Statement by Eritrean women in London, 8 March 2003We are here today at this Speak Out against war to support the Global Women’s Strike. We know the consequences of war and it will be so much worse if the US bombs Iraq. We are Eritrean women struggling for freedom for over 40 years. The war between Ethiopia and Eritrea started in 1961 - we wanted independence and Ethiopia wanted the ports because they didn’t have access to the sea. We fought for our liberation for 30 years and won our independence in 1991. Over the years over 70 thousand freedom fighters were killed and over 10 thousand suffered war disabilities. We see our daughters, sons, sisters and brothers, mothers and fathers dying in front of our eyes. Now again, another war with neighbours fighting will mean many more people dying. The blood that has been shed is already too much. More Eritrean people were forced to flee again in 1998 when Ethiopia started a big war over the Badme border conflict. They said the land was theirs and wanted to come in again to govern us and take our resources – fertile land, diamonds, gold. At least 19 thousand soldiers died in the war. But the total number including civilians is unknown. Many hundreds of thousands became refugees. Some women who fled to Ethiopia during the last war were suddenly targeted. Many were thrown out of the country without their belongings and money. Others were arrested, raped and tortured by the Ethiopian police. Mothers with children born in Ethiopia were expelled back to Eritrea with no family to support them. Their children knew nothing about the country. After the border war with Ethiopia, many people began to see that the new Eritrean government was not on the side of the people. People opposed the government in different ways: some went into the armed struggle; others began to organise for change and were forced to work underground in secret. The government imprisoned and tortured many people. Some disappeared and were murdered. Because of this many of us had to flee the country leaving our loved ones behind when they were captured or conscripted into the army. As a mother, it’s the hardest thing to have to leave your children and loved ones in behind. We are suffering all the time not knowing if they are alive. It’s impossible to give words to the feelings from bottom of your heart, because there is no way to say a single word, and there is no way to find out what has happened to them. For those that stayed in Eritrea, the risk of death is very high. For those with families still living in Eritrea, you fear asking in case your family is put in more danger because the authorities find out that you are in another country seeking asylum. 1000’s of families were forced to leave Eritrea. Many died on the way from serious illnesses, including injuries like snakebites. Some people drowned trying to escape by sea on their way to a place of safety. It is too painful to speak about what people suffered. We women suffer more than men because we give our beloved children in the war and see them die and wounded in front of us. How hard it is to see this. Men can often flee alone but we cannot leave easily because we often have responsibilities caring for children, the sick and elderly in our families and communities. Those with money who can pay to leave our homeland become asylum seekers in countries like England. But many more don’t get the chance to escape. Maybe 85% or 90% stay in countries like Sudan, Libya and Ethiopia. There were tens of thousands of Eritrean refugees in Sudan alone. Some got shelter and help from other family members, but most people had to survive with no help, living in the wild. Many of us were first refugees in Sudan. For non-Muslims that was very hard - even if people changed their names and religion. For example, women had to wear a headscarf (Terha) to look like Muslim women otherwise people would know we are Christian and could be targeted, kidnapped or even killed. We faced many problems: no food, nowhere to sleep, no money, no help. Many got sick and died. No one cares about what is happening to people like us. Our fear is very great. Too much war in the world – over 40 years in Eritrea. We want our children to go to school, not to war. We want food not war. We want our peace after a long bloody war! The governments have divided the Eritrean and Ethiopian people from each other. For example, one woman who has an Eritrean father and an Ethiopian mother or vice versa was thrown out of Ethiopia by the govt. She is now stateless – having lived in Ethiopia all her life. She had nowhere to go and came to Britain for safety but she has been turned down and threatened with return to a country she never knew. It is the governments who are promoting divisions and hatred not the people. Instead of war and divisions, we want peace and safety. We need food, water pipes and healthcare particularly for people with disabilities - children damaged by landmines; those who lost their parents in the wars, and mothers who lost their children in the wars. In UK they are many Eritrean refugees. Along with other refugees from different countries we face divisions and hatred from white people, and even from other refugees especially when the get their status and people of colour who are born in Britain. Women in particular suffer:
Nobody knows how much we miss our families, homes, and friends. If we could be free from fear of death and war, we would rather go back than suffer the treatment we get here. |
| statement by 15 year old Eritrean |