For 26 years the 2% Eritrea diaspora tax has not been reviewed nor has the Eritrean gov. published financial records on how the diaspora tax is spent.

2% Eritrea diaspora tax is taxation without representation

Calculating the 2% Eritrea diaspora tax 

The diaspora tax or emigration tax on Eritreans living abroad is a sort of taxation without representation however, Eritrean consulates demand proof of diaspora tax payment to provide even the most basic consular services such as issuing visas to businesses and individuals, pursue an education, issuing Eritrean ID cards or any legal documents.

Eritrea’s large diaspora has been a source of vital remittances, funding its war for independence and providing 30% of the country’s Gross domestic product. Because of drought and a war with Ethiopia, about 1 million Eritreans live abroad, that means one out of every five Eritreans lives abroad.

Eritrea, pronunced eh·ruh·tree·uh is an African country located in Eastern Africa bordering the Red Sea, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Sudan. Eritrea is an impoverished African country, the 22nd smallest country in Africa and ranked 101st smallest country in the world. 

In most countries, citizens and residents pay tax to the state to receive basic services. Residents and citizens part with a certain percent of their income expecting public hospitals, police, roads, railways, hospitals and schools to be built and maintained, social and cultural services to be developed and the nation’s security to be ensured.

Downtown Keren Eritrea

Eritrean who do not pay cannot sell their properties in Eritrea or go home to visit their relatives. People who have never paid the tax can also face demands for massive back payments whenever they need any services from the Eritrean government.

The 2% gross income diaspora tax revenue is collected on Eritreans living abroad who pay vendors in Asmara, the capital and most populous city of Eritrea or the 2% tax is collected by the Foreign Consular Office. The 2% diaspora tax is Eritrea’s income source.

The Eritrean government is not the only county in the world who requires its citizens living aboard to pay taxes. If you are an American living abroad, you must file a US federal tax return and pay US taxes on your worldwide income no matter where you live at that time. Currently there are about 9 million U.S. citizens are living abroad.

In 2011, a British security council resolution condemned the tax and accused Eritrea of using the money to destabilize the Horn of Africa. It is unclear how much money Eritrea makes from the tax, or how it is spent because the country does not publish its financial records.

Imposed on Eritreans in 1997, most Eritreans abroad welcomed the 2% Eritrea diaspora tax as an opportunity to contribute to the rebuilding of their beloved East African country devastated by the Eritrean War of Independence also known as the 30-year war for independence from Ethiopia, September 1961 to May 1991 followed by the Eritrean–Ethiopian War, also known as the Badme War, May 1998 to June 2000.

Central Market in Asmara Eritrea

The 2% diaspora tax is Eritrea’s largest income source.

Eritreans overwhelmingly approved independence in a 1993 referendum and at the time there was a general understanding that the 2% Eritrea diaspora tax would be a temporary payment arrangement. However, the Eritrean parliament has not convened since 1997, the 2% Eritrea diaspora tax simply stayed in place, becoming one of the main sources of revenue of the Eritrean government.

One Eritrean woman, who has been living in Britain since 1993, stopped paying the tax in 2002, “when I saw that it was just extortion and there was no accountability, and we don’t know where the money goes or what it is used for”. “I can’t go back home or sell my property there. Even if you are dead, and you want to be buried in your home country, you must pay and have a clearance to allow the body to be buried.”

The tax, levied on Eritreans living abroad to fund, according to the Eritrean government, development projects, is collected by Eritrea’s diplomatic and consular offices around the world. Failure to pay it in effect bars people from receiving consular help or assistance from the state, for example, if they want to get a passport or sell property in Eritrea.

The country’s closed and heavily sanctioned economy has been on the verge of collapse for decades, and citizens within its borders, many of them forced to serve in the military for most of their adult lives have little to no opportunity to generate taxable income. The Eritrean government has long been accused of  spending more money on defense over agriculture, importing food and taking care of it's citizens.

