Civilian detainees and prisoners of war

Eritrea will not allow the ICRC to visit Ethiopian prisoners of war or civilian detainees. Eritrean spokesman Yemane Ghebre Meskel told IRIN today that the reasons were part of a “long story”, and that despite the ban, “basic rights are upheld”. “Differences” between Eritrea and the ICRC include “procedural matters” regarding the national Red Cross Movement, he added, insisting that the Eritrean government, and the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF) during its long war with Ethiopia, had a “very clean record” in their treatment of prisoners. Journalists and human rights bodies are free to visit prisons and the 147 Ethiopian prisoners of war, he said. Ethiopian POWs visited by journalists last week said they were well-treated. Commented an Amnesty International official: “It’s no substitute for access by the ICRC.” About 1,200 Eritrean civilians are detained - “for security reasons” - in eastern Ethiopia, Ethiopian spokeswoman Selome Tadesse confirmed, while Yemane said Eritrea holds 11 Ethiopian civilian detainees. The number of Eritrean prisoners of war in Ethiopia was not immediately available. ICRC officials make regular visits to Bilattein camp in the east of the country, which houses both categories, but Amnesty International, in a statement on Tuesday, described conditions at the camp as “harsh”. Last Sunday, Ethiopia released 38 Eritrean students who were among the detainees in Bilattein.