News in Brief

A Summary of Efforts to Ensure Accountability Regarding Violations of International Human Rights Law and Other Legal Norms in the Regional State of Tigray

Meeting between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Felix Tshisekedi

Press statement on the unfair and unwarranted accusations leveled against Ethiopia

Africa and the African Union

African Ministers of Health on Monday (May 17) endorsed an adapted strategy to fight COVID-19 underpinned by enhanced approaches to Prevent, Monitor, and Treat. The Ministers called upon partners to support Africa CDC, WHO, and AU Member States in  the  implementation  of  the  adapted  and  endorsed  Joint  Continental  Strategy  and  in  strengthening  their  health  systems  to  respond  to  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  and  in  maintaining the safe provision of all other essential public health functions and services including combating TB, Malaria and other diseases.

The Council of Ministers responsible for Trade of the African Continental Free Trade Area  (AfCFTA)  endorsed  the  candidacy  of  Dr.  Arkebe  Oqubay  for  the  post  of Director  General  of  the  United  Nations  Industrial  Development  Organization (UNIDO). Published on Friday (May 14), a statement indicated that the  Council  of  Ministers  responsible  for  Trade  expressed  their  support  and confidence in Dr. Oqubay’s track record of extensive  and  successful  leadership, scholarly excellence and his vision of carbon-neutral and inclusive industrialization, which make him the suitable candidate for Director General of UNIDO in the post-COVID-19 era.

Ethiopia

The Attorney General Office of Ethiopia writes a brief memo that provides a short summary of the legal framework and institutional setup within which investigations over alleged atrocities in the Tigray region are being carried out. The memo also provides a brief summary of the progress of the investigations and the challenges faced in the investigation process. The memo also indicates the remaining tasks and next steps in these efforts to ensure accountability. (See article)

Last week on 11 May 2021, Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has received in his Office Felix Tshisekedi, president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (the DRC) who came from similar visits to Cairo and Khartoum in the same week. The discussion between Dr. Abiy Ahmed and President Tshisekedi was held in a very cordial manner and aimed at facilitating a resolution of the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (the GERD) among Ethiopia, the Sudan, and Egypt. (See article)

President Sahle-work attended the Paris Africa Economic summit on Wednesday (May 19). President Sahle-work Zewde, praised French President Emmanuel Macron’s call for financial assistance for developing countries afflicted by the pandemic, as well as the encouraging responses from countries and international financial institutions. The president stressed the importance of providing African countries with immediate and comparable crisis support.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has extended his Congratulatory message to the President of Djibouti, Ismail Omar Guelleh on his inaugural ceremony which took place on Saturday (May 15). The premier was in Djibouti to attend the presidential inaugural ceremony of Guelleh. “I would like to once again congratulate President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti on the occasion of his inaugural ceremony,’’ the PM wrote on his Face Book page.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed inaugurated on Saturday (May 15) Semera Industrial Park built with 59 million USD in Afar Regional State. The industrial park has eight production sheds each with 5,500 square meters area. The shades are mainly intended for use in cotton, textiles and garments, leather and leather production manufacturing. The proximity of the industrial park to the port of Djibouti is expected to enhance Ethiopian export.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed vowed on Saturday (May 15) to transform Ethiopia by resisting the recent launched campaigns against the country “without losing hopes rather cutting ribbons.” Abiy said “Countries with strong economy or other entities are in a campaign against Ethiopia with the target to decide how Ethiopians should live”. However, the Premier stressed “our history reminds us that Ethiopians have never been fallen under any forces and will never fall”.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Tuesday (May 18) officially launched the “Ethiopian Week” organized with a view to promoting the tourism and investment potentials of the country. The program aimed to boost the tourism and investment sectors of the country by showcasing tourism and investment potentials of the country.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has launched Tuesday (May 18) the 2021 edition of Green Legacy Initiative aimed at planting 6 billion tree seedlings in Ethiopia and neighboring countries. Abiy wrote on his Facebook page, ‘’Today as we launch the 2021 edition of Green Legacy Initiative, we refer to the four-year challenge we set in 2019, aimed at addressing the consequences of environmental degradation and climate change.’’

