(Geneva) The UN assured Friday that all parties to the conflict in Ethiopia are continuing their abuses, warning of “generalized violence” with major consequences for the region.
Ethiopia, for its part, accused the UN Human Rights Council of “neocolonialism”, which is meeting in a special session to address human rights violations in the country at war.
“Multilateralism is once again held hostage by a neocolonialist mentality. Ethiopia is targeted and blamed at the Human Rights Council for defending a democratically elected government, peace and the future of its people, ”Ethiopian Ambassador Zenebe Kebede said during the debates. .
During this meeting, requested by the European Union with the support of several dozen countries including the United States, the 47 member states of the Council are studying the proposal for the appointment of investigators who will work on possible violations of human rights. man in the course of war.
“The gravity and scale of the violations and atrocities committed against civilians by all sides is unacceptable. […] The establishment of an independent international investigation mechanism is urgent and necessary ”, assured Slovenian Ambassador Anita Pipan, on behalf of the EU.
African countries, through the voice of the representative of Cameroon, Ambassador Salomon Eheth, on the other hand gave their support to Ethiopia, explaining that such an investigation mechanism “is counterproductive and likely to exacerbate tensions” .
For Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif, an “international mechanism would be an important complement” in the absence of “significant efforts” by the authorities to establish accountability, while the UN continues “To receive credible reports of serious human rights violations and abuses committed by all parties”.
“Hatred and violence”
“The danger of a rise in hatred, violence and discrimination is very high, and could degenerate into generalized violence. This could have major consequences, not only for millions of people in Ethiopia, but also throughout the region, ”Mr.me Al-Nashif.
War erupted in November 2020 after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent the army to Tigray in November 2020 to remove local authorities from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) who challenged his authority. and that he accused of having attacked military bases.
Mr. Abiy proclaimed victory three weeks later, after the capture of the regional capital Mekele. But in June, the TPLF retook most of Tigray and continued its offensive in the neighboring regions of Amhara and Afar.
The conflict in Ethiopia has left several thousand dead, more than two million displaced and plunged hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians into conditions bordering on famine, according to the UN.
In a joint investigation with the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, created by the Ethiopian government, the UN High Commissioner concluded in early November that possible crimes against humanity were committed by all parties.
On November 2, the government declared a state of emergency which “raises serious human rights concerns” as it resulted in the arrest of thousands of Ethiopians, including members of the ‘UN, underlined Mme Al-Nashif.
“While some of those arrested over the past six weeks have been released, we estimate that between 5,000 and 7,000 people are still detained, including 9 UN staff,” she added, adding that most of those arrested belong to the Tigrayan ethnicity.
The senior UN official demands that independent observers, including the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, be allowed access to all places of detention.