Alternative Africa

Top Menu

  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us

Main Menu

  • Home
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business
  • Environment
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • More
    • Health
    • News Now
    • Technology
    • World
Sign in / Join

Login

Welcome! Login in to your account

Lost your password?

Lost Password

Back to login
  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us

logo

Alternative Africa

  • Home
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business
  • Environment
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • More
    • Health
    • News Now
    • Technology
    • World
  • New malaria vaccine is 77% effective at stopping infection in African trials -Report

  • Another 130 Europe- bound African migrants drown off Libyan coast

  • 3,800-kilometer underwater electricity cable to connect Morocco, UK

  • Egypt signs agreement to manufacture second coronavirus vaccine in Africa

  • Nigeria Is Bleeding, Defence Minister Magashi Laments

News Now
Home›News Now›Eritrean conscripts told unlimited national service will end – sources

Eritrean conscripts told unlimited national service will end – sources

By VJ Africa
July 24, 2018
490
0
Share:

Asmara, July 24, 2018,(AltAfrica) – The latest batch of recruits to Eritrea’s national service have been told it will last no longer than 18 months, relatives said, raising hopes the indefinite conscription that forces thousands of young men to flee every month may be ending.

The Horn of African nation introduced mandatory 18-month national service for 18 to 50-year-olds in 1995, two years after seceding from Ethiopia, to help in the reconstruction effort following a 30-year liberation war.

The duty comprised of six months military training, then a year of working on development projects.

But Asmara has maintained unlimited service ever since a two-year border war broke out with Ethiopia in 1998, with the dispute dragging on despite the signing of a ceasefire in 2000.

Rights group and Western governments say it amounts to indefinite military conscription that forces Eritreans to flee the country, often driving them to make the perilous trip across the Sahara desert and Mediterranean Sea to Europe.

Tens of thousands have wound up in Europe, making Eritreans one of the main constituencies among refugees and migrants on that continent.

However, the announcement at a graduation ceremony for conscripts on July 13, in the midst of a dramatic thawing of relations with Eritrea’s giant neighbour, has raised hopes it is being capped.

“Last week, they were told that they won’t serve beyond 18 months because the dynamics have changed,” one family member of a conscript who had just been recruited told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Another person confirmed the announcement at the ceremony, attended by President Isaias Afwerki.

HISTORIC DEAL

Eritrean information minister Yemane Ghebremeskel did not deny the reports, but said there had been no formal announcement, noting that it was “early days” in the rapprochement with Ethiopia.

“Policy announcements of this significance are invariably made through our official outlets and that has not been done so far,” he told Reuters.

Earlier this month, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Eritrean leader signed a historic deal in Asmara declaring an end to their “state of war”, one of the longest military stalemates in Africa.

The neighbours agreed to open embassies, develop ports and resume flights, concrete measures that have swept away two decades of hostility in a matter of weeks.

The Asmara government insists conscription is vital for national security, saying it fears attack by Ethiopia.

The president said at the ceremony earlier this month that it had “special significance” because it was occurring after Eritrea and Ethiopia had made peace.

In Asmara, some people told Reuters they were awaiting official announcements declaring an end to their duty.

“I have been in service for the last 20 years and I am proud of the role I played,” one resident said. “But hopefully we will now be friends with our Ethiopian brothers, rather than enemies, and I hope to move on with my life.”

SHARE ON:
Previous Article

Congo: Opposition leader Bemba to return next ...

Next Article

Egypt: Pres. Sisi says false rumours main ...

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

VJ Africa

Related articles More from author

  • News Now

    EU Council extends military training in Central African Republic with €25.4 million

    July 31, 2018
    By alternativeafrica
  • HealthNews Now

    Botswana: Authorities disturbed by rise in codeine-based cough syrups

    August 23, 2018
    By VJ Africa
  • AfricaNews NowSports

    Nigeria: In just four years, Access Bank Lagos City Marathon gets international certification

    November 30, 2019
    By alternativeafrica
  • AfricaBusinessNews Now

    MTN launches US$270,000 fund to support technology startups in Uganda

    November 22, 2018
    By alternativeafrica
  • AfricaHealthNews NowWorld

    West Africa’s Ebola outbreak cost $53 billion – study

    October 25, 2018
    By VJ Africa
  • BusinessNews NowWorld

    World: Iran president asks Europe for guarantees on banking channels and oil sales

    August 28, 2018
    By VJ Africa

Leave a reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

You might be interested

  • BusinessNews Now

    Nigeria: Lagos Business School wants livestock ownership as collateral for business loans

  • News NowPoliticsWorld

    D-day for American democracy as businesses brace for violence in most divisive election

  • AfricaHealthNews Now

    Moroccan health workers to get special compensation for forfeiting annual leave during pandemic