The Eritrea government, since 1997 has not reviewed the 2% Eritrea diaspora tax nor has the Eritrean government published financial records disclosing how the money is spent. Eritrea has a strategic position along world's busiest shipping lanes of Assab and Massawa.

Eritrea has many natural resources, such as copper, granite, potash, gold and marble. However the 2% diaspora tax is one of Eritrea’s largest income source.

Over 50% of Eritrean's live below the poverty line not including an 8% unemployment rate. The hands of the local population are all but tied, the group best placed to change the country’s fortunes is the Eritrean diaspora. However Eritreans abroad should encourage the governments of the countries they are residing in to take action against the collection of the unaccounted for 2% diaspora tax.

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Natural burial practices in Africa are sustainable and eco-friendly options and have been practiced for thousands of years. 

Natural burial is a type of burial that minimizes the environmental impact of traditional burial practices. It is a more sustainable alternative to traditional burial, which can have a significant impact on the environment.

Natural burial minimizes its environmental impact by using no embalming fluid is used as embalming fluid is a toxic chemical that can pollute the soil and water. The body is wrapped in a biodegradable shroud or placed in a simple wooden casket. These materials will decompose naturally and will not harm the environment.

The body is buried in a natural setting, such as a forest or meadow. This helps to preserve the natural environment and allows the body to decompose naturally. No headstone or other monument is placed at the gravesite. This helps to keep the burial site natural and undisturbed.

Natural burial is a type of burial that seeks to minimize the environmental impact of traditional burial practices. It involves burying the body without embalming fluids, in a biodegradable casket or shroud, in a location that allows for natural decomposition of the body. 

In Africa, natural burial practices have been a part of many African tribes and cultures for centuries. Traditional African burial customs often involve returning the body to the earth in a way that allows for natural decomposition. 

This may involve burying the body in a shallow grave or wrapping the body in a shroud and placing it on a raised platform, allowing it to decompose and return to the earth. In recent years, there has been a growing renewed interest in natural burial practices in Africa and around the world, as people seek more sustainable and eco-friendly options for burying their loved ones. 

Some communities in Africa have established natural burial grounds or green cemeteries, which provide a space for natural burial and promote conservation and biodiversity. African natural burial practices are a beautiful and environmentally friendly way to honor the dead. They help to preserve the natural environment and allow the body to decompose naturally, returning nutrients to the soil. These practices are also a way to connect with the past and to celebrate the cycle of life.

Natural burial in Africa is also closely tied to cultural and religious traditions. 

For example, in many African cultures, burial is seen as a sacred and important ritual that honors the deceased and brings comfort to the bereaved. Natural burial practices can be seen as a way to uphold these cultural and religious traditions while also caring for the environment. Natural burials in Africa reflects the rich diversity of cultural and environmental practices found on the continent, and offers a sustainable and meaningful way to honor the deceased and care for the earth.

There are many types of natural burials, which all share the common goal of minimizing the environmental impact of traditional burial practices. 

Five natural burials.

Green burials.

This type of burial involves burying the body in a biodegradable casket or shroud without embalming fluids. 

The burial site may also be designed to promote ecological conservation and restoration, such as by using native plants and avoiding the use of pesticides. 

Water burials.

This type of burial involves placing the body in a biodegradable casket or shroud and lowering it into a body of water, such as a river or ocean. The body decomposes naturally and becomes part of the aquatic ecosystem. 

Tree burials.

This type of burial involves burying the body in a biodegradable casket or shroud at the base of a tree. As the body decomposes, it provides nutrients to the tree and helps it grow. 

Natural cemetery burials.

This type of burial involves burying the body in a designated natural cemetery or green burial ground. These cemeteries are often designed to be ecologically sustainable and promote conservation, such as by using native plants and avoiding the use of embalming fluids and concrete vaults. 

Home funerals.

This type of burial involves caring for the deceased at home and preparing the body for burial without the use of embalming fluids. The body is then buried in a biodegradable casket or shroud in a location that allows for natural decomposition. Home funerals can be a more intimate and personal way to honor the deceased, and can also reduce the environmental impact of traditional funeral practices.

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