According to The Europa World Year Book 2000, "the major language groups in Eritrea are the Afar, Bilien, Hedareb, Kunama, Nara, Rashaida, Saho, Tigre and Tigrinya" (2000, 1358). Pateman (1996) and the Addis Ababa Home Service (1989) identify the above as Eritrea's "nationalities" (19 Sept. 1996; 28 Jan.1989). The Tigrinya, mainly Christian, highland dwellers, and the Tigre, mainly Muslim lowland dwellers, comprise 80 per cent of Eritrean population estimated at three million (19 Sept. 1996). Pateman adds that "Tigrinya is the lingua franca of the bulk of the political, military, intellectual, and business elites in Eritrea (19 Sept. 1996), but the government encourages the use of Tigrinya and Arabic at the elementary level of education (ibid.)

The Jiberti are reportedly Tigrinya-speaking Muslims (Pateman 19 Sept. 1996; Addis Ababa Home Service 24 Jan. 1989).

No reports on the treatment of the Jiberti 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 to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Addis Ababa Home Service [Addis Ababa in Amharic]. 24 January 1989. "Ethiopia Support for Eritrea Lowlands." (BBC Summary 28 Jan. 1989/NEXIS)

Pateman R. 19 September 1996. "The Legacy of Eritrea's National Question." (ASAP/NEXIS)

The Europa World Year Book 2000. "Eritrea." London: Europa Publications.

Africa Research Bulletin.

Africa Confidential.

Amnesty International. Amnesty International Reports 2000.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1999. 2000.

Keesing's Record of World Events.

IRB Databases. LEXIS/NEXIS.

Resource Centre. Country File. Eritrea.

Internet sites including,

All Africa News.

Amnesty International.