Deputy Prime Minister and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen on Thursday (May 20) said the second-year filling of the GERD will be conducted as scheduled and agreed by the national scientific research group (NISRG) of the three countries. The Deputy Prime Minister said this while he was delivering a keynote speech at a webinar meeting entitled, “The equitable use of the Nile: the role of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam for regional cooperation.”

Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, on Thursday (May 20) received at his office Hameed Nuru the newly appointed Director for World Food Program (WFP) office and representative to AU and UNECA. The Deputy Prime Minister congratulated WFP for winning the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020 for its efforts to support people who are endangered due to man-made conflicts and natural disasters.

Ethiopia releases a press statement on the unfair and unwarranted accusations leveled against Ethiopia on Monday (May 17). The statement focuses on the humanitarian response in the Tigray region, allegations of human rights abuses, calls for Ceasefire and national dialogue, on allegations of a clampdown on dissent and on attempts to meddle in Ethiopia’s internal affairs. (See article)

Ethiopia’s Foreign Affairs Spokesperson on Thursday (May 20) has lauded the recent comment of Egypt’s Foreign Minister on the second-round filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). It is to be recalled that Egypt Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry reassured Egyptians that the second filling of the GERD will not negatively impact them as Egypt still has the Aswan High Dam reservoir to rely on.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Office of the National Council for the Coordination of Public Participation to the Construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam made a two-day consultation with competing political parties and civic and religious institutions on issues related to the Grand Ethiopian renaissance dam. Discussions, in particular, were focused on the status of the tripartite negotiations, the construction of the dam, and the support expected from the public.

Ethiopians and people of Ethiopian origin living in Washington DC on Tuesday (May 18) made a rally yesterday calling on some international organizations and countries to stop unduly pressuring the Ethiopian government. Participants at the rally said Ethiopia has the right to maintain its territorial integrity, defend itself from aggressors, and dictations from third parties to do otherwise to a sovereign state should not be acceptable.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to Algeria, Nebiat Getachew on Wednesday (May 19) met with Ambassador Manndi Saad, Director General of African Affairs of Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Their discussions focused on bilateral, regional, and multilateral issues of mutual interest.

The Ambassador-designate of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the Republic of Ghana, Hadera Abera Admasu, has presented, on Tuesday (May 18) a copy of his letter of appointment to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of the Republic of Ghana, the honorable Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey.

Ambassador of Ethiopia to Republic of Cuba, Shibru Mamo, met with Mrs. Elba Rosa Perez Montoya, Minister of Science, Technology, and Environment (CITMA) of Cuba on Thursday (May 17). During their meeting, the two sides discussed ways to implement the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Ethiopia and Cuba on Science and Technology.

Eritrea

President Alpha Conde of the Republic of Guinea returned home in the morning hours on Friday (14 May), concluding a two-day working visit to Eritrea on the invitation of President Isaias Afwerki. President Alpha Conde and his delegation accompanied by President Isaias Afwerki visited water infrastructure and agricultural projects in the Dubarwa sub-zone.

The National Green Campaign Day, Saturday (15 May), has been observed in the Southern and Central Regions in Eritrea with planting tree seedlings. Indicating that the tree seedlings planting was part of the program of the Central Region’s Green Campaign, Mr. Abraham Teklu, representative of the Forestry and Wildlife Authority, said that over one million tree seedlings are ready for distribution to various institutions for planting in the coming rain season.

Djibouti

Djibouti President Sworn In for fifth Term in Office on Saturday (May 15). Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, President Muse Biihi of Somaliland, Somali’s Prime Minister Mohamed Roble were among dignitaries. Édouard Ngirente, Rwanda’s Prime Minister also represented President Paul Kagame at the inauguration ceremony.