Timeline

  • April 23, 2021

    New malaria vaccine is 77% effective at stopping infection in African trials -Report

  • April 23, 2021

    Another 130 Europe- bound African migrants drown off Libyan coast

  • April 23, 2021

    3,800-kilometer underwater electricity cable to connect Morocco, UK

  • April 23, 2021

    Egypt signs agreement to manufacture second coronavirus vaccine in Africa

  • April 22, 2021

    Nigeria Is Bleeding, Defence Minister Magashi Laments

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Lagos govt confirms first case of deadly coronavirus infection in Nigeria

    By alternativeafrica
    February 28, 2020
  • Morocco begins regional integration by connecting Casablanca Airport with High Speed Train

    By alternativeafrica
    January 4, 2020
  • Kenyan govt pressure Facebook for data on Kenyan users

    By alternativeafrica
    November 20, 2019
  • Archbishop of Canterbury hosts Leah Sharibu’s mother in London

    By alternativeafrica
    February 21, 2020
  • Macron in Ivory Coast to launch anti-terrorism academy

    By alternativeafrica
    December 21, 2019
  • Ethiopia joins Africa's Artificial Intelligence revolution | Alternative Africa
    on
    October 2, 2020

    Spending on Artificial Intelligence Systems in Africa, Middle East to top $374 million in 2020

    […] Many African countries ...
  • The 5 most popular Africans 2020
    on
    September 25, 2020

    Celebrating Congolese doctor Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the man behind breakthrough of Ebola cure

    […] Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe ...
  • Millitants in Central Mali Set Jail Ablaze in Attack Killing Two | taktik(z) GDI (Government Defense ...
    on
    August 11, 2020

    Fifteen gendarmes killed in another attack on Mali camp

    […] attack fol­lowed a January ...
  • Millitants in Central Mali Set Jail Ablaze in Attack Killing Two
    on
    August 11, 2020

    Fifteen gendarmes killed in another attack on Mali camp

    […] attack followed a ...
  • chibueze evarlistus ogbonnaya
    on
    July 22, 2020

    Gambia promotes policewoman who controls traffic despite heavy rain

    This is Awesome
AlternativeAfrica.com is an independent Pan African News Website dedicated primarily to influencing the negative narratives about Africa. We hope to do this by focusing and showcasing the many developmental strides sweeping across the continent.

Read more >>>

Contact Info

  • info@alternativeafrica.com
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • New malaria vaccine is 77% effective at stopping infection in African trials -Report

    By alternativeafrica
    April 23, 2021
  • Another 130 Europe- bound African migrants drown off Libyan coast

    By alternativeafrica
    April 23, 2021
  • 3,800-kilometer underwater electricity cable to connect Morocco, UK

    By alternativeafrica
    April 23, 2021
  • Egypt signs agreement to manufacture second coronavirus vaccine in Africa

    By alternativeafrica
    April 23, 2021
  • Lagos govt confirms first case of deadly coronavirus infection in Nigeria

    By alternativeafrica
    February 28, 2020
  • Morocco begins regional integration by connecting Casablanca Airport with High Speed Train

    By alternativeafrica
    January 4, 2020
  • Kenyan govt pressure Facebook for data on Kenyan users

    By alternativeafrica
    November 20, 2019
  • Macron in Ivory Coast to launch anti-terrorism academy

    By alternativeafrica
    December 21, 2019
  • Ethiopia joins Africa's Artificial Intelligence revolution | Alternative Africa
    on
    October 2, 2020

    Spending on Artificial Intelligence Systems in Africa, Middle East to top $374 million in 2020

    […] Many African countries ...
  • The 5 most popular Africans 2020
    on
    September 25, 2020

    Celebrating Congolese doctor Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the man behind breakthrough of Ebola cure

    […] Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe ...
  • Millitants in Central Mali Set Jail Ablaze in Attack Killing Two | taktik(z) GDI (Government Defense ...
    on
    August 11, 2020

    Fifteen gendarmes killed in another attack on Mali camp

    […] attack fol­lowed a January ...
  • Millitants in Central Mali Set Jail Ablaze in Attack Killing Two
    on
    August 11, 2020

    Fifteen gendarmes killed in another attack on Mali camp

    […] attack followed a ...

Photostream

    "); $('.flicker-popup-link').magnificPopup({ type: 'image', closeOnContentClick: true, closeBtnInside: false, fixedContentPos: true, mainClass: 'mfp-no-margins mfp-with-zoom', // class to remove default margin from left and right side image: { verticalFit: true }, gallery: { enabled: true }, zoom: { enabled: true, duration: 600, // duration of the effect, in milliseconds easing: 'ease', // CSS transition easing function opener: function(element) { return element.find('img'); } } }); }); }); });

    Follow us

    • Home
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Contact Us
    © Copyright Alternative Africa 2017 - 2021. All rights reserved.