Geneva, 6 June 2013: Human Rights Concern – Eritrea with Article 19, Amnesty International, Civicus, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network Project, Human Rights Watch and Reporters Without Borders, organised a side event on 5 June 2013, from 14:00 – 16:00, in Room Xll, at the Palais des Nations, under the theme of :

Eritrea: Voices of victims call for greater pressure from international and regional mechanisms

Abie Seyoum (Daughter of Seyoum Tsehaye, detained since September 2001), Biniam Simon (Director of Radio Erena, a Paris based Eritrean Radio station), Esayas Isaak (Brother of journalist Dawit Isaak imprisoned in Eritrea since 2001) presented their testimony in person, and video testimonies of Dr Sarah Ogbay (Former lecturer at Eritrea’s only University), Sengal Weldetensaie (Brother of the former Foreign Minister of the State of Eritrea, Haile Weldetensae, detained since 2001) were also shown.

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Herewith Abie Seyoum’s moving  speech at the Assembly and the side event:  

ENGLISH VERSION

My name is Abie Seyoum, and I am 14 years old. Like every Eritrean child, my surname is my father’s first name. My father is Seyoum Tsehaye. Like his entire family during the Ethiopian occupation, he volunteered in the struggle for the independence of Eritrea. He made photographs and films. He was the director of the television once my country was freed.

I have not seen him since September 2001. I was two years old. He was arrested with the reformists and the Eritrean journalists during major raids ordered by our government. One of the only memories I have of him is a video. In this film, he plays with me. He loved children. My little sister Belula was born while he was in jail. She does not know our father, but like me she knows he is still alive somewhere in prison in Eritrea. For twelve years.

We were told that my father is being held in Eiraeiro, a high security prison in the mountains. In the cells around his, friends of his are also detained. But he has no right to talk to them. Journalists, soldiers, politicians. Heroes of Eritrea, like him, who gave their lives for the freedom of my people. We do not know who is still alive, who is dead. The Eritrean government refuses to say where the prisoners are, why they are trapped, and in what state they are. Before fleeing the country, my mother was jailed when she asked.

We fled Eritrea, my mother, my sister and me. Not because we do not love our country. But to save our lives. To live our lives without fear of sharing my father’s fate.

Today, I stand before you on behalf of all the children of Eritrean prisoners. All are named after their father, like me. We want to know what happened to our fathers, our mothers. We want to know why our government inflicts this suffering on us. When my sister and I went to see the Eritrean ambassador in Paris to give him a letter and ask him questions, he called the police. We do not know what to do.

So we turn to you. You’re our only hope. There are Eritrean diplomats at the UN and in many capitals of your respective countries. The Government of Eritrea has been recognized by the international community that you represent.

So on behalf of all the prisoners’ children, I ask you one thing. Turn to the representatives of the Eritrean government. Turn to them and ask them the question they do not want to answer: “Where are the prisoners? What have you done to them? And why? Release them. Give them back to their families.”

I want my father back. Belula and I, we want our name back. Help us, please.

FRENCH VERSION

Je m’appelle Abi Seyoum, J’ai 14 ans. Comme tous les enfants érythréens, mon nom de famille, c’est le

On nous dit que mon père serait détenu à Eiraeiro, une prison de haute sécurité dans les montagnes. Dans les cellules autour de la sienne, il y a ses amis. Mais il n’a pas le droit de leur parler. Des journalistes, des militaires, des hommes politiques. Des héros de l’Erythrée, comme lui, qui ont donné leur vie pour la liberté de mon peuple. On ignore qui est encore vivant, qui est mort. Le gouvernement érythréen refuse de dire où sont les prisonniers, pourquoi ils sont prisonniers, dans quel état sont les prisonniers. Avant de fuir le pays, ma mère a été jetée en prison quand elle a posé des questions.

Nous avons fui l’Erythrée, ma mère, ma petite soeur et moi. Non pas parce que nous ne l’aimons pas, notre pays. Mais pour sauver nos vies. Pour pouvoir vivre nos vies, sans craindre de partager le sort de mon père.

Aujourd’hui, je me tiens devant vous au nom de tous les enfants des prisonniers érythréens. Tous portent le nom de leur père, comme moi. Nous voulons savoir ce qui est arrivé à nos pères, à nos mères. Nous voulons savoir pourquoi notre gouvernement nous inflige cette souffrance. Lorsque ma petite soeur et moi, sommes allés voir l’ambassadeur d’Erythrée à Paris pour lui remettre une lettre et lui poser des questions, il a appelé la police. Nous ne savons plus quoi faire.

Alors, nous nous tournons vers vous. Vous êtes notre seul espoir. Il y a des diplomates érythréens à l’ONU et dans beaucoup de capitales de vos pays. Le gouvernement de l’Erythrée est reconnu par la communauté internationale que vous représentez.

Au nom de tous les enfants de prisonniers, je ne vous demande qu’une chose. Tournez-vous vers les représentants du gouvernement érythréen. Tournez-vous vers eux et posez-leur la question à laquelle ils ne veulent pas répondre : « Où sont les prisonniers ? Qu’est-ce que vous leur avez fait ? Et pourquoi ? Libérez-les. Rendez-les à leurs familles. »

Je veux retrouver mon père. Belula et moi, nous voulons retrouver notre nom. Aidez-nous, s’il-vous-plaît.