Kenya

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday (May 20) presided over the operationalization of the first berth of the new Lamu Port, marking a major milestone for the regional Shs 2.5 trillion Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor project (LAPSSET) launched in 2012. When complete, the Shs 310 billion port will have 32 berths, 29 of which will be financed by the private sector, making it the largest deep-water port in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Kenya is seeking to increase cargo movement to Ethiopia using the refurbished Nanyuki railway. Kenya Ports Authority Board Chairman General Joseph Kibwana said on Monday (May 17) plans are underway to have cargo destined for Ethiopia be transported from Mombasa via the Standard Gauge Railway to Nairobi then to Nanyuki via the refurbished railway line. “The cargo will then be moved with truck to Moyale,” he said. General Kibwana said the Kenya Transport and Logistics Network will have a meeting with their Ethiopian counterparts, with a view of agreeing on the planned movement of the cargo.

Somalia

In a piece published on “Foreign Policy,” on Tuesday (May 18), Somalia’s president says entrenched elites are blocking the path toward universal suffrage and insisting on an indirect electoral system that maintains their power. “Somalia’s elections have been delayed not because I wish to cling to power, as some have falsely argued, but because of a political impasse that has led to a division between Somalia’s federal government and some of its member states on the way forward,” he said.

Former Ghanaian President John Mahama has withdrawn his acceptance as a special African Union (AU) envoy to mediate talks over the political crisis in Somalia. In a statement on Thursday (May 20), Mr Mahama noted the lack of support by the Somali federal government. He said the proposed assignment required that he “enjoy the unalloyed support and co-operation of all political stakeholders”. The AU appointed Mr Mahama as its special representative to Somalia on 7 May, but the Horn of Africa country questioned his impartiality.

South Sudan

South Sudan’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Beatrice Khamisa Wani and her Sudanese counterpart, Mariam Al-Saddiq Al-Mahdi held talks on several issues in the capital, Juba on Saturday (May 15). The meeting mainly discussed the bilateral and regional issues of common concern and prospects for cooperation and coordination between Sudan and South Sudan in regional and international issues.

Sudan

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok has expected the creditor nations would cancel 80 per cent of $60 billion debt Sudan owes them next June. Hamdok arrived in Khartoum on Wednesday night (May 19) after his participation in an international conference organized by President Emmanuel Macron to remove Sudan’s foreign debt and attract investments, with the participation of about 40 countries and a global front. Speaking to the press after his return to Khartoum, he said the Paris conference enabled his country to fulfil the fifth and final and final condition before reaching the Decision Point thanks to a 1.5 billion bridge loan from France to clear IMF arrears.

In related news, President Emmanuel Macron on Monday (May 17) pledged that his government will cancel Sudan’s $5 billion debt to France in support of the democratic transition in the East African country. To “allow Sudan to return to the concert of nations,” President Emmanuel Macron in favour of “an outright cancellation of our debt to Sudan,” which is “nearly $5 billion,” said Macron. The Paris-hosted international event aims to free Sudan from the debt burden, paving the way for forgiveness of at least $50-billion of external debt.

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A Summary of Efforts to Ensure Accountability Regarding Violations of International Human Rights Law and Other Legal Norms in the Regional State of Tigray

1. Introduction

It is to be recalled that, in response to the calculated, coordinated, large-scale, treasonous and sudden attack perpetrated against several outposts of the Northern Command of the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) by the Tigray Special Police and Militia of the Tigray Regional State, the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has launched a military operation aimed at:

1. Bringing to justice those who are responsible for planning, organizing and directing the treasonous attack against the ENDF;
2. Restoring the constitutional order and lawful authority within the Tigray Regional State;
3. Neutralizing the grave threat posed by the armed forces organized by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF)  to the security and territorial integrity of Ethiopia that could have had the possibility of endangering the security of the horn of Africa too;
4. Securing the release of members and officers of the ENDF kidnapped and unlawfully detained by the TPLF, and ensure that the men and women of the Ethiopian National Defense Force who have been slain by the TPLF will be laid to rest in accordance with the appropriate cultural norms and in a manner that befits their sacrifice in the line of duty.

