Abductees

IROB ABDUCTEES

The Eritrean armed force kidnapped more than 93 innocent civilians from the Irob-land when the region was under their occupation. Those abductees were not combatants. They were civilians in the countryside engaged in farming and cattle rearing. The whereabouts of these victims is still unknown. The traumatic effect of this heinous crime spills far beyond the victims themselves to their immediate families, relatives and the entire Irob community. Thus, we call upon the Federal Government of Ethiopia and international community to salvage all measures in their powers to rescue our abductees. Please refer to the thesis work by Angesom Adayu for an in depth analysis on this crime and the available instruments including those by UN Working Grouped on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID).

IAA’S PLAN REGARDING IROB ABDUCTEES

Irob Advocacy Association is determined to represent the families of those victims. It shall do everything in its capacity to learn the whereabouts of those abductees; their safety, and re-union with their loved ones is its ultimate objective. Accordingly, the following are some of IAA’s action plans:

1. IAA already filed a complaint to five international organizations including the UN WGED, pleading for help to rescue Irob abductees. The families of those victims and the Irob community have been grieving and crying for help for over 21 years. Irob community members at home and abroad alike, have never stopped knocking at every door about this cause but none to avail yet.

2. IAA calls upon various international human rights organizations to deploy all available international instruments to rescue these victims. IAA is here to do all in its capacity, and it needs a helping hand!

3. The Ethiopian government has obligation to enquire and investigate about its citizens kidnapped by Eritrean regime. Therefore, IAA calls upon the Federal Government of Ethiopia to publicly acknowledge this crime. IAA also pleads to the government to take immediate measures to mobilize needed resources and community to support this investigation.

4. IAA also asks the Government of Tigray and Irob Woreda administration to come forward and support this rescue mission by collaborating with IAA and Irob community at home to gather the necessary evidence and documentation required by WGEID and others alike to get to the bottom of this grave matter.