Letter to the President of the Federal States of Somalia

Despite Somalia's current challenges, the Eritrean people still need your support. However I am very confident that your country will continue to show strong leadership on this issue and others, and for that you have my praise and admiration along with that of Eritreans around the world. Your support for the Eritrean people, for the fundamental rights of the Persons with Albinism, and for others, will not be forgotten.

The Washington D.C. Conference

A Conference under the theme “Time for Change: Saving Eritrea’s Future” was held in Washington D.C. during the period May 24-25, 2013.

This conference, organized by Eritreans who came from all over the United States and Canada, was attended by about 2000 Eritrean-Americans, Eritrean-Canadians, and friends of Eritrea. This conference was held on the sidelines of the Washington D.C. demonstration, which has been sufficiently covered but on which we would like to dwell briefly.

UN Urges the World to Keep Eritrea Under Scrutiny

GENEVA (5 June 2013) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Eritrea, Sheila B. Keetharuth, today reiterated her call on the international community to keep monitoring the human rights situation in Eritrea and to protect and support those fleeing the country, in particular the increasing numbers of unaccompanied children.

“I urge the international community to keep Eritrea under close scrutiny until meaningful change is evident,” Ms. Keetharuth said during the presentation of her first report to the UN Human Rights Council. “It will be important to increase efforts to constructively engage with Eritrea and neighbouring countries to improve the situation of human rights in the country.”

Egyptian politicians caught in on-air Ethiopia dam gaffe

Egyptian politicians are embarrassed after being caught suggesting hostile acts against Ethiopia to stop it from building a dam across the Blue Nile. ...

As the participants did not know that the meeting was being aired live by state TV, they spoke their minds unreservedly.

Their suggestions centred around military action as a decisive response to what one of them called a "declaration of war".

One of the politicians suggested sending special forces to destroy the dam; another thought of jet fighters to scare the Ethiopians; and a third called for Egypt to support rebel groups fighting the government in Addis Ababa.

Eritrean Nationals in the Greater Bay Area Celebrated 22nd Independence Day with Great Enthusiasm

Large crowd of mostly youth Eritreans gathered in Oakland, California on Sunday May 26 to Celebrate our country’s 22nd Independence Day. This gathering was exceptional in many ways. To begin with, the National Holiday was prepared by the effort and co-operation of different political organizations, civic societies and independent citizens namely, Eritrean Youth Solidarity for Change (EYSC), Eritrean National Council for Democratic Change (ENCDC), Eritrean People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) and  Eritreans with no political affiliation. Secondly, the hall was packed with participants of all ages with mostly young men and women.

3rd state agrees to take Israel's Eritrean migrants

An undisclosed country has agreed to absorb the majority of Eritrean citizens who have illegally entered Israel, representatives of the state said Sunday.

The remarks came during a High Court discussion of a petition filed by human rights groups against Israel's infiltrator's law, which allows for the detention of illegal migrants without trial.

(Photo: Eritrean migrants protest Negeve detention facility)

Persecution Greater Than Ever and 'Getting Worse' in Eritrea

Religious persecution in Eritrea is at its “highest level ever and getting worse,” an Eritrean Christian leader, who cannot be named for security reasons, has told the Christian charity Open Doors International.

Thirty-seven Christian students from the College of Arts and Social Sciences in the town of Adi Kihe, and five men from the Church of the Living God in Asmara, were arrested last week, taking the total number of Christians known to have been arrested this year to 191.

(Photo: College of Arts, Adi-Keyih)

Swedish Men Charged with Extortion Racket Linked to Eritrea Kidnappings

A Stockholm court has charged two young Swedish nationals of Middle Eastern origin with extortion in connection with the kidnappings of Eritrean asylum seekers.

The two, aged 21 and 18, allegedly demanded money from families living in Sweden for the safe return of loved ones. The suspects, who were arrested in February, have been accused of trying to extort $33,000 (£22,000) in ransom demands.

TD Bank urged to exit Eritrea collection scheme

A Canadian chartered bank being used in Eritrea's controversial tax collection scheme is being urged to get out of it, CBC world affairs correspondent Rick MacInnes-Rae reports today from Winnipeg.

The UN says Eritrea relies on threats and coercion to extract two per cent of the income from Eritrean citizens in Canada. In Winnipeg, the money is then funnelled to the East-African dictatorship via Toronto-Dominion Bank, documents obtained by CBC News show.

Pray for Eritrea: 'Come, Let Us Rebuild Our Walls'

In Eritrea, thousands of Christians are being detained without charge or trial in truly inhumane conditions.Please join us in protest against these injustices and to pray for God's intervention.

Hundreds of Eritreans and Concerned Americans March for Freedom in Eritrea

May 24, 2013  Today hundreds marched in Washington, DC to decry the acute mistreatment of Eritrean people and the country itself by the self-serving and self-perpetuating government.  At the Eritrea embassy, the group found a counter-demonstration set up by supposed regime supporters, which had arranged things ahead of time, forcing the local police to set up a caged “neutral area” between the groups. The freedom-loving opposition side outnumbered the regime supporters by at least half again.  The vehemence of the oppositionists surpassed the other group, whose voice was primarily loud music, and which did not have its usual covey of children along.  Ironically, the regime supporters who were demonstrating against the oppositionists, were using the freedom of expression available here but not to any oppositionists back home.