Unable to stem the flow of escapees from Sawa High School, the Eritrean regime has issued a new decree placing further restrictions on parents whose children are in Sawa.

The decree prohibits parents from visiting their children, sending cash through the post office or sending food items through parcel.

In the past, parents were allowed to visit their children by either taking buses or flying and staying at a military-officers-run vicinity hotel specially built to accommodate visiting parents.   They could also send food items like tihni, shiro, sugar, korosho or use the government-approved hawala [money exchange/wire service] centers to send money.

The decree was issued shortly following the news that, despite strict security measures, 70 students went off in a batch and arrived in neighboring Sudan and many more have been escaping virtually on the day they arrive at Sawa.   The regime concluded that the parents were colluding by sending them money and food to facilitate their escape and has announced that they are prohibited from doing so indefinitely.

The regime has also opened a cadre school to indoctrinate students.

The official reason given is that the students will be busy attending seminars and preparatory course for their matriculation exams, which are now scheduled for March.