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21 September 2007
Dear Founding Members,
Human Rights Concern – Eritrea
congratulate you for your determination in setting up Qalna Eritrean Human
Rights Group in Toronto, to enable you fight against the human rights abuses
that our people in Eritrea have been subjected to.
At this difficult time, we, Eritrean
Human Rights Defenders, would have loved to work from within Eritrea, in or=
der
to monitor, document and report the excessive human rights abuses which have
been perpetrated by the Eritrean government. However, one cannot speak of H=
uman
Rights Defenders in Eritrea, as they are not allowed to operate from within.
There is not one single human rights organization inside the country.
The absolute lack of space for any =
genuine
civil society organization to operate, including human rights organizations=
, is
why we have been forced to organize ourselves in our host countries.
The state of human rights in Eritre=
a has
become intolerable, not least because of the indefinite military service
obligations imposed on peace-loving Eritreans, and the inhumane treatment
perpetrated by the uncaring government of Eritrea. Many citizens, especially
the youth, cannot see any future in our country. Because of this they are
fleeing their homeland and seeking refuge in various countries. Some a=
re
perishing while trying to cross the Sahara desert, others are drowning =
; in
the Mediterranean Sea while trying to reach Europe or other destinations, a=
nd
hundreds are detained in many countries.
Like your sister organisations in A=
frica,
Europe, America and Australia, I hope you will also be a beacon of ho=
pe
to your people and the voice of the silenced until justice prevails in
Eritrea.
Human Rights Concern – Eritre=
a will
be more than happy to work with you in bringing the plight of the Eritrean
people to the attention of the international community and in advocating
for and assisting Eritrean refugees in their host countries.
Together
we can make a dif=
ference
Elsa Chyrum
E. Chyrum
Director