Eritrean leader criticizes Israel's migrant deportation plan
Isaias Afwerki
President Isaias Afwerki 's interview on a government website Wednesday said the migrants from  his  country and Sudan paid a "high price" to human traffickers to reach Israel and deserve more like $50 000.
"They need fair compensation to start a new life in their home country "  Afwerki  said in the interview with local media.  He  said all those who wish to return home "have every right to do so " and that Eritrea has offered to register all of its roughly 20 000 migrants but Israeli authorities had refused.
Many Eritreans leaving the east African nation claim they fled a restrictive regime under  Afwerki   where men are often forced into a military service with slavery-like conditions. They say they cannot return.
In the interview   Afwerki  claimed instead that the Eritrean migrants were enticed abroad to organize an armed opposition but that the "subversive schemes" failed and the migrants now have become a burden.
Israeli authorities said the migrants will be deported to Rwanda and Uganda   Afwerki  said.
"We are told they will be deported to any country that can accept them "  he  said. "These are human beings  not livestock. No country can claim legal responsibility to receive our citizens."
President [TGT] 's interview on a government website Wednesday said the migrants from  his  country and Sudan paid a "high price" to human traffickers to reach Israel and deserve more like $50 000.
"They need fair compensation to start a new life in their home country "  Afwerki  said in the interview with local media.  He  said all those who wish to return home "have every right to do so " and that Eritrea has offered to register all of its roughly 20 000 migrants but Israeli authorities had refused.
Many Eritreans leaving the east African nation claim they fled a restrictive regime under  Afwerki   where men are often forced into a military service with slavery-like conditions. They say they cannot return.
In the interview   Afwerki  claimed instead that the Eritrean migrants were enticed abroad to organize an armed opposition but that the "subversive schemes" failed and the migrants now have become a burden.
Israeli authorities said the migrants will be deported to Rwanda and Uganda   Afwerki  said.
"We are told they will be deported to any country that can accept them "  he  said. "These are human beings  not livestock. No country can claim legal responsibility to receive our citizens."