This operation dubbed as a Campaign of Law Enforcement was launched with the authorization of the House of Federation, which ordered the Federal Government to conduct a federal intervention in the Tigray Regional State in accordance with Proclamation Number 359/ 2003 [which provides for a system for the intervention of the Federal Government within Regional States inter alia per article 62(9) of the FDRE Constitution]. The operation was also backed by the authorization of the House of Peoples’ Representatives which declared a State of Emergency within the Regional State of Tigray. Hence, the operation was endorsed and authorized by both the upper and lower houses of parliament, although the authorization of one chamber would have been sufficient from a constitutional legality point of view. The State of Emergency declared by the House of Peoples’ Representatives has also authorized the deployment of security and police forces as well as militia from other Regional States to achieve the objectives of the campaign.

Soon after the launch of this campaign, the ENDF issued clear Rules of Engagement, in a small pamphlet that was distributed to all its personnel deployed in the Tigray Regional State. The Rules of Engagement, which the armed men and women of the ENDF were supposed to carry with them at all times, spelt out the basic duties of the service men and women such as the protection of civilians and other pertinent norms of international law applicable in such context. This is in addition to the continuous training and instructions that are given to officers and servicemen on legal rules and principles applicable within the context of armed conflict. Furthermore, the ENDF regularly evaluates the manner in which the troops executed their missions and took remedial actions when the need arose.

In the operation conducted in the Tigray Regional State since November 4, the ENDF has incurred losses and has gone to great lengths to minimize civilian casualties and avoid engaging the enemy within urban settings. For instance, the ENDF’s effort to avoid armed confrontation in cities has largely been successful in sparing the towns of Humera, Sheraro,  Adihageray, Shire, Adewa, Mekelle, Wikro and Abi Adi from the destruction that would have ensued had the ENDF engaged with TPLF forces in these cities.

However, despite the effort of the ENDF to avoid civilian casualties and conduct the operation in line with all applicable national and international legal norms and standards, several allegations concerning the killing of civilians, sexual violence, the looting and destruction of property have been reported by journalists and other entities. The Government of Ethiopia has taken these allegations seriously and has been exerting itself to investigate them thoroughly and ensure accountability as per findings. Parallel, and without prejudice to the preliminary investigation conducted by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission as well as the joint investigation that is now underway by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and the UN Human Rights Commission, the relevant law enforcement agencies have been conducting their own investigations regarding the allegations mentioned above. This brief memo provides a short summary of the legal framework and institutional setup within which these investigations are being carried out. It also provides a brief summary of the progress of the investigations and the challenges faced in the investigation process. The memo indicates the remaining tasks and next steps in these efforts to ensure accountability.

2. Legal Framework and Institutional Setup

Substantive Law: When it comes to the substantive legal rules that are pertinent to  the allegations and reports of atrocities, the relevant legislation is the Criminal Code of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (Proclamation No. 414/2004). This Code incorporates the relevant international legal standards and provides an extensive list of  crimes including War crimes and Crimes Against  Civilian Population, War crimes against Medical Services, Pillage and Looting, Use of Illegal Means of Combat. In stipulating these crimes, the Code clearly makes reference to and incorporates international humanitarian law. As such, there is adequate legal framework within the Ethiopian legal system to ensure accountability in the instances and to the extent the allegations are verified.

Jurisdiction and Mandate: when it comes to procedural issues, particularly jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute, there are three entities that seem to have overlapping mandate and jurisdiction: 1) the military police and prosecutors; 2) the federal police and prosecutors; and 3) the regional police and prosecutors. Therefore, the next section of the memo will highlight the progress made by the military and federal entities in ensuring accountability for crimes that are committed within the context of the conflict in the Regional State of Tigray. The information regarding investigations by regional police and prosecutors is still being compiled. 

3. Efforts, Progress and Results

Military Police and Prosecutors

• The military police and prosecutors have focused their investigation and law enforcement efforts particularly on cases of homicide/ murder of civilians and cases of rape/sexual assaults perpetrated by members of the ENDF.
• Military prosecutors have pressed charges against 28 soldiers who are suspected of killing civilians in a situation where there was no military necessity. The trials of these suspects are underway and the verdicts are expected to be handed down shortly.
• Military prosecutors have pressed charges against 25 soldiers who are suspected of committing acts of sexual violence and rape. The trials of these suspects are underway and the verdicts in these cases are expected to be handed down shortly.
• In addition to the trials underway, three soldiers have already been convicted and sentenced for rape; one soldier has been convicted and sentenced for killing a civilian.
• The military police are also investigating several other cases in which credible allegations of similar crimes have been reported.

