Open letter to the Sudanese President: Release veteran Eritrean freedom fighters – Mr. Hussein Kelifa and Mr. Abdella Hamdoi

Release veteran Eritrean freedom fighters – Mr. Hussein Kelifa and Mr. Abdella Hamdoi
Open letter to the Sudanese President

President Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir
Office of the President
Khartoum, Sudan

Your Excellency,

On January 31, 2016, Sudanese security forces detained two prominent veteran freedom fighters - Mr. Hussein Kelifa, chairman of the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF) and a member of the Eritrean National Council for Democratic Change (ENCDC), and Mr. Abdella Hamdoi, member of the Executive Committee of the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF). These two prominent Eritreans have been active in the Eritrean opposition politics in the diaspora and we kindly appeal to your Excellency to make sure that their safety and health is well guarded and we appeal to you to release them immediately.

Mr. Hussein Kelifa and Mr. Abdella Hamdoi are members of the opposition group in the diaspora and are considered by the dictatorship in Eritrea as enemies of the State. We appeal to your Excellency to continue the kindhearted tradition that the government of Sudan and the people of Sudan have always extended to the Eritrean people. We appeal for the release of our compatriots who are advancing in age.  Historically, Sudanese governments and the Sudanese people have provided shelter and protection to Eritreans. The generosity and brotherly assistance of the Sudanese people is highly appreciated by Eritreans. Indeed, the brotherly relationship of the Eritrean people and the Sudanese people is deeply connected by history and cultural affinity.  It is our sincere belief that the immediate release of our compatriots – Hussein Kelifa and Abdella Hamdoi, will demonstrate once again the positive and close relationship of the Eritrean and Sudanese peoples.

Given the age and health of conditions of Mr. Hussein Kelifa and Mr. Abdella Hamdoi an immediate release is a matter of urgency.

Sincerely,

Eritreans for Facilitating National Dialogue (EFND)
Eritrean Global Solidarity (EGS)

February 9, 2016

CC:

Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Amnesty International