Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  No, I talked about the employees at the the Bisha mine, like a truck driver. A truck driver has an important job to do because the stuff is coming from west to east, and so their salary is twice the salary of the minister. Regarding the national service there is a difference. The salary is not really a salary; in French and English there is a difference.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  It's very difficult regarding the opposition.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  We didn't really discuss that during my last visits, but as far as I know there were four companies: three Canadian and one share company, but in fact the Bisha mine is a share company. I just heard recently there is a new company that is to start business in Eritrea.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  As Mr. Reid said, the issue over the Bisha mine was in 2008. So 2008 is already seven years ago, and what is happening in British Columbia at the moment...the people refer to this period of time. So at the moment, I cannot say. However, as Mr. Reid said, we don't think there are any violations.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Just two elements. The first one, I think, we mentioned, in fact. The military aspect of the national service is only six months and after that you need to be regularly trained. So the national service is not just military. That's number one. Number two, it's interesting because we met the ministers, we met the presidential adviser, we met our honorary council, and their children have to do the national service as well.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Could you please reformulate your question?

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  To be frank and honest with you, I don't know. But what I know, as I say, is that the appointment by Nevsun of a vice-president of CSR, and of employees as well in the field who are fully dedicated to CSR, is probably a signal....

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  To be frank and honest with you, I cannot discuss what the Chinese have done. However, I know that the Chinese were not, I would say, on the spot because of that. I don't think there was any complaint coming from China on this issue. It's certainly not a good answer, but I cannot speak about them.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  The only thing I can say is that my EU colleague, including as well my U.S. colleague, mentioned that we should be proud of what the Bisha mine is doing in their area. That's the only thing I can say. On the Chinese, I have no idea, to be frank and honest with you, what they do and how they do it.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  It's extremely difficult to have a full picture. To be frank and honest with you, I've been in many countries in Africa, including now Sudan and Chad, and it's extremely difficult in any country to get a full picture. To know everything in Sudan, for example, is not easy. Many of these countries are characterized by opaqueness.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  If I understand your question, you are asking if there are some ethnic groups that are suffering bad treatment?

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I would say there are three main religious groups in Eritrea: the Orthodox, the Catholics, and the Muslims. As a controlled country, of course, the three are controlled but they can practise and are really part of the community. People mentioned several times that the community is very important.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  The only thing that I can say is that the Eritreans are very proud of their nine groups. Everywhere you can see that. As to whether there is special discrimination against some ethnic groups, it's difficult for me to say that. I haven't seen evidence of that. But as we say, I've been there for a short time in Eritrea but we don't believe, based on discussions I had with international and local interlocutors, there is a real hard and deep discrimination against any one group in particular.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  There is a Chinese company that I think is one of the major players. By the way, there is a new Canadian company that is to do business in Eritrea as well. Yes, there are comparisons, but the Bisha mine, as far as I know, is the major one. I cannot say if the Chinese mine is equal or more important, but the Bisha mine certainly is the most evident at the moment.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Is the question addressed to me?