Eritrea: Activists inside the country anticipate more refugees as the government intensifies militarization

(Asmara 07/10/2014) Freedom Friday Activists (Arbi Harnet) in Asmara report that the government has launched a new campaign forcing people to go into military training. The campaign that is being coordinated by the local administrative authorities requires people whose names have been posted on notice boards to report to their respective authority’s office by 6:00 pm on the 10th of October.

The notice states that this is the first round of calls and that everyone will be called in stages. This call for training is not the regular call for young people who expect to go to training at the start of their final year in high school. It is believed that these calls are for people who haven’t been trained either through the national service or as part of the People’s Army, which requires people over the age of 50 to be trained, armed and be deployed in security duties locally. 

Following these announcements in the nearby town of Mendefera, there was extensive round up that resulted in a lot of tension and the fear is that Asmara local authroities will follow the same trend nearer to the deadline. 



According to Activists, the situation is said to be causing frustration among the youth and their families and it is feared that many young people will simply join the exodus that has become a global phenomenon, they said ‘ this is creating an anger in many people , and many youths are thinking of exile. There was Gefa yesterday in mendefera in association with this. This call for training ( Tealim) is a sudden thing, not something done according to a schedule or plan, that people know and expect. There is no reason behind it, simply they are showing their power’ 

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