The plights of Eritrean refugees in the Shimelba Refugee Camp, Ethiopia

• Published date: 06 March 2017
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMHSC-02-2016-0007
• Pages: 93-105
• Date: 06 March 2017
• Author: Natnael Terefe Arega
• Subject Matter: Health & social care,Vulnerable groups,Inequalities & diverse/minority groups,Sociology,Race & ethnic studies,Minorities,Multiculturalism,Racial identity,Work, economy & organizations,Labour movements

The plights of Eritrean refugees in the

Shimelba Refugee Camp, Ethiopia

Natnael Terefe Arega

Abstract

Purpose –Thousands of Eritrean youth flee due to extreme domestic discontent with Eritrean Government.

Little research has been done on Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia. The purpose of this paper is to explore the

difficulties facing Eritrean refugees in the Shimelba Refugee Camp in northern Ethiopia. The study explores

the refugees’pre-migration experiences as well as their life difficulties in the refugee camp.

Design/methodology/approach –Thisstudy employeda cross-sectionalqualitativeapproach.Relevant data

were collected throughpersonal interviewswith a sample of 15 refugees. The studywas also supplementedby

the researcher’s personalobservations regarding the living conditions of the refugees in the camp.

Findings –Gross human rights violations at home forced the Eritreans to flee in to Ethiopia. Refugees

reported their experiences of arrest, torture, and abuse, due to their dissenting political and religious opinions.

Moreover, they fled Eritrea to escape harsh compulsory conscription into the Eritrean military service.

Unemployment and lack of income were also important push factors. Factors identified as threats to the

psychosocial health of refugees at the refugee camp include the feeling of isolation, the absolute uncertainty

of the future, fears concerning the safety of the family left behind, the strictness of the structure within the

camp, and the fear of health-related problems associated with the limited health care facilities.

Research limitations/implications –Further research investigating the mental health problems of the

refugees employing quantitative methods is needed. Also, research about the potential avenues for

ameliorating the challenges faced by these refugees is desirable.

Originality/value –This paper gives an insight to the situation of Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia, which includes

the reasons why they flee Eritrea, their experiences during flight, and the conditions in which Eritrean refugees

live in the camp from the point of view of the refugees themselves. Understanding the challenges facing the

refugees has implications for how short- and long-term policies can be altered to better serve them.

Keywords Ethiopia, Refugees, Eritrean refugees, Plights, Psychosocial health, Refugee camp

Paper type Research paper

Introduction

A refugee is someone who has crossed international borders fleeing war or persecution for

reasons of race, religion, nationality, or membership in particular social and political groups and is

protected by several international conventions (Toole and Waldman, 1993). An ever-growing

number of young Eritrean people have fled over the last decade, frustrated by open-ended

national service –initiated in 1995 and expanded during the 1998-2000 border conflict with

Ethiopia (International Crisis Group, 2014). Eritrean refugees began fleeing into Ethiopia after the

outbreak of war between Eritrea and Ethiopia in 1998. Tensions between the countries had been

high since Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1991 following a 30-year war, and in

1998, a broader dispute sparked a two-year conflict that cost the two countries hundreds of

millions of dollars and tens of thousands of causalities (UNHCR, 2010). Despite the unresolved

animosity with Eritrea, Ethiopia hosts 131,660 Eritreans, who fled the repressive regime in four

camps in Tigray region in northern Ethiopia and two others in the Afar region in north-eastern

Ethiopia (Mogos, 2016).

Ethiopia has been one of the most important host countries for refugees in the world. It is often

stated that, hosting refugees in Ethiopia, dated as far back as to the coming of follower of the

Received 2 February 2016

Revised 15 March 2016

20 May 2016

Accepted 3 June 2016

Natnael Terefe Arega is an

Assistant Professor at the

Department of Psychology,

Aksum University, Aksum,

Ethiopia.

DOI 10.1108/IJMHSC-02-2016-0007 VOL. 13 NO. 1 2017, pp.93-105, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1747-9894

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