CSW Backs 1200km Walk from UN HQ to Vatican for Peace in Eritrea

Two Eritrean brothers, Tekle and Samuel Gebregiorgis, are walking on a 1200km march from Geneva to the Vatican city, to highlight the critical state of human rights in Eritrea, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has informed in a press release.

Brothers, Orthodox Christians both in their 40's, commenced their march from the United Nation Headquarters in Geneva at 7.30pm on 15th June 2005 after meeting with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour and representatives of the Swiss government.

This is the second time the brothers have undertaken a long march for peace. Last year they walked from their home in Germany to the European Commission in Brussels with the same purpose.

CSW met the brothers during their stop for rest in Italian Aosta. Tekle Gebregiorgis commented: "It is sad that after 30 years of war and 12 years of peace the situation in Eritrea is worse than ever before."

"The former Che Guevara of Eritrea is now one of the greatest dictators in Africa. There are more than 40,000 prisoners of conscience detained without trial and without access to their families. In some cases we don’t know if they are alive or dead. It is impossible for us to close our eyes and do nothing. In the past I walked to free Mandela. Now it is my people who are looking for international solidarity."

The walkers hope to reach the Vatican City within the next 20 days. During the march they are collecting signatures for a petition that requests that Pope Benedict XVI use his office to promote and secure the "release of illegally detained Eritreans."

CSW report that Eritrea is one of the most repressive countries in Africa, and even in the world ranks as one of the top countries that are found offending and violating basic human rights.

In 2001 all independent media in the country were forced to close, and journalist as well as 11 ruling party members that called for democracy were detained.

In 2002 Christian churches that did not belong to state-approved Christian churches - Catholic, Evangelical Lutheran and Orthodox - were closed and banned. Christians belonging to other denominations face persecution and many have been reportedly held in prison for up to several years in inhumane conditions.

The petition of the Gebregiorgis brothers calls also for Pope to urge leaders of the international community "to set up an independent commission to inspect the conditions in all the official and unofficial detention centres in the country."

CSW Advocacy Director, Tina Lambert, said: "CSW applauds this latest initiative by the Gebregiorgis brothers to draw attention to the appalling human rights violations taking place in Eritrea. We call on the international community to enter into immediate dialogue with the Eritrean government to bring about an improvement in the country’s human rights situation, and to use all necessary mechanisms to call the Eritrean government to account for its repressive policies."

The petition is also available for online signatures on PetitionOnline.com/FreeErit. Updates on the march are available from www.dhnet-eritrawian.com.