Ugandan Police on Monday confirmed that they had arrested around 150 Eritreans. The arrests were made mainly in Kampala.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs on Monday said that police arrested over 150 Eritreans on allegations of illegally operating small businesses in Kampala. Simon Mundeyi, the ministry spokesperson, said that the Eritrean refugees were operating small businesses like retail shops, saloons etc. They were operating at night.
“The Eritreans operating businesses illegally were mainly arrested in Kansanga. More arrests will be made in coming days,” the Ministry Spokesperson said.
Most of the arrested Eritreans are refugees. Deportation of these refugees is not very likely. Eritrean government is known for not taking back its citizens from abroad.
Thousands of Eritreans flee their country each year due to multiple reasons. The country has been ruled by one man and one party i.e. Isaias Afweri & People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) for around three decades. There are strict restrictions in place on freedom of expression. Mandatory military service and indefinite national service are factors contributing to the mass migration from Eritrea to African and European countries.
Last week, an Eritrean refugee was killed by Amhara militia members at Alemwach refugee camp in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. Eritrean refugees in Sudan, Libya, Ethiopia, Uganda and other countries have been suffering for years. Some manage to reach Europe but filing and getting asylum cases approved is becoming a challenge owing to intra Eritrean diaspora community violence which has been on the rise in Europe and North America since last year.
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