The latest report from the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia documents the atrocities committed “by all parties to the conflict” since November 3, 2020 – the start date of the armed conflict in Tigray – including mass killings, rape, famine and destruction of schools and medical facilities , forced displacement and arbitrary detention.
Commission chairman Mohamed Chande Othman said violent clashes are now taking place “on an almost national scale” and highlighted “alarming” reports of violations against civilians in the Amhara region and ongoing atrocities.
“The situation in Oromia, Amhara and other parts of the country – including persistent patterns of violations, entrenched impunity and increasing securitization of the state – poses clear risks of further atrocities and crimes,” he warned.
Amhara: ‘mass arbitrary detention’
In the Amhara region, where the government declared a state of emergency last month, the Commission said it received reports of “mass arbitrary detention” of civilians and “at least one drone strike” carried out by the state.
Several urban centers in the region are under curfews and a militarized “Command Post” system has been deployed without civilian supervision. The commissioners said that “such structures are often associated with serious violations.”
“We are deeply alarmed by the deteriorating security situation in Amhara and the continued presence of risk factors for atrocities,” they said.
Humanitarian needs in the region have increased dramatically. In early August, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the people of Amhara “could not tolerate another conflict,” stressing that nearly two million people needed health care – a situation made even more complex by the influx of refugees from war-torn Sudan.
Tigray: intergenerational trauma
On Tigray, Commissioner Radhika Coomaraswamy warned that rape and sexual violence against women and girls by Eritrean forces are “persistent” in the region.
“The continued presence of Eritrean troops in Ethiopia is a clear sign not only of a deep-rooted policy of impunity, but also of continued support for and tolerance of such violations by the federal government,” she said.
The commissioner highlighted the trauma caused by the atrocities in Tigray, which is “likely to last for generations.”
‘Defective’ legal process
The commissioners called for a “credible” process of truth, justice, reconciliation and healing, while pointing out the shortcomings of the consultation process initiated by the Ethiopian government.
Their report stated that the Ethiopian government has “failed to effectively prevent or investigate violations” and has instead initiated a “flawed” transitional justice process in which victims are “overlooked.”
The Commision
The International Commission was established by the UN Human Rights Council in December 2021 to conduct an impartial investigation into the violations committed in Ethiopia since the start of the conflict in Tigray in November 2020.
It consists of three human rights experts appointed by the President of the Council, who are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work.