Reports on an amnesty declared by Eritrea for deserters from the military since the end of its border war with Ethiopia in December 2000 could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, sources consulted by the Research Directorate point out that national service, including military service is compulsory for "all men and women" between the ages of 18 and 40 (AI 25 July 2003, see also ibid. 2003, 99; CSC 10 July 2000; UK Apr. 2003. para. 5.51), and that the right to conscientious objection is not recognized (ibid.; AI 25 July 2003; ibid. 2003, 99). The United Kingdom observes that Eritrea "does not excuse those individuals that object to military service for reasons of religion or conscience, nor does the government allow alternative service" (UK Apr.2003 para. 5.62); however, according to Amnesty International, exemptions are made "for mothers and certain categories of workers" (AI 2003, 99).

In mid-2002, "mandatory national service obligations" were reportedly extended for an additional two years (HRW 2003, 32). As a result, "widespread enforcement round-ups were carried out around the country, ...as hundreds of Eritreans fled to neighbouring countries and beyond" to evade being drafted (ibid., 32-33).

Country Reports 2002 notes that, in the course of 2002,

the Government continued to deploy military police throughout the country using roadblocks, street sweeps, and house-to-house searches to find deserters and draft evaders...The Government continued to authorize the use of deadly force against anyone resisting or attempting to flee. There were reports of resistance, especially by parents of draft-age girls which resulted in the deaths of both soldiers and civilians (31 Mar., Sec. 1a).

Human Rights Watch opines that "Eritreans caught attempting to flee the country were reportedly beaten and tortured" (2003, 33). Amnesty International corroborates this information and clarifies that

the penalty for evading conscription or protesting against military service is three years' imprisonment, but in practice those caught are tortured and arbitrarily detained for several months with hard labour, before being forced back into the army (AI 2003, 99).

In November 2002, over 200 Eritreans, "mostly deserters from the army or young people fleeing the military call-up at home," ended up in "'enemy' territory" when they sought refuge in a camp for Eritreans in northern Ethiopia (IRIN 22 Nov. 2002). The deserters claimed that the government had both lowered and increased ages for national service (18 to 40), and that people were being forced into service without due consideration to whether or not they had completed the required 18 months of military service (ibid.).

In late July 2003, Amnesty International expressed concern over the fate of seven Eritrean military conscripts who had deserted the army and escaped to Libya (AI 25 July 2003). According to Amnesty International, the men were in imminent danger of forcible return to Eritrea where "they could face torture, secret and incommunicado detention without charge as well as possible extrajudicial execution" (ibid).

Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch state that over 200 hundred refugees-whom Amnesty International believes to be "mainly conscript army deserters and evaders"(AI 25 July 2003)-deported from Malta in October 2002 were detained upon arrival in Asmara and sent to a military camp where they were held incommunicado (ibid.; HRW 2003, 33).

Additional information on the treatment of deserters and draft evaders is contained in Country Reports 2002 Sections 1d, 1f and 6c.

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 to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Amnesty International (AI). 25 July 2003. "UA 227/03 Forcible Return/Fear for Safety/Fear of Torture." (AI Index: MDE 19/016/2003) http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE190162003?open&of=ENG-2D3[Accessed 25 Aug. 2003]

_____. 2003. Amnesty International Annual Report 2003. London: Amnesty International.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2002. 31 March 2003. United States Department of State. Washington, DC. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2002/18202.htm [Accessed 26 Aug. 2002]

Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers (CSC). 10 July 2000. "Child Soldiers Should Be Demobilised Immediately as Part of Peace Moves Between Ethiopia and Eritrea, The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers Urged Today." http://www.child-solders.org/cs/childsoldiers.nsf/PressReleases - ByPublished Date?OpenView[Accessed 25 Aug. 2003]

Human Rights Watch (HRW). 2003. Human Rights Watch World Report 2003. New York: Human Rights Watch.

Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN). 22 November 2002. "Eritrea-Ethiopia: Feature - Eritrean Deserters in Enemy Land." http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=31044&SelectRegion=Horn_of_Africa&SelectCountry=ERITREA-ETHIOPIA [Accessed 28 Aug. 2003]

United Kingdom (UK). Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND), Home Office. April 2003. Eritrea Country Assessment.

Additional Sources Counsulted

Africa Confidential

Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series

East African Standard

Index on Censorship

The Indian Ocean Newsletter

IRB Databases

Dialogue

Internet sources, including:

Africa Online

AllAfrica.com

BBC Africa

Search engine

Google