VZCZCXRO0308
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHAE #0429 2410704
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 280704Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9871
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIE/EIA WASHDC
RQEQDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RUEPADJ/CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHRMDAB/COMUSNAVCENT

UNCLAS ASMARA 000429 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E AND DRL 
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ER
SUBJECT: NGO STAFF TAKEN AT GUNPOINT 
 
REF: ASMARA 417 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Government of the State of Eritrea (GSE) 
soldiers invaded NGO compounds August 14, rounding up local 
employees (reftel).  Though most employees were later 
returned, the GSE took several to the Wi'a military prison 
camp.  Employees of diplomatic missions were not affected, 
although rumors indicate that the GSE may attempt to do the 
same to Embassy locally engaged staff in the near future. 
End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On Thursday evening reports circulated of GSE 
soldiers storming NGO compounds guns drawn, demanding all 
local employees to come with them.  The director of Dutch 
Interchurch Aid (DIA) later corroborated these reports. 
Accordingly, the director stated that 15 soldiers invaded the 
DIA main office around 4pm, thoroughly searching for local 
employees, including on the roof and in the bathroom.  The 
soldiers took DIA's entire staff into custody.  Similar 
reports streamed in from five of the other eight 
international NGOs (Norwegian Church Aid, Catholic Relief 
Services, OXFAM, Gruppo Missioni Asmarino, and Istituto 
Sindacale Di Cooperazione Allo Sviluppo).  Soldiers also 
abducted staff from two local NGOs, Vision Eritrea and Toker 
International, looking for specific individuals on a list 
rather than taking the entire workforce (soldiers took 20 
from Vision Eritrea and three from Toker International). 
Soldiers also searched the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) 
compound for five specific individuals, one of which was 
present and taken by the soldiers. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The soldiers took the staff from international NGOs 
to Police Station No. 1 and those from local NGOs oPolice 
StatQoQ No. 6, the director stated.  GSE officials then 
called out individual names, ordering those whose names were 
called to stay; the rest were released.  The DIA director 
reported that about 10 names from various NGOs were called; 
GSE officials transported these individuals to Adi Abeto, a 
transiting point before being sent to the Wi'a military 
prison camp.  The director speculated that officials released 
those who have completed national service, while younger 
employees (those most likely to have escaped national service 
thus far) were taken to Wi'a. 
 
¶4. (SBU) COMMENT:  Rumors swirl that the GSE will soon 
attempt to round up Embassy locally engaged staff in a 
similar fashion.  While Post does not believe the GSE would 
storm Embassy compounds, we believe they would set up 
checkpoints along common travelling routes in order to check 
employees for identification and national service completion 
papers.  End Comment. 
TABLER-STONE