E/CN.4/1503
Annex II page 14
41.
"In the same vein, immediately after the erup- tion of the Ethiopian revolution, counter- revolutionary forces bent on restoring the discredited and crumbling old order, made numerous attempts to create havoc and destruc- tion in Ethiopia. In the effort to counter these forces of evil, innocent people have been forced to flee and seek sanctuary in Sudan and Djibouti."
Writing to the Special Rapporteur, the Government of the Sudan said:
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"The causes of the influx of these refugees are attributable to the existence of a cultural diversity and
and religious, social and ethnic differences between the region of Eritrea and the rest of Ethiopia. These differences led the majority of Eritreans to reject Ethiopian rule and demand independence. Large numbers of Eritreans joined liberation movements and civil war broke out between them and the Ethiopian Government forces. The failure to establish any form of negotiation or dialogue between the two sides aggravated the problem and prolonged the state of war. The consequent lack of security and stabiity led to a continued influx of
of Eritrean refugees into the Sudan."
42.
The numbers of those affected by all these events cannot be ascertained with absolute accuracy. However, since 1980 the Government of Ethiopia has spoken of 2.4 million internally displaced, while the Governments of Djibouti, Somalia and the Sudan have put at 45 000, 1.5 million and well over 400 000 respectively the numbers of people who have sought asylum on their territories.
43. Djibouti from the time of its independence in 1977 has been severely taxed with the presence of an increasing number of refugees from Ethiopia. The Government has indeed stated that the 45 000 refugees, many of whom are of urban background, represent no less than 15 per cent of its population and constitute an intolerable burden at a time when the whole Horn of Africa has been suffering from drought conditions. From the beginning, UNHCR, which in 1978 made an appeal for funds for a programme of humanitarian assistance in the Horn, has, in conjunction with WFP, done what it can to provide relief and
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