Ethiopian deserters seek asylum
2004-12-22 09:59
Nairobi - Seven Ethiopian soldiers are seeking refuge in Kenya after surrendering to authorities over the weekend in the northern border town of Moyale, Kenyan police said on Wednesday.
"We are questioning the seven army officers to establish why they left their homeland to seek refuge in Kenya," Eastern Province police commander Thomas Chigamba said by phone from the regional capital Embu.
"According to international law, at the end of the day if we find that they did not do any crime at home, we shall hand them over to UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) to screen them," he explained.
In May, Kenya repatriated some 350 Ethiopian students who fled their country alleging they were target of government intimidation.