As part of the effort to protect and assist  the seemingly never ending inflow of  refugees from Eritrea, the ARRA in close collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), today opened the third refugee camp  in the Tigray National Regional State.

This morning, the first convoy moved a total of 356 refugees from the screening center at Endabaguna, near Shire, all the way to Adi-Harush, located 82 kms from shire.

80 % of the first group is composed of mainly young people between the ages of 21 and 34 .They are part of predominantly young Eritreans arriving at a monthly average rate of nearly 2,000 and who invariably tell to registration officers on the ground that they crossed the border to avoid excessive repression, gross human rights violations and forced conscription into the army.

At the moment, the country hosts more than 49,000 Eritrean refugees in four refugee camps in Tigray and Afar Regions. There are two refugee camps in Tigray region, accommodating a total of 30,000 refugees. Shimelba camp was opened way back in 2004 and Mai-aini was established in 2008. In addition to those staying in Tigray Region, some 19,000 Ethnic Afar Eritrean refugees are enjoying international protection In the Afar National Regional State.

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As long as persecution and systematic rights abuse continue to be the way of life in Eritrea, we will continue to receive more and more refugees and to open more and more camps in Tigray and Afar Regions to accommodate them”, said Ato Ayalew Aweke, deputy director of the ARRA. He called for more international support in spirit of international burden sharing.

Before departing from the screening center, the refugees were provided with an assortment of non-food items, including jerry cans, sleeping mats, plastic sheeting and sanitary materials. Once in the camp, they will all be sheltered in a reception center for a maximum of three days until they are provided with tents. Some of the vulnerable, such as the girls, the elderly and the children will be provided with shelters made of stones and mud bricks. The refugees will be provided with cooked food while in the reception center.

The new camp was established on a plot at Adi-Harush, which was generously made available by the local authorities in Tselemti Wereda of north western Zone. It is still in its early stage of development with many of the crucial facilities and services yet to be put in place. However, the growing influx has led to the overcrowding of the reception center hence the decision to move people to the not-fully developed camp in order to decongest the former.

The ARRA deputy director acknowledged the enormous pressure the presence of the refugees will be putting on the fragile environment and meagre resources in the host communities, but reiterated the government’s commitment to continue honouring its international commitments.

However, Ato Ayalew noted that commitments to principles is one thing and availability of resources quite another. “We call upon those with resources to help us live up to our commitments.”

Currently, Ethiopia plays host to a total of close to 148,000 refugees mainly from Somalia, Eritrea and Sudan.