kidnapped and tortured and many killed whilst their families are being blackmailed for their release.

On Tuesday February 11 the Berlin press wrote that, “…..based on interviews with dozens of victims, the watchdog group said some 200,000 Eritreans have fled their country since 2004, many trying to make their way to Israel across Sudan and Egypt.”

More problems arise when these asylum seekers find themselves in the hands or bedouin gangs in Egypt.

In IRIN-Humanitarian news and Analysis the story becomes painfully clear.

http://www.irinnews.org/report/92921/egypt-israel-tortured-for-ransom-in-the-sinai-desert

Israel opened its doors once again to many of these asylum seekers.

Israel has chosen not to deport the Eritrean and Sudanese nationals collectively to their countries of origin. It has however, chosen not to take any more. Many people that remain in Israel are in detention centers. As an Australian I have very strong opinions of our detention centres and the way many people fleeing for their lives are deplorably treated in such places.

In Israel many of these souls are being given a choice. Take the financial grant that the government is offering and find somewhere else to live or remain in detention. I ask you,  Israel has opened its doors again and again to asylum seekers and has often been the first country to arrive in a time of catastrophe and yet now they are drawing a line.On the one hand this is a democratic country and clearly people are free to demonstrate their opinions in freedom and safety. On the other where would they go? Who wants to take them? How can they be assured of their safety. Is detention the only way left to live out their lives?

 

 

 

 

 

Comments (2)

  • Bru

    Wonderful to read your blog and very disturbing to read about the refugees. I think about our treatment of refugees here in Australia and am ashamed to be an Australian. In the last few days, riots at Manus confirm my shame.. By the way, the subscribe button does not appear to be working.

  • Sharon

    Thank you Bru. I so appreciate your comment. BTW the subscribe button has been fixed.

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