Paul Calvert spoke with Filmon, an Eritrean refugee in Israel

Paul: So they basically became refugees?

Filmon: Not really. I call them refugees because I know they are refugees, but in Israel they don't have that title or that status. We all do have this group protection, when I say "group protection", I put it between double quotes. I don't really see how group protection can help anyone, with no healthcare, educational system or any integration system for the refugees when they come here. I think if they had another option, refuges should not come here, this is the last place they should come to. But individually of course I was treated well.

Paul: What is your status at the moment?

Filmon: For the status I still have this group protection, that's it in limbo. The Knesset (Israeli Parliament) has been calling us infiltrators and of course they passed the anti-infiltration law June 2012 and that gives the Israeli Government the right to detain any illegal refugee; anyone who came into the country illegally for an indefinite time - at least three years without any legal aid and without any help. That makes me frustrated. Imagine this is supposed to be a first world country and Sudan is not, it's a third-world country, but even Sudan granted refugee status and gave us a card. Of course they co-operated with our government to apprehend some of us, but still, most of us they gave us a second home, so I was expecting more here not less.

Paul: So the future for you is really uncertain isn't it?

Filmon: Yeah, very uncertain. Let alone in my current condition, this disability, even with full health it would look uncertain, so I am not sure how it's going to end up.

Paul: What is your prayer for Eritrean refugees trying to get across the border and escaping persecution?

Filmon: I would pray finally there comes a solution, not here, not in any foreign countries, but back home where the problem starts. Maybe there might be an election in a form of a coup, or something maybe good will come, that's what I pray for. That would be a solution to all the Eritrean problems because once that happens everyone is going to return back home, I know that.

Paul: The sad thing is you went through a lot and you suffered a lot, but it is still going on today isn't it.

Filmon: Yeah and the one thing that makes me wonder is why are the world powers doing nothing? It's not a big secret, you can see it in all the media; CNN has done some documentaries; Al Jazeera has done documentaries. You don't need an intelligence agency to know what is going on in the Sinai. You know what is worse than what the Bedouin are doing in the Sinai is the fact that those people with power to stop this choose not to, that is way worse.