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Awate Team
[The following report was published in Tigrigna on August 17, 2006 at Aigaforum.com, a pro-government (EPRDF) Ethiopian website. Awate.com is translating the report to English for wider publication because we find most of the information published in the report highly credible—either already published by Awate’s Gedab News or verified by our sources but never published. We are unable to verify the most explosive content of the report: the death of 9 prisoners: 4 G-15 members, 3 journalists, and 2 administrators. Nonetheless, given the PFDJ’s modus operandi of keeping deaths closely guarded secrets for years, we find the report credible and we hereby provide our condolences to the families of the deceased. We are attempting to provide as faithful translation of the report as possible. In some cases, footnotes and brackets have been added by Awate.com to provide clarity and/or substantiation of the report. The translated article follows.] Regarding G-15: Their Condition At the Brutal Eiraeiro Prison Introduction Recall that following the Eritrea-Ethiopia [border] war, there emerged political differences within the transitional government of Eritrea1 and this difference was used as a pretext to take measures against dissident members of the PFDJ. These dissident members of the PFDJ have been detained in secret PFDJ prisons and, from the date of their arrest to the present time, they have not been brought to a court of law, no explanation has been offered and their whereabouts and their living conditions are shielded from the people, the armed forces and their families. Nonetheless, here we present information on the whereabouts and the condition of those who have been detained for nearly 5 years. 1. The Location and Formation of Eiraeiro Prison: 1.1 The Environment of Eiraeiro: Eiraeiro is located in the 1.2 Background behind the establishment of Eiraeiro Prison The construction of Eiraeiro prison was concluded and turned over to the PFDJ in June 2003—Gregorian calendar. [ Within the prison compound, the prisons are constructed in a deep end. Within these five blocks, the complex includes [2] big buildings with 27 rooms and [2] smaller buildings with four rooms. Each room is 3 x 3 meters—and there are 62 rooms. Only one prisoner is allowed per room. The 3 x 3 meter room contains a shower, a bathroom and a bedroom. The detached rooms are separated from one another by 3.5 meter walls. In addition to the solitary confinement prisons, the compound houses rooms for the prison guards, the prison warden, the prison doctor, the financial officer, etc. Additionally, there is a bakery with ovens. Prior to their relocation to Eiraeiro Prison, the prisoners were held at Embatkala5 at a place which was used as an office for the navy by the Derg [former Ethiopian administration]. Following the fall of the Derg, the PFDJ had used it as an 2. Details of the Identity and Situation of the Prisoners 2.1 Details of the Identity of the prisoners After 2001 (Gregorian Calendar), once political differences in the governance of the PFDJ was publicized, it is well known that imprisonment was ordered on the leaders and cadres who held political viewpoints different from those espoused by President Isaias and his followers. During this period, prominent among those who opposed the direction of President Isaias and had a role in expressing their opposition were 17 members of the PFDJ Central Committee 6; 9 members of the private press; and 5 embassy employees. Subsequently 5 other cadres with administrative roles were added —bringing the total of those arrested to 36. (This does not include the many innocent Eritreans held in other prisons.) Of those [the 36], the names of the following individuals are known thus far:
Name Previous Title Prison Room # Mr. Mahmoud Sheriffo 7 Minister, Ministry of Local Government 27 Mr. Haile Woldetensae8 ("Derue") Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs 4 Mr. Petros Solomon9 Minister, Ministry of Fisheries 2 General Oqbe Abraha10 Chief of Staff, Eritrean Defense Forces - Major General Berhane Gebrezgabheir11 Director, Logistics 7 Mr. Beraki Gebreselasse Minister, Ministry of Information 33 Mr. Saleh Kekya12 Minister, Ministry of Transportation 6 Brigadier General Seyoum Estifanos13 Finance/Defense 32 Mr. Germano Nati14 Governor, Southern Red Sea Zone 20 Mr. Tesfagiorghis15 Administrator, Tsorona Subzone 14 Ms. Aster Estifanos16 Member, NUEW [National Union of Eritrean Women], Anseba Zone 11 Ahmed Humed17 Employee, American Embassy 30 Mr. Ali18 Associate, American Embassy 3 Mr. Feron [Woldu]19 Husand of "Gual Ankere" [gual ankere is an artist] 13 Mr. Alazar [Mesfin]20 1 Mr. Kidane [wedi Qeshi]21 Operator for Petros Solomon 5 Mr. Mehari Chauffer for Petros Solomon 15 Mr. Tesfai Gomora22 A doctor for EPLF 16 Dr. Siraj A doctor 26 Mr. Seyoum [Fshaye]23 Private press 10 Mr. Dawit [Habtemichael]24 Private press 12 Mr. Yoseif Private press 9 Mr. Medhane Tewelde25 Private press 8 Mr. Sahle 21 Mr. Temesgen [Gebreyesus]26 Private press 23 Mr. Said [Abdulkader]27 Private press 24 Mr. Amanue [Asrat]28 Private press 25 Ms. Miriam [Hagos]29 28 Mr. Idris [Aba Arre]30 Handicapped 29 Mr. Kiros 31 Mr. Isaias 34 Of the prisoners listed above, the following died in detention. Cause of death is attributed to various illnesses, pressure [stress] and suicide. 