Eritrean
jail deaths 'overblown'
BBC
- 08 Nov 2004
Eritrea
has denied reports that 20 people were killed in unrest at a prison
holding alleged draft dodgers.
Information
Minister Ali Abdu told Reuters news agency the claims were false and were
part of a "smear campaign" by former enemy Ethiopia.
But
he later told AFP news agency the number of deaths had been exaggerated.
A website run by Eritreans abroad said violence broke out at the prison
after it became overcrowded with people suspected of avoiding military
service.
Military
service is compulsory; 10% of the country is said to be in the army.
The
website asmarino.com said security forces in the capital Asmara had
arrested many young people suspected of dodging military service. They
had been taken to a detention centre at Adi Abieto outside the city, the
website added. The jail was so
full that a major wall collapsed, killing and injuring several people, the
report went on. "Shooting started
and soon after there was utter chaos. Unconfirmed reports say the guards
started shooting, killing over 20 detainees and wounding over 100,"
the website added.
Tensions
high
Ali
Abdu said of the report: "It is not only false, it is a smear
campaign. There was no incident. It is totally baseless. These
[allegations are made by] agents of the Ethiopian regime". He
said security forces had been carrying out what he called routine
monitoring measures to identify lawless elements. But
he denied draft dodgers were being targeted.
"There
are normal security procedures. The law is applied for all, to find the
few lawless... We have these routine operations for the national
interest," he told Reuters. However,
he later changed his story, telling AFP news agency by telephone: "I
can't say there were no incidents, but to say that some 20 people had died
is totally exaggerated."
Every
Eritrean man is expected to serve for 18 months, says the BBC's Jonah
Fisher, a former correspondent in Asmara. But
regional instability and war has meant many serve more than seven years -
on less than $25 a month. Eritrea
is currently experiencing acute economic difficulties and is politically
isolated on the Horn of Africa, our correspondent adds.
Borders
are closed, and tensions are high with both its much larger neighbours
Ethiopia and Sudan.
Source:
news.bbc.co.uk
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