Risking imprisonment and torture in their home country

Despite reports of killings and persecution, entered Norwegian authorities in 2011 an agreement with Ethiopia which opened for forced return of Ethiopians who would not go voluntarily.

HABTAM MEZMUR

Publisert 12.04.2013 kl 14:02 Oppdatert 23.04.2013 kl 14:21

Anti-Racist Center was deeply concerned that widespread forced return could become a human rights disaster. Norwegian Organization for Asylum Seekers - Noas - were particularly concerned about the situation of Ethiopian children, and pointed out that among them were children who had lived in Norway without legal residence for more than six years.

According to Amnesty International's report from 2011, Ethiopia is responsible for widespread human rights violations against people who are in opposition to the current regime. Many of them have been subjected to arbitrary detention for up to 20 years, death penalty, murder and torture. People who have protested peacefully, have been hunted as "terrorists". Some have managed to escape by fleeing to various countries and seek asylum there. There are people of all ages, many with higher education.

Five years into the unknown
The Hill refugee reception there live two women who had to flee the country they love. They came to Norway five years ago. They should both be exercised in accordance with the new disclosure agreement.
Tawokech Sheferaw live with their child. After the big clash between the Ethiopian government and the opposition party Kenejit in 2005, her mother died and her father imprisoned. Today she does not know what happened to him.
Like their parents, attended Tawokech in the resistance, but managed to escape to neighboring Kenya.
- The authoritarian regime in Ethiopia treated me badly both because I was a woman and because I was their opponent. I was prison, tortured and persecuted. It was impossible for me to live a normal life in my own country.
Four Nagativ
Tawokech Sheferaw came to Norway and applied for asylum, but the response she received was unexpected.
- I got rejected my application, and during the five years I have stayed me in Norway, I have had negative three times. The reason is that I do not have good enough reason to get a residence permit in Norway. I will not be believed, she says.
- In Ethiopia I protested and participated in various organizations that are against the regime. I have also been involved and protested on various occasions here in Norway. There are several articles about and pictures of these demonstrations, so it is not difficult to prove that I was with.
Tawokech are afraid of what she might be exposed to if she is sent back to their home country.
- The agreement between Norway and Ethiopia, means that I may be disclosed to torture, or worse, that I killed, she said.
Not for the money
The Norwegian government has promised financial support to those who voluntarily returned to Ethiopia. It does not help Tawokech Sheferaw.
- There were no economic reasons why I fled it was because I feared for my life, she says.
- I do not think there is anyone who wants a life as an asylum seeker. Life in the asylum is like being in prison. We are young and healthy, but will still not allowed to work or go to school. We just sit and think about what will happen to us.
 

Fearing for his life
Helen Nigussie and her husband Esconder Asefa also had to flee Ethiopia because of the treatment they received from the government.
- my family were members of a rebel group in the Ogaden. When the political instability worsened, and people who were in opposition to the government were persecuted, imprisoned, tortured and even killed, we had to flee, she said.
Helen has received two negative responses from Norwegian authorities. Like Tawokech Sheferaw she has continued to demonstrate against the Ethiopian government after she came to Norway.
- The Norwegian authorities believe that it is dangerous for me to travel back to Ethiopia. But if I returned, I risk being thrown in jail, she said.
               The system must be changed

Helen Nigussie believes that returning the agreement can be seen as an agreement concluded with a criminal governance in a country where the government controls both the police and the judiciary.
- According to the worldwide organization, The Committee to Protect Journalists has Ethiopian journalists who use their right to write, received up to 18 years' imprisonment. This is not unknown in Norway, however, were returning the agreement was signed, she says.
- The current government is also heavily dominated by people from the region of Tigrai, taking the best care of their own. We need a democratically elected government in Ethiopia, with political leaders and parties that take care of the entire country's population without favoring one ethnic group, says Helen Nigus.
Corruption and discriminationEthiopia is known for its beautiful landscapes and historic sites. The country has large, fertile farmland and stable weather that gives good yields. It is rich in minerals and has good access to water. It is a proud African country that has never been colonized. It has enough resources to feed large parts of Africa. Still suffering from large parts of the population under corrupt leaders and lack of democracy.
The country was a military regime from 1974 to 1991, after many centuries of imperial majesty. Although there were major problems in the country also in Emperor Haile Selassie's reign (1930-1974), including the great famines of the early 1970s, believes I and many others that the Ethiopian population has it worse today. At the time, got a lot of young scholarship to study abroad, but returned to Ethiopia because after all was stable relationship and not something to fear.
After the emperor's fall led military regime a fight for the country, especially for access to waters around Eritrea. I think unfortunately the fight took place at the cost of thousands of lives both in Ethiopia and neighboring Eritrea. Opposition grew rapidly, especially among students, but was crushed. Many were killed and many fled the country.
I think it was worse in 1991 when the current regime took over power after a long civil war. The new government continued to imprison, torture and kill people from the resistance movements. The government is dominated by people from the region of Tigrai, who was leading the resistance against the former military rule. My experience is that people from Tigrai get great benefits, while people in other regions must live as second-class citizens.
The government has sold and leased land to neighboring countries. Now, countries like India, China, Saudi Arabia and some western European countries started to take over Ethiopia's rural areas. Many people lose their land. The government has leased three million hectares until now, and plan further eight million, while millions of its population starving.
Those who protested peacefully against this policy or for Democracy, was arrested, tortured and sometimes killed or imposed long prison sentences. Too many have been fleeing the only solution. So too for me.
Habtam Mezmur is Ethiopian journalist.She has fled from Ethiopia and is currently granted asylum in Norway