In a January 2005 UNHCR report entitled Eritrea: Risk Groups and Protection-Related Issues, Tigrinya Jibertis, also known as Djibertis, are described as Muslims "scattered throughout the Christian Highlands who practice Islam but also observe some customs of the Christians among whom they live" (UN Jan. 2005, Sec. 5). The same report added that Djibertis speak the Trigrinya language but some of them speak Arabic (ibid.).

In 26 November 2005 correspondence sent to the Research Directorate, a professor at the Department of History of the University of Durham, who conducted research on the recent conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea, stated that the Eritrea Jiberti community is "small" but "complex." Without clarifying this statement, the professor of History described the relationship between the Jiberti community and the Eritrean government authorities as "uneasy" (26 Nov. 2005).

No reports on the treatment of Jibertis by government authorities could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Professor, Department of History, University of Durham, United Kingdom. 26 November 2005. Correspondence.

United Nations (UN). January 2005. United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Eritrea Risk Groups and Protection-Related. http://www.unhcr.ch/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home/opendoc.pdf?tbl=RSDCOI&id=4236f8ef4 [Accessed 25 Nov. 2005]

Oral source: A researcher on both Ethiopia and Eritrea with Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the Ottawa-based UNHCR office did not respond to an information request within time constraints.

Publications: Africa Confidential, Africa Research Bulletin, Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent, Resource Centre country file.

Internet sites, including: Abyz News Links, AllAfrica.com, Amnesty International, BBC News, CIA World Factbook, European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI), Factiva, Freedom House, Human Rights Watch (HRW), International Crisis Group (ICG), Migration News, Minorities at Risk Project, Relief Web, UNHCR, United Kingdom - Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND), U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, US Department of State.