Federal Police and Prosecutors

The Federal Police and Federal Prosecutors have focused on allegations of major atrocities that have been reported since the onset of the conflict in the Tigray Regional State. The investigation of alleged atrocities has been carried out in addition to the crimes that are believed to have been committed by those who have perpetrated the attack against the Northern Command of the ENDF.

The first report of major crimes and atrocities to emerge in the Tigray Regional State concerned the killing of several hundreds of civilians in the town of Maikadra. Reports by international human rights organizations and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission brought to light the identity/ethnic based attacks against civilians in the town of Maikadra. A team of federal police investigators and prosecutors were deployed to the area and after extensive investigation involving recording the testimony of 256 witnesses, exhuming and conducting forensic investigation on the remains of victims (conducted by a medical team of forensic experts), the investigation team has ascertained that 229 individuals have been killed and several victims have sustained serious injuries. The investigation team has identified 202 individuals who are believed to have taken part in the commission of this crime. While most of the suspects are believed to have fled to Sudan, 23 have been apprehended so far and the case is being processed for trial with the Federal First Instance Court conducting a preliminary inquiry in the matter in accordance with the request of federal prosecutors who have deemed such inquiry necessary to preserve the testimony of witnesses who might not be available during the trial.

The other report of major crimes and atrocities concerned incidents in the city of Axum. The investigation team consisting of federal police and prosecutors is investigating the incidents that have taken place primarily from the 19th to the 28th of November. The main lines of inquiry so far focus on:

1. Death of civilians and damage to civilian installations, infrastructure and property  caused by heavy shelling: the investigation so far seems to indicate that a total of 8 civilians have been killed as a result of heavy shelling of targets that do not constitute legitimate military targets.
2. Looting and Destruction of Property:  the investigation indicates that there has been looting and destruction of property including the campuses of Axum University, Kdist Maryam Hospital, Berana Hotel.
3. Killing of Civilians [from November 27-28]: the investigation indicates that a total of 110 civilians have been killed on these dates by Eritrean Troops. It was a reprisal for an attack against a contingent of Eritrean troops carried out by a force comprising of the Militia of the Tigray Regional State, the Tigray Special Police force and residents of the city who had been armed by the TPLF and took a two day training. The investigation shows that 70 civilians have been killed in the city while they were outdoors. There are indications that some of these individuals might have been irregular combatants. On the other hand 40 civilians seem to have been taken out of their homes and killed in home to home raids conducted by Eritrean troops. In this investigation, that is still underway, the testimony of 119 witnesses has been recorded, medical records and evidences concerning those who have been injured and received medical treatment has been obtained, video and photographic record of the damage to civilian property and installations has been taken, samples/pieces of shrapnel from the shelling have been secured.

 [The investigation concerning Axum is still underway and incomplete. All findings are tentative and subject to corroboration and confirmation].

4. Next Steps

• Corroborate and confirm witness testimonies obtained in Axum particularly through forensic/medical investigation, if possible by exhuming remains and ascertaining the figure of civilian fatalities
• Finalize the investigation in Axum and identify suspects against whom charges should be brought
• Expand the scope of investigation to other parts of the Region where there have been credible reports of major crimes and atrocities.

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Meeting between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Felix Tshisekedi

Last week on 11 May 2021, Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has received in his Office Felix Tshisekedi, president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (the DRC) who came from similar visits to Cairo and Khartoum in the same week.

The discussion between Dr. Abiy Ahmed and President Tshisekedi was held in a very cordial manner and aimed at facilitating a resolution of the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (the GERD) among Ethiopia, the Sudan, and Egypt.

The President of DRC Felix Tshisekedi briefed Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed on his engagement with Abdul-Fatah Al Sisi as well as the exchange of views ha has held with the Sudanese leadership. On this basis, President Tshisekedi sought the approval of Dr. Abiy Ahmed if he is agreeable to a summit of the leaders of the three countries either in Kinshasa or any other Capital deemed suitable. 