1. General Oqbe Abraha, Chief of Staff of the armed forces, 13/07/2002 While detained at Embatkala, General Uqbe Abraha was discovered in the midst of a suicide attempt--using a mirror from his room to slash his throat. He was immediately and secretly transferred to Glass, a military hospital in Keren. After two days of hospitalization, he was returned back; however, due to injuries sustained, and after enduring suffering for prolonged period, he died in Embtakala on the date mentioned. Five secretly trained grave diggers, Shfeir amongst them, buried him at night. It is this incident that caused the PFDJ to build Eiraeiro, with specifications that the building not facilitate suicide and, once built, to transfer them. Regarding prevailing conditions and rights of the prisoners. While in Embtkala, the individuals mentioned above repeatedly brought forth a request: “bring our case to a court of law.” However, there were no listeners. Once they were transferred from Embatkala to Eiraeiro, the pressure they were in was such that they would scream in their prisons. But seeing that nobody paid heed, they gave up and they no longer scream or bring forth questions. Regarding the handling of their case. From 18/9/200231 through July 2006 Gregorian calendar, there was no examiner or examination. Nor were they visited by any official, save for Dr. Haile Muhzun who visited twice for they medical care. As for their living conditions: in the past, they used to have their hands chained behind their backs all night, and chained in their front all day. But recently, the situation has improved for most of them: their hands are chained on their front. As for Mr. Haile Weldetensae (Derue), Mr. Alazar [Mesfin] and Mr. Feron [Weldu], effective a year ago, they are no longer chained. Food: they are provided 6 pieces of bread at one time which is be used for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Meat is provided during holidays; the rest of the time, they are provided lentils, spinach and potatoes. Bedding: they sleep on the floor and they are provided two sheets: one to be used for mattress and the other as a blanket. Shower: Three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, or every other day, water is released to the faucets and tubs in their room for ten minutes. They are told that it is for laundry and showers. Effective February 2006, they have been allowed to sit by the verandas outside their rooms for 1 hour a day. Listening to television, radio, and other forms of media or reading newspapers or literature is absolutely prohibited. There are directives banning guards from listening to the radio while in their proximity. They are allowed two garments, overalls, per year. Once a month, their beards and heads are shaved. While showering, while their chains are being shackled or unshackled, while shaving or being provided food, two guards are always present. While one guard is performing the tasks, the other stands guard with his weapon at the ready. No guard is allowed to have any kind of conversation with the prisoners. If the prisoners ask questions, the guard provides reports to his superiors, using numeric (prison) codes. Prisoners never see each other; they never meet. For instance, when they were moving them from Embatkala to Eiraeiro they used six cars—each car had one blindfolded prisoner and two guards. The exchange took two days.
3. Orientation of guards and their directives 3.1 Orientation of the guards and their conditions Within this PFDJ prison, there are 150 guards, chauffeurs, doctors and commanders. Nobody else is allowed in our out of the prison. In the recruitment and training of the guards, the factors used are: ability to keep secrets; free of any addictions; physically endowed; academic underachiever, etc. On this basis, directives were passed on to special units, and this is how 110 individuals were recruited from the 32nd Division; the intelligence unit of administrative zone 5; the security guards of Major General [Gerezghiher Andemariam] Wuchu. After a while, of those trained, 14 were returned to the security detail of Major General Wuchu. Cumulatively, 14 others have left without permission and trekked to neighboring countries. Lt. Colonel Isaac Araia (“Wedi Hakim”) used to be the commander of the 2nd Brigade of the 29th Division. Although, generally speaking, he is autonomous, he used to report to Major General Wuchu but following the transfer of Major General Wuchu, he has direct contact with President Isaias.
The first directives the guards were given was to safeguards secrets, to never disclose the nature of their job; to never disclose where they work; to ensure use of alternate addresses while communicating with their family; and to never communicate with the prisoners. They were told that anybody who violates these rules will be treated no differently than the prisoners. They are unhappy with their working conditions and find themselves in a dilemma after considering that retribution will come on their families if they are to run away. This is because any person who overstays his 30 day leave by 5 days is visited at his home by members of his unit and taken to custody by soldiers. Most of the guards live in great fear that once the imprisoned die off, the government will disappear them, too, to maintain the secret. They explain it thusly: if it cannot show any leniency to individuals who struggled for 30 years and freed their nation, there is no way it will show leniency to us.
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