Press Statement by the Government of Eritrea

Press reports disclosed that on 3 October 2013 individuals, the majority of whom Eritrean citizens, lost their lives while on migration when a boat from the Libyan coastline heading to Lampedusa, Italy, capsized. It is to be noted that such lose of life is not the first of its kind as well as saddle, but one of the chain of loss of the lives of Eritreans, perpetrated by criminal human traffickers in violation of all international laws and human values.

It is common knowledge that the Government of Eritrea has been calling on international and regional organizations and governments that the crime should be investigated by independent bodies and be put to an end, and that the criminals be brought to justice.

Such heinous crimes against the Eritrean people and government over the past 20 years were perpetrated through fanning unprecedented baseless “border conflicts”,  blessing aggression against sovereign Eritrean territory, coupled with unwarranted and illegal “sanctions”, as well as organizing various forms of political, military and economic conspiracies leading to open aggression. And when all such conspiracies ended up in utter failure, the enemy quarters resorted to the human trafficking ploy with a view to disintegrating and paralyzing the indomitable people and Government of Eritrea.

The prime responsibility for the gross loss of human life, as verified by concrete evidences, squarely rests on the US Administration that assigns agents of international and regional bodies, in addition to deploying various officials and spy agencies of different governments.

The Government of Eritrea again calls for due inquiry of the current and previous such repprehensive incidents by independent bodies, and thus ensure the supremacy of justice. Moreover, it reiterates its readiness to defend the rights of its citizens in appropriate forums.

The Government of Eritrea extends its condolences to the bereaved families, and calls on the Eritrean people to reinforce their spirit of steadfastness.

Asmara

9 October 2013