The second request was if there could be a possibility of striking a deal on the filling and operation of the GERD ahead of the second filling that must take place in the upcoming Ethiopian rainy season that would extend from June to September 2021. The President added that the GERD has become an unavoidable reality now so that in line with this inevitable fact, he raised time and again the need to have a summit of Ethiopian, Egyptian and Sudanese leaders.

Dr. Abiy Ahmed was not only candid but also insistent on the principle of an African solution to an African problem. On this basis and after a long deliberation on the matter, the Prime Minister agreed to a summit in Kinshasa to be held immediately after the 6th national elections in Ethiopia. The Prime Minister has underlined that the Declaration of Principles (the DoP) which was signed in March 2015 must and should remain the basis of any negotiations among the three parties.

Furthermore, to the satisfaction of the Ethiopian Government, the expected outcome would cement the long-held Ethiopian position that agreement on the filling of the Dam must be done on stage-based impoundment. Finally, PM Dr. Abiy insisted and President Tshisekedi has concurred that the AU-led facilitation would remain the best and only track to try to narrow differences on the way forward.

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Press statement on the unfair and unwarranted accusations leveled against Ethiopia

17 May 2021

It is indeed regrettable to note these days that there appears to be a concerted campaign to exert undue pressure against Ethiopia. In spite of the relentless efforts by the Ethiopian government to engage positively and constructively on issues and concerns raised by partners, it is being given a cold shoulder. That is why the Ethiopian government is being forced to question the motives of some of the partners, particularly given the public statements and pronouncements they made recently. They seem to be short of showing a genuine desire to understand and help Ethiopia overcome its current challenges; rather, they would only be counterproductive and exacerbating situations. Those statements and pronouncements as well as the fake news and speculations propagated through the media speak volumes in this regard. It is in this relation that the Ethiopian government finds it absolutely necessary, once again, to make its position unequivocally clear on some of the most important and salient issues.

1. On the Humanitarian response in the Tigray region

The Ethiopian government has not only demonstrated its willingness and commitment to work with the international community to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Tigray, but it has also provided full and unhindered access for humanitarian actors to operate in all parts of the region. There were indeed difficulties in accessing some pocket areas because of security issues but that has now been addressed. That is why it is absurd for some partners to continue to lament lack of access in spite of the actual situation on the ground. The challenge at hand is quite to the contrary and it is related to issues of capacity and resource. This is well known by humanitarian actors operating in the region.  Therefore, as the Ethiopian government has made it clear time and again, what actually makes a real difference is for partners to make a timely and effective response to the international appeal by availing more resources to the relief efforts and not repeatedly call for access ad nauseum.

2. On allegations of human rights abuses

On several occasions, the Ethiopian government has also made it clear how it takes any allegations of human rights abuses and crimes extremely seriously. That is why it acted swiftly to undertake the necessary investigation to verify those allegations and bring perpetrators to justice. It is in this context that a team composed of representatives from the Federal Attorney General and the Federal Police Commission had been deployed in the Tigray Region to carry out this investigative work. Last week, they have announced the outcome of their criminal investigations and the actions taken thus far to ensure the necessary accountability in this regard.

On the other hand, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission has been investigating and reporting on human rights issues, including the Mai Kadra massacre, civilian casualties, sexual violence, and allegations of discriminatory treatment. The outcome of these investigations will certainly enable the government to bring the perpetrators to justice and comprehensively address alleged human rights violations and crimes that have occurred in the Tigray region. The EHRC has already publicized some of its preliminary findings and recommendations from its independent investigations. In addition, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights have agreed to conduct joint investigations. Upon the invitation of the Ethiopian government, the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights undertakes its own investigative work. Hence, continuously lamenting about human rights abuses, while the Ethiopian government has shown its unreserved commitment to get to the bottom of the issue and apply the full force of the law in ensuring accountability and justice, serves no other purpose than unnecessarily politicizing the issue and exert undue pressure.

