The 23 year president of Eritrea Isaias Afewerki mocked recent media reports of thousands of Eritreans fleeing out of the country as helping its per capita income.
International media has reported over 4,000 Eritreans leaving the red sea nation every month as an “exodus” that could nearly wipeout most people out the country. However President Isaias told Eritrean tv that such reports are exaggerated. He mockingly suggested that even if such report is true, they are “not that bad” report since the exodus could “help raise our per capita income.”
President Isaias claimed that some “selfish” Eritreans are being attracted and lured by a better life in Europe and America, but they are not leaving because of oppression in his country. “If their excuse is really oppression in Eritrea, why don’t they stop and live in Sudan, Ethiopia or Kenya? But they continue their journey to Israel or Europe and America.” He said most Eritrean refugees are economic migrants, not victims of oppression or human rights abuse.
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