Ethiopia has so far reported 92 COVID-19 cases, but none in refugee camps. A border war erupted between Ethiopia and Eritrea in 1998, killing tens of thousands and leading to a two-decade stalemate. The decision to close Hitsats is the latest of several moves by Ethiopia that the UN and human rights groups fear could deprive Eritrean asylum seekers of needed protections. In January, Ethiopia reversed a longstanding policy of automatically granting all Eritrean asylum seekers refugee status, instead evaluating cases individually. The changes in how Ethiopia treats Eritrean asylum seekers are "creating fear and confusion", said Laetitia Bader, a senior researcher for Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Source: Ethiopian News April 16, 2020 11:00 UTC