IDPs in “mine-infested zones”

There have been reports of some Eritrean internally displaced people (IDPs) making their way back into mine-infested zones on the Eritrean-Ethiopian border, despite the efforts of international humanitarian organisations to keep returnees away for contaminated areas, the World Food Programme (WFP) said. In its June emergency report, WFP said there had been a number of spontaneous returns of IDPs despite the fact “UNHCR and ERREC [Eritrean Relief and Refugee Commission] are not allowing organised movements of refugees to any areas suspected of mine/UXO [unexploded ordnance] contamination, and for the time being no refugees are being returned to any part of the Temporary Security Zone (TSZ)”.

The TSZ was a security buffer zone created on the disputed Ethiopian-Eritrean border after the cessation of hostilities agreement was reached on 18 June 2000. The report said the general security situation within the TSZ remained calm and demining activities continue. “WFP is very concerned about spontaneous returns to unsafe areas and fully supports the efforts of UNHCR and ERREC in this regard.”