Eritrean Campaigners Welcome the Findings and Recommendations of the UN Human Rights Body.

Eritrean Campaigners Welcome the Findings and Recommendations of the UN Human Rights Body.

(Geneva 04-06-2014) Eritrean campaigners against the indefinite national service today welcomed the report of the UN commission of inquiry on human rights in Eritrea. The commission found systematic, widespread and gross human rights violation, that may amount to crimes against humanity, being perpetrated by the regime in Eritrea.

The report particularly highlighted the national service as a specific area of violation where it was found that thousands of boys and girls enrolled every year are subjected to forced labour. Children are forcibly conscripted for an indefinite period of time and made to live and work under harsh conditions. The report also states that sexual violence against women and girls, in the national service, is rife and that young women and girls are routinely forced into domestic servitude and sexual slavery. 

The commission made recommendations for the discontinuation of the indefinite national service, for the rights to conscientious objection by law as well as cessation of the use of conscripts as a source of forced labour. Additionally there was a call to prohibit the assignment of women and girls to officials’ quarters for forced domestic labour.

Having campaigned against the indefinite national service which they believe amounts to modern day slavery, campaigners say the findings reflect the experiences of thousands of their counterparts inside the country and in exile. They welcome the recommendations, although they believe that expecting the regime in Eritrea to implement these recommendations is naïve.

Miss Luwam Estefanos, a former conscript, said ‘ it is a shame that it has taken so many of us to suffer and leave the country, we have lost on opportunities for education and development, many have died attempting to leave the country, but atleast at long last our voices have been heard and I hope the UN and the international community will put their weight behind these recommendations and work for their adoption’.

Campaigners will be holding a side event at the UN head quarters  and a rally on the 26th of June in Geneva, to call for the adoption for the adoption of the recommendations when they are presented to the human rights council at its 29th session. 

For more information, please visit: http://StopSlaveryInEritrea.com/

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