An Eritrean soldier who recently fled to Ethiopia has
alleged that many of the dissident soldiers who in January laid siege at the
ministry of information building in the capital Asmara have been killed. Over 100 Eritrean
dissident soldiers on January 21, 2013 stormed and took control of the ministry
of information in Asmara and called for political reform and a return to the
country’s 1997 constitution. The day-long mutiny ended
after Special Forces loyal to President Isaias Afeorki surrounded the building
and the mutineers agreed to release hostages and to peacefully return to their
base. The Eritrean army
deserter who refused to be named for fear of reprisal against his relatives
back in Asmera, said most of the mutineers were arrested days after their
failed mutineer.According to the former
Eritrean soldier, Special Forces took many of the dissident soldiers from their
base and detained them in a secret detention facility where they were subjected
to torture and inhuman treatment.“To my knowledge 26 of
the mutineers were brutally murdered by secret agents”, he told Sudan
Tribune.As to the fate of the
others he said “I don’t know what happened to the others but I am sure their
fate won’t be different”.He said he fled to
Ethiopia after a military official warned him that his life was in danger after
he was accused of disobeying military orders.President Isaias Afworki
who has ruled Eritrea since independence from Ethiopia in 1993 has
zero-tolerance for dissent and criticism.The red sea nation has no
legally functioning opposition political party and has since independence been
a one-party state.The army deserted said
dissatisfaction within the Eritrean military has increased. January’s mutiny
was seen as the latest challenge to the Eritrean president and an indicator of
growing discontent in the military.It is estimated that
Eritrea has up to 10,000 political prisoners. source ( Suadn Tribune )
Monday, September 30, 2013
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