Eritrea's G-15 Families Seek Answers After 25 Years
Two decades and a half after a mass detention in Eritrea, the children of the G-15 remain without news of their parents, who were arrested without trial.
For Hanna Petros Solomon, the last image of her father is one of vitality. He was walking out of the house with a towel over his shoulder, dressed in a tracksuit, ready for his morning run. It was a routine moment from her childhood, captured in memory before the sudden silence that followed. Since that day in 2001, she and her siblings have effectively been orphans, cut off from their parents who were senior figures in the Eritrean government.
Her father, Petros Solomon, is widely regarded as a national hero for his role in the liberation war against Ethiopia. After independence, he held high-ranking positions, including defence and foreign minister. However, in 2001, he joined 14 other officials in the so-called G-15 group, signing an open letter to President Isaias Afewerki demanding the implementation of the constitution and the holding of elections. This act of dissent marked the beginning of their disappearance from public life.
The Disappearance of Senior Leaders
According to BBC Africa, the arrests occurred in the early hours of September 18, 2001, a date chosen to coincide with global attention on the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. Security forces moved into the homes of eleven senior officials in Asmara on the president's orders. Petros Solomon was taken while leaving for his exercise. For the family, the event was initially shrouded in confusion. Hanna, who was ten years old at the time, learned the gravity of the situation only when classmates told her her father had been branded a traitor.
The narrative surrounding the G-15 has remained a point of contention. While the government has not provided detailed public information regarding the legal status of the detainees, their families have faced pressure to stop inquiring. The detention of these former war heroes, who fought for the country's independence, stands in stark contrast to their previous status as national figures. Their removal from public life without trial remains a defining moment in Eritrea's post-independence history.
A Mother's Return and Vanishing
Aster Yohannes, Petros's wife, was in the United States when her husband was detained. She reportedly received assurances from officials that her family would be safe if she returned to raise her children. Despite warnings from her daughter about the possibility of arrest, she insisted on coming home. On December 11, 2003, the family waited at Asmara International Airport, bringing flowers to welcome her. She did not emerge from arrivals.
Days later, an official called the family to collect luggage, confirming that she had entered the country but would not be released to them. All subsequent pleas for information were ignored. The family has since been subjected to warnings to cease their inquiries. The uncertainty of their parents' fate has defined the lives of their children, who continue to seek answers in a context where information is tightly controlled.
Long-Term Impact on Families
Twenty-five years later, the lack of closure continues to weigh heavily on the next generation. Hanna Petros Solomon expresses the core of their dilemma with a simple, devastating question: she does not even know if her parents are alive. The psychological toll of this ambiguity is profound, as the children have grown up without the guidance of their parents, navigating a complex national narrative where their family's history is politicized.
The case highlights the broader challenges faced by families of political detainees in Eritrea. While the international community has raised concerns about human rights, the specific status of the G-15 remains opaque. The passage of time has not brought resolution, but rather a deepening silence. For the families, the forward question is one of basic human rights: the right to know the fate of their loved ones, a right that remains unfulfilled.
