Teklemariam Bekit
Tuesday January 23, 2024
The refugees have not had access to clean water
Some Eritrean migrants have told BBC Tigrinya that they are among more than 100 people, including 13 children, who have been held in detention for the past two months in the Ethiopian town of Yebelo, near the order with Kenya.
They said there are living in a makeshift prison surrounded by a thorny fence made of acacia branches, offering no protection from the rain and sun.
The group was traveling to seek asylum in Kenya, they said.
One of our sources, who wanted to remain anonymous, said they have had to endure harsh conditions.
"Initially, we used to buy water through the police and wash ourselves. However, when we ran out of money, many of us fell ill due to the lack of food and clean water," they said.
Despite being taken to a clinic by the police, the treatment is at their own expense.
"Those without money suffer from hunger and disease."
Currently, thousands of Eritreans who escaped the Sudan conflict are crossing into Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda.
Local police did not respond to the BBC's request for comment.