Who is Human Rights Concern – Eritrea?
Human Rights Concern – Eritrea (HRCE) is an independent non-profit making, human rights organization based in UK. The organization is dedicated to the promotion and protection of the human rights of Eritreans at home and all over the world. HRCE believes that all human beings are equal regardless of race, religion, gender and political affiliation and strives for a peaceful Eritrea where fundamental human rights are respected.
What is the aim of Human Rights Concern – Eritrea
To promote and protect Human Rights through Advocacy, Lobbying, Education, Research and Documentation, in order to safeguard the humanrights ofall Eritreans.
What are the groups’ objectives?
- To undertake fact finding, research and documentation on torture, prisonconditions, arbitrary arrests and detention and any other human rights violations in Eritrea.
- To put pressure on the Eritrean Government to adopt and implement the Constitution in order to safeguard the human rights of Eritreans as guaranteed in the constitution.
- To work together, promote solidarity, exchange information and experiences; and network with Eritrean organisations, faithgroups, international organisations and individuals who share a broadly similar concern for and interest in human rights in Eritrea.
- To seek for just and fair treatment of Eritreans in the Diaspora claiming asylum and refuge.
- To carry out activities for the promotion and protection of human rights based on International human rights conventions, including education, lbbying, campaigning and advocacy.
How does HRC – Eritrea operate?
In rder to achieve its objectives, HRCE has been working as project-based organization in order to respond flexibly to situations of immediate concern, e.g. intervening in cases whereEritreans were being deported back to Eritrea. Elizabeth (Elsa) Chyrum, founder and director of HRCE, has been involved in advocacy work on human rights in Eritrea and Eritrean asylum seekers since 2001. Based in the UK, HRCE is concerned with the fact that there is no single human rights organization inside Eritrea.
The formation of HRCE complements the work that has been done by Elizabeth Chyrum (Elsa Chyrum). This includes among other things:
- Assisted in the release of Eritrean refugees who were languishing in Libyan jails on 22 Apr 2004, after almost two years of unlawful incarceration. Had it not been for the intervention of human rights agencies, such as Amnesty International and Mrs Chryum the prisoners were close to be deported. Mrs Chyrum fought for their resettlement and 8 of them are resettled in Sweden, the Netherlands and Denmark.
- Fought for the release of 105 Eritreans who were detained in Malta prisons whilst seeking asylum.
- Advocated for the resettlement program of those who were forcefully deported to Eritrea from Malta, imprisoned, tortured and detained in Eritrea and escaped for the second time to the Sudan. So far over 92 have been resettled to Canada, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmarkand UK, and the program is still continuing.
- Researched, documented and published ex-prisoners testimonies on Eritrean websites and on DVD format.
- Assisted and signposted hundreds of Eritrean asylum seekers in theUK, Europe, Africa and in other places.
- Have been raising awareness of the human rights situations in Eritrea.