EU Diplomats in Addis Briefed on Accountability Measures Taken by Ethiopia

Addis Ababa June1/2022/ENA/ EU diplomats residing in Addis Ababa were briefed today on accountability measures taken in response to human rights violations committed in the context of the conflict in northern Ethiopia.

The briefing included activities undertaken in terms of accountability measures, redress measures, reform measures and capacity building.

Inter-Ministerial Task Force Secretariat Office Head, Tadesse Kassa said the task force has designed a clear plan informing all the measures that would be implemented as part of the effort to comply with specific recommendations by joint investigation report since its establishment in November 2021.

A team of more than 158 professional drawn from various institutions has been established to investigate serious violations of international human rights in northern part of the country.

Noting that the task force has already started operation in Afar and Amhara regions, the head said  9 teams were deployed to North Shewa, Oromia Special Zone, Kombolcha, Dessie and environs, Jamma, Wereilu, Woldiya, Lalibela, Wag Hemra, and the Afar region.

The teams have accordingly gathered personal document, descriptive evidences, and technical evidences showing the commission of serious crimes by all parties, Tadesse revealed.

Investigations have revealed that some 2,712 extra-judicial killings of civilians, 1,228 serious bodily injuries, 969 rapes, 421 cases of inhumane treatment of civilians were committed in Afar and Amhara regions, the head added.

According to him, the investigations were conducted transparently, independently, and as per international standards with best practice methodologies.

The teams are about to conclude the first track of investigation to commence prosecution once all tier investigation is completed.

Numerous complaints of human rights violations are being submitted by different persons on various occasion in Wolqayit, Tsegade, Qafta and Humera Woredas, it was learned.

Furthermore, the head elaborated that “another dimension of the recommendations which we are also working on pertains to organizing and deploying various steps of redress measures in relation to people affected by conflict.”

It is to be recalled that the Inter-Ministerial Task Force was established to oversee redress and accountability measures in response to human rights violations committed in the context of the conflict in northern Ethiopia.

The Inter-Ministerial task force started its activities on November 29,2021 by adopting a strategy document and setting up four committees namely investigation and prosecution, refugees and IDP affairs, sexual and gender-based violence, and resource mobilization committees.

The strategy and action plan cover all serious violations that have been committed in the context of the conflict, including those that have occurred in Afar and Amhara regional states after the unilateral ceasefire declared by the Government of Ethiopia in June 2021.