| Purpose The purpose of Save Ethiopian Refugees International (SERI) is to work with the UNHCR, host countries, and other international human right organizations to mitigate the high margin of risk Ethiopian refugees face in many countries. SERI is a non- political and non-profit organization that facilitates the right and well-being of Ethiopian refugees. In its attempt to make life better for Ethiopian refugees, SERI will create a smooth and working relationship with all organizations and governments that it intends to work with. Objective In the last few years, the human rights and the living conditions of Ethiopian refugees has deteriorated to a very alarming level. Currently, the health and security of many Ethiopian refugees is endangered in many countries, and in many cases Ethiopian refugees do not get the same treatment that refugees from other countries get. In many repeated instances, Ethiopian refugees have been forced to go back to Ethiopia. Obviously, the treatment of Ethiopian refugees and their ever increasing number deserves the attention of international organizations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The Diaspora Ethiopian community has been on top of this alarming issue, but its organizational, financial, and technical capability is not strong enough to tackle the Ethiopian refugee crisis. However, the indifference of the UNHCR towards Ethiopian refugees, and the recent ill treatment of Ethiopian refugees in Yemen, Libya, and Sudan has been an issue of great concern to many Diaspora Ethiopians. Hence, as mentioned above, SERI (Save Ethiopian Refugees International) is established to address the aggravating Ethiopian refugee crisis. The primary objective of SERI is to create international awareness of the Ethiopian refugee crisis, and work closely with UNHCR to achieve the following objectives: • Stop the forced repatriation of Ethiopian refugees by host countries • Facilitate resettlement program to Ethiopian refugees • Free all jailed Ethiopian refugees • Improve the life and treatment of Ethiopian refugees • Make sure that Ethiopian refugees have the right that all refugees are entitled to and are treated accordingly. Background Ethiopia is a predominantly agricultural country where the life of the majority of the population is rooted in the land. In times of crisis, many Ethiopians struggle for the most basic human needs. Periodic crop failures and losses of livestock often occur when seasonal rains fail, or when unusually heavy storms cause widespread flooding, leaving pastoral nomads trapped in a life less strip of grasslands. Throughout history, when ever drought strikes or war breaks out, Ethiopia’s agricultural population often loses everything it possesses and seeks refuge in neighboring countries. The living standard of urban Ethiopians seems to be some what better than rural Ethiopians; however, the life of urban Ethiopians is highly dependent on the agricultural sector. When drought and other natural disasters displace rural Ethiopians, urban Ethiopians suffer from food shortages and prohibitively high commodity prices. Extreme poverty and political repressions are major factors that force urban Ethiopians to leave their country and seek refuge in another country. At the international level, massive Ethiopian immigration was not an issue until Emperor Halie Selassies' reign came to an end in 1974. Prior to the 1974 coup, there were very few Ethiopians living outside Ethiopia, and most of them were not refugees. Large scale out-migration, and the number of asylum seeker Ethiopians increased geometrically during the Marxist regime of Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam. Drought and other natural disasters have forced many Ethiopians to seek refuge in other countries long before Emperor Halie Selassies' regime and well after him, however, in pre 1974 Ethiopia, refugees who leave their country due to natural disaster and drought used to voluntarily repatriate when things settle and domestic conditions get better. Evidently, like any other poor country, out-migration in Ethiopia has many root causes such as natural disaster, societal disruption, and unbearable poverty. However, in the last 35 years, for the most part, armed conflict, political repression, and starvation have been the main factors that forced Ethiopians to live their country and seek asylum in other countries. All in all, the post Haileselsse large scale Ethiopian refugee crisis was caused by the infamous Red Terror of 1977and 1978, by the political repression of the military junta, and by the insurgent movements in Eritrea, Tigray, and the Ogaden region. Today, 17 years after the departure of Colonel Mengistu, the Ethiopian refugee crisis has continued unabated as the regime that replaced Mengistu showed no sign of tolerance to political dissidents. Currently, there are a large number of Ethiopian refugees in Kenya, Djibouti, Sudan, Libya, South Africa, Lebanon, Yemen, Bahrain, and Abu Dhabi. Today, a large number of Ethiopian refugees live a sub-human life in many African and Asian countries. The security, health, and human right conditions of the Ethiopian refugees are not only terrible, but they are also deteriorating with no signs of improvement. To make matters complicated and worse, the number of Ethiopians living their country increases with the passing of every single day. Most Ethiopians living in Europe, America, and Australia have themselves been refugees once in their life, hence, the Ethiopian refugee crisis has been a central issue of discussion among many Ethiopians in the Diaspora for a long time. However, for the most part; the Diaspora population did not seek organizational solution to this growing refugee problem other than sending small remittances to the refugees to solve daily food and shelter problems. In fact, many Ethiopians knew that such small remittances would not do any good in solving the massive refugee problems, but many Ethiopians put their hope on the international community and they also expected the UNHCR and other international organizations to at least tackling the growing refugee problems. When the Ethiopian refugee problems went out of control and when there was no one listening to the repeated calls, some self initiated patriotic Ethiopians stood together to knock the doors of the international community, particularly, to urge the UNHCR to give a much deserved attention to the Ethiopian refugee problems. Finally, the recent outcry of Ethiopian refugees in Libya, Yemen, and Sudan, took the attention of many Ethiopian expatriates and led to the formation of a humanitarian organization called “Save Ethiopian Refugees International” (SERI). |
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| Save Ethiopian Refugee International (SERI) |
| EthiopiaSeri.org |
| Save Ethiopian Refugees International (SERI) |
