Over 10,000 Eritreans, Horn of Africa Communities and other peace loving friends of Eritrea from all countries in Europe expressed their anger and dismay against the unjust and illegal sanction of 23rd December 2009 imposed on Eritrea.
The participants who traveled over 1500 kilometers on 110 buses as well as trains, airlines and private cars showed up for the peaceful protest in front of the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland on the 22nd February 2010.
It was part of the
worldwide demonstration that took place in Washington DC, San Francisco
and Canberra on the same day.
On this glorious occasion, a petition and the signatures of over 100,000
people was hand delivered to Mr. Schmidt, Senior Legal Adviser of the
United Nations Office in Geneva by representatives of the Eritrean communities
headed by Dr. Tewolde Weldekidan.
In the two-page petition addressed to the UN Secretary General Mr Ban Ki-moon, the participants strongly demanded the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to immediately annul and repeal its unjust and illegal sanctions resolution 1907 (2009) imposed on Eritrea.
They also called the UNSC to shoulder its responsibility and end the illegal occupation of sovereign Eritrean territories by Ethiopia. The demonstrators furthermore stressed on the need to address the root causes of the problems and hence work for a comprehensive peace in the Horn of Africa.
Various banners including the following were also used to highlight the main messages of the rally:-
•UN Security Council Resolution on Eritrea: UNACCEPTABLE!
•UN Security Council Resolution on Eritrea: UNACCEPTABLE!
•NO to sanctions based on lies!
•Stop: Injustice against Eritrea!
•Stop: Injustice against the People of the Horn!
•We Support the Governments of Eritrea!
•Ethiopia, out of Eritrean Territories, NOW!
Solidarity messages from various Horn of African communities and friends of Eritrea were also presented at the rally.
Media Center Europe
Geneva, Switzerland, 22 February 2010