An Eritrean Escapee
Please note: The names in this blog have been changed to protect the individual included. Some of what you are about to read is based upon fiction.
Home Office Interview Screening
1. What is your name?
Suliman Sadaf
2. Where are you from?
Eritrea
3. Can you name any famous Eritrean people?
Yes, Zerea Senay. He is the fastest Runner and Al Amin he is a famous singer.
4. Can you tell me some National Holidays in Eritrea?
Yes. 24th May is Independence Day. 8th March is Women’s Day.
5. What Languages are spoken in Eretria?
Tigre, Tigrinya, Afar, Saho, Arabic, and Bilen.
6. Can you tell me when this all began?
Yes, from 2010 when I left school.
7. Do you have any qualifications?
No. I did not complete secondary education.
8. Why did you stop studying?
I stopped going to school because I feared I would be forced to go into Sawa. (Sawa is a Defence Training Centre, it is the site of a massive military training camp where every Eritrean aged between 18-40 must go as part of their compulsory military service. The service in Indefinite.)
9. But if you were studying were you not less likely to be taken to Sawa?
No. It is compulsory.
10. What did you do after school?
I started working with my Uncle at a Goldsmith's.
11. How long did you do this for?
I worked in the Goldsmith Industry for three years.
12. How old were you when you left school?
22.
13. Did you encounter any problems whilst working as a Goldsmith?
No. None at all.
14. And what happened to you in 2013?
On the 13th of September 2013, when I returned home from work. I was arrested.
15. Who arrested you?
The soldiers' of SAWA.
16. Did they say anything to you?
Yes. They asked me to present my Identity documents and I explained that I do not have them on me. They said, if you do not have it, we will have to take you to the police station.
17. What happened when you arrived at the police station?
When I arrived at the police station, the officers behind the desk took my D.O.B and they asked me to take my shoes off. They lead me to a private cell, where I waited there for 20 minutes. One they arrived back the soldiers transported me to a compound, where I was cast into a cell with a large number of men and women. There was barbed wire surrounding the cell and we had no access to water, or washing facilities. I could recognise a few familiar faces from my city. Nobody spoke to each other in the fear that we will be beaten. We were silent throughout our duration spent together there.
18. What happened after that?
On the 5th October, we were secured together with handcuffs, and led to the SAWA Military Centre in the Gash-Barka region.
19. Can you describe what the camp was like?
SAWA is a large military training compound, with a school attached. We were forced to sit in area that was constantly supervised by soldiers with heavily armed weapons. They gave us little water, and we slept on the rigid floor of the cell. We ate only two meals a day at 6AM and 4PM. We obeyed orders from the soldiers, to clean, build, collect wood. Women were forced to wash clothing and prepare meals. If we did not do a job sufficiently we were beaten with batons, I can remember one woman. She had not washed the soldiers uniforms adequately. She was raped the following evening - we could hear everything.
20. How many of you were there?
Around 75 of us.
21. How many soldiers were guarding you?
13.
22. How did you manage to escape?
On the 6th week, the soldiers told us to collect wood for fire in the surrounding area. I had a good feeling that morning I remember. So I seized the opportunity and managed to escape over the barbed wire.
23. Where did you go?
I walked for nearly eight days to the Sudanese border. I traveled alone and I slept on the broken path in the wilderness. I had no food or money, kind people of whom sympathised offered me some food parcels to take with me on my never ending journey. I was fearful that the SAWA army may be tracking me so I used a fake name - Abdulla Yousif. If the SAWA army were to find me, I will be executed.
24. Where are your family?
I do not have a father. He was killed many years ago by the SAWA soldiers. My mother and my sister are back in Eritrea.
25. Have you had any contact with your family?
If I call them, I will be putting them at risk. I cannot have any contact with them.
26. What do you fear would happen if you were returned back to Eritrea?
If I return to Eritrea I will be executed for deserting the SAWA Army and shot for leaving my country illegally.
Suliman Sadaf was fortunate enough to have escaped the torture and captivity of the SAWA camp and the Eritrean Government, yet thousands of 17 - 18 year old's are sent to "study" leaving thier beloved parents and siblings behind. Is this not a breach of our basic Human Rights?
It is shocking to hear that so many Eritreans have undergone some form of tormenting Military Service. The few that I work with have been lucky enough to escape. My thoughts are occupied with the thought of the thousands of children who do not know the world outside the four barricaded walls...
Powerful!
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