U.N. rights forum agrees to investigate abuses in Ethiopia

After a top UN official stated that there had been breaches on both sides and huge arrests as a result of a government crackdown, the United Nations Human Rights Council decided on Friday to establish an independent inquiry into abuses in the Ethiopian war.

 

Against Ethiopia's concerns, the resolution was passed despite the European Union's and Western states' opposition. Ethiopia disputed claims of atrocities and claimed it had previously participated in probes into the year-old conflict.

 

In a statement praising the decision, the EU representation to the United Nations in Geneva noted that "a number of these transgressions may amount to crimes against humanity" and that "additional independent investigations by independent experts are urgently required."

The resolution creates a three-member expert panel for a year to gather evidence and identify people responsible for infractions in order to prosecute them in the future.

 

Ethiopia's representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Zenebe Kebede, criticized what he called a "politically driven" document just before the vote. "The accusations leveled against my nation are baseless and ignore the reality on the ground," he continued.

 

Earlier, he condemned a number of violations by rebel troops in northern Tigray and stated that the government would not cooperate with the planned panel.

 

"At the Human Rights Council, Ethiopia is being singled out for defending a democratically elected government, peace, and the future of its people," he stated.

 

Thousands of civilians have killed and millions have fled the fighting between the federal government and rebel groups, including militants loyal to Ethiopia's dominant coalition for almost 30 years, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

 

The TPLF did not respond to a request for comment on Friday. It has previously stated that while some individual troops or militias may have committed violations that should be probed, Tigrayan forces as a whole are well-behaved.

 

  

'GRAVE CONCERN'

Is a phrase that means "grave concern."

 

After a day-long extraordinary session, the 47-member forum in Geneva voted 21 in favor, 15 against, including China and Russia, and 11 abstentions on the move.

 

 

The African Group had also urged for the resolution to be voted down, claiming that the proposed investigating process was "counterproductive and likely to escalate tensions."

 

The result revealed that six African countries, including Senegal and Sudan, broke ranks and abstained.

 

Nada al-Nashif, the United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, told the assembly that all sides in the escalating violence in northern Ethiopia are violating human rights and should withdraw from the fight.

 

According to her, an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 individuals have been imprisoned as a result of the government's declaration of a state of emergency and its "very wide scope" last month.

 

"Many people are held incommunicado or in unidentified locations. This is comparable to kidnapping, and it's a major source of concern "she stated

 

Zenebe, Ethiopia's foreign minister, did not respond directly to the allegations of detentions. However, he stated that the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, which is established by the government, has previously collaborated with the UN Human Rights Office to examine allegations of human rights violations and was prepared to do so again.

 

Last month, a joint inquiry revealed that all parties in Tigray's conflict had committed actions that may be considered war crimes.

 

Legesse Tulu, the Ethiopian government's spokesman in Addis Ababa, did not reply to calls for comment.

 

Unconfirmed claims of widespread detentions, deaths, and forced expulsions of ethnic Tigrayans in western Tigray by Amhara security forces have the US State Department "gravely worried."

 

In a statement, State Department spokesman Ned Price called on all armed actors in Ethiopia to renounce and end violence against civilians, saying, "We urge the Ethiopian authorities to investigate these reports to determine their veracity and to commit to inclusive, transparent processes to hold those accountable."

 By Reuters