News highlights: European Union sued over forced labor in Eritrea in two courts, Election concerns cause political turmoil in Ethiopia, Call for suspension of forced returns
15 May 2020

News highlights: European Union sued over forced labor in Eritrea in two courts, Election concerns cause political turmoil in Ethiopia, Call for suspension of forced returns

by | posted in: Africa, COVID-19, Eritrea, Ethiopia, EU funding, European Politics, European Union, FAO, Italy, Libya, Locust, Mediterranean Sea, Migration, Netherlands, Refugee Camps, Refugees in the EU, Relocation system, The Netherlands, Unaccompanied Minors, United Nations, Weekly news highlights | 0

This week’s news highlights: Dutch Foundation sues European Union over forced labor; Lawyers and UK organisation challenge UK funding to EU project in Eritrea; Advisory Committee urges The Netherlands to provide one billion EUR for Africa amid COVID-19; 1.600 unaccompanied minors on Greece to be relocated; Migrants and refugees in Bosnia and Herzegovina threatened; Hungary illegally held asylum seekers in camps; Malta urged to join operation Irini; Italy to introduce special work permits for migrants; UNICEF steps up preparations to curb COVID-19 in Eritrea; Ruling party in Ethiopia states it will remain in power until next election; Flood and conflict threaten internally displaced people in Somalia; Number of internally displaced people in Horn of Africa drops; UN Network on Migration urges to suspend forced returns; UNHCR raises awareness for stateless people worldwide; UNHCR needs $745 million to protect displaced populations against COVID-19; Joint IGO statement on the threats in Libya; And 53% of migrants lost jobs in Tunisia due to COVID-19 lockdown

Fundamental questions of accountability: EU sued for forced labor in Eritrea
15 May 2020

Fundamental questions of accountability: EU sued for forced labor in Eritrea

by | posted in: Eritrea, European Commission, European Parliament, European Politics, European Union, Forced labour, Horn of Africa region, The Netherlands, UN Special Rapporteur, United Nations, United States | 0

A Dutch Foundation of Eritrean refugees, Foundation Human Rights for Eritreans, has filed a lawsuit in the Amsterdam court against the European Union (EU) for its role in financing a road building project in Eritrea that uses forced labor. The Foundation, together with their Dutch Lawyer Emiel Jurjens, demand the EU stops the 80 million euro support to Eritrea. While the European Commission acknowledges that the funded project entails labour from Eritrea’s indefinite and forced national service, in direct violation of EU’s fundamental principles and international law, it deflects blame by claiming that the EU is not paying directly for labor itself but rather for the equipment. Besides the use of forced labor, the EU has no direct oversight or proper monitoring scheme to safeguard the Eritrean national conscripts forced to work on the project or ability monitor how the money is spent. The EU has already pledged 80 million and is looking to spend an additional 120 million on subsequent phases. The lawsuit enters uncharted legal territory in a complex web of jurisdiction and accountability.

News highlights: Eritrean refugee children at risk in Ethiopia, IOM concerned over missing refugees in Libya, Partnership between MSF and SOS Mediterranee ends
24 Apr 2020

News highlights: Eritrean refugee children at risk in Ethiopia, IOM concerned over missing refugees in Libya, Partnership between MSF and SOS Mediterranee ends

by | posted in: COVID-19, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Hitsats camp, Médecins Sans Frontières, Refugee Camps, Unaccompanied Minors | 0

This week’s news highlights: Unaccompanied Eritrean refugee children at risk; Sex workers in Kenyan slums face difficulties due to COVID-19; Concern about conditions in Eritrea’s prisons; Plan to close Hitsats camp despite COVID-19 concerns; New locust swarms threaten East Africa harvests; African refugee camps at risk of COVID-19; Increasing needs for forcibly displaced children; Number of people facing food crisis will double, warns WFP; Half of German refugee camp tested positive for COVID-19; MSF ends partnership with SOS Mediterranee; Alan Kurdi odyssey ends; European rescue solidarity plan requested by 4 member states; Refugees tested positive for COVID-19 in Portugal and Greece; Survey impact COVID-19 pandemic on migrants and refugees; Concerns about missing migrants and refugees in Libya; And Stranded Tunisian migrants return home