3. On calls for Ceasefire and national dialogue

The Ethiopian government has been consciously working to promote national dialogue build the necessary national consensus in the country to chart a better way forward. In this relation, it organized series of discussions to engage with wider sections of the Ethiopian society, including opposition political parties, the academic community, Civil Society Organizations, and various representatives of the society, including women and the youth with a view to promoting a culture of peace and reconciliation, and build civic political culture. The significance of these discussions as the country gears up to hold national elections cannot be over-emphasized.

In addition, the Ethiopian government has also shown its readiness to engage with legal opposition parties, members of the civil society, the private sector, elders, scholars, prominent personalities, and others in the Tigray region to promote dialogue. High-level engagement has already started based on a roadmap developed by the relevant Ethiopian authorities. However, it should be clear that the push by partners to involve the TPLF in this national dialogue process is unacceptable. TPLF is an outlawed group, which endangered the country’s sovereignty and its constitutional order. The Ethiopian parliament recently passed a decision labelling it as a Terrorist Organization. That is why the Ethiopian government utterly rejects the repeated call by partners to cease hostilities and negotiate with the TPLF.

4. On allegations of clampdown on dissent

The unwarranted and unsubstantiated allegations on the stifling of dissent and a crackdown on journalists that some media outlets propagate these days, while the country gears up to hold national elections, has no other purpose than to tarnish the government’s image and undermine the electoral process. Nothing can be further from the truth. This is indeed a government, which has rescued the country from the abyss and opened up the political space to safeguard greater peace, freedom, and democracy. Its reform credentials have also been well recognized not only domestically but also internationally.

This said, the Ethiopian government is the first to acknowledge that its reform efforts have not been without challenges. But it is determined to redouble these efforts with all the necessary vigor. That is why it is doing everything possible to make sure that the upcoming elections are conducted in a peaceful, transparent, and credible manner. The expectation is that this will usher in a new era of democratic dispensation to meet the hopes and aspirations of the Ethiopian people for lasting peace, freedom, and democracy.

One thing is for sure though building and nurturing a fully-fledged democracy and political culture is essentially a homegrown process, and it cannot be achieved through external pressure. The fundamental basis for the promotion of democracy is indeed the respect for constitutionality and the rule of law. And the primary responsibility of ensuring the necessary compliance in this regard certainly rests with the government.

What needs to be made clear here is that the Ethiopian government has no desire to clamp down on dissent. Otherwise, it would not have invited most of the opposition groups and politicians as well as journalists, activists and others who were in exile to return to their country and operate freely. It knows full well that this approach has been tried and tested in the past but failed.

The government does not believe that there are journalists or politicians jailed because of their political views and opinions. Those behind the bar are accused of violating the law. Therefore, they will have their day in court and the law will set them free if they are found not guilty. As far as foreign journalists are concerned, the government believes that it is not too much to ask them to strictly abide by the law of the land in carrying out their journalistic work. Those who do so have been operating without any difficulty. But it should be clear that the government is duty-bound to take the necessary legal action on those who are not willing and ready to comply with the law.

5. On attempts to meddle in Ethiopia’s Internal affairs

There have also been repeated attempts to make unwarranted statements on Ethiopia’s internal affairs, particularly in relation to the Amhara regional forces. Ethiopia is a sovereign nation, and it cannot accept any dictates from outside on how to manage its own internal affairs. The Ethiopian government wants to make it abundantly clear once again that deploying the necessary security structures and means available in ensuring the rule of law within all corners of its borders is within its sole responsibility. It is mandated by the Constitution to ensure peace and security against any threats to the Constitutional order of the country. It is in this context that the Federal government has been undertaking the rule of law operations in Tigray.

While it is the desire of the Ethiopian government to remain always ready and open to engage with partners on issues of mutual interest and concern, it will be forced to reassess its relations if these attempts to interfere in its internal affairs continue unabated.  It is indeed unfortunate that some partners chose to dwell on internal matters of Ethiopia. One can’t be indifferent when Ethiopia is flagrantly invaded while purporting to have too much concern about and trying to unduly delve into its internal matters; for doing so simply bears duplicity. That is why the Ethiopian government rejects those statements, which are not only inappropriate but also completely unacceptable.

Spokesperson Office

17 May 2021

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