The distinguished delegate from the USA during – 23rd Meeting 29th Regular Session of Human Rights Council

The United States thanks the commission of inquiry for its work and the through substantive report on the point of human rights situation in Eritrea. On the basis of hard ranched testimony inclusive hundreds of interview and written submissions the commission found that systematic wide spread and gross violation of human rights have occurred and are occurring with no accountability. And that some of these violations may constitute crimes against humanity. The government has created and sustained a repressive system of control, silence and isolate individuals in the country which deprives them of their ability to exercise their fundamental rights of freedoms. The Eritrean leadership rules through fear. Individuals are routinely arrested and arbitrarily detained and at times tortured or disappeared. The commission’s work to document serious human rights violation in Eritrea must now leads to action. The commission also describes systems of national service and forced labor that is noted effectively abuse, exploit and enslave the Eritrean people. We encourage the government of the state of Eritrea to honor its commitment to return that the duration of national service to 18 months for persons recruited since 2014 and treat all recruits humanly. This will sent a positive signal to the international community and Eritrean people. Significantly more has to be done however to address the violations the report describes. The Eritrean government must hold free, fair and transparent democratic elections, develop independent and transparent judiciary and release persons arbitrary detained including members of the G15, journalists and members of religious groups. The government of the state of Eritrea must urgently work towards ending the violations described in the COI report. Commissioners we are shocked by the report of harassment against you. They should be fully investigated. Are there specific diplomatic or programmatic actions in addition to those already highlighted in the report that you suggest member states consider in this regard. Thank you mister President