EHRCO Says Ethnic and Religious Conflict Reach A Serious Stage
In its 38th report on human rights violations in Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO) expressed concern over the exasperating situation of ethnic and religious conflicts in the country.
"Negligence on the part of government bodies and officals and their act of siding with one group during conflicts have led observers to believe that those ethnic and religious conflicts were premeditated acts. The EHRCO has time and again made it a point that these acts by the government have serious implications and would lead the country to a precarious state", the report by EHRCO said.
The report went on to say that "ethnic and religious conflicts have transpired in recent times in the country due to the ethnic policy followed by the ruling party. And the public could not take part in the search for solutions as the government has repeatedly covered up those incidents". Substantiating this statement, EHRCO said the president of the Oromia Regional State has admitted the prevalence of conflict between Amhara and Oromo nationals in East Wollega after "a year of silence".
The report said ethnic conflicts have led to the death of a considerable number of people, and many sustained serious injuries while property worth thousands of birr have been destroyed.
The report listed 100 Amhara nationals killed during the recent conflict in Gida Keramu Woreda, East Wollega Zone. The elite police in the area have used rocket propelled grenades, mortars and machine guns against the Amhara nationals who have very little weapons of defense, according to the report.
The over 10,900 displaced Amharas from East Wollega have travelled on foot 110kms to reach Bure town in the Amhara Regional State where they are now in makeshift shelters, EHRCO said and added that there has been an inflow of displaced Amhara nationals to the town while it was in the process filing the report.
EHRCO also said three of its staff who were sent to East Wollega to compile the report were imprisoned and their rights violated by government officials and militia in the area.
Regarding the religious conflict in Harar during the epiphany celebrations in January, the report, quoting information obtained from a hospital in the town, put the number of dead to three while eight sustained serious injury and over fifty people treated for minor injuries. In another incident in East Shewa the same day, four people died and five others were seriously injured, according to the report.
The ERHCO called on the government to bring to justice those individuals, government officials and members of the militia who are responsible for the death of people and destruction of properties.
It also called for the compensation to those families who were victims of the atrocities and the rehabilitation of citizens displaced due to the conflict
I don't trust the report.But, for practical reasons, would you please give us the specifictime of the incident and the date the report was released? My assumption is that you are trying to recycle such old reports(indeed mostly fabricated for political reasons by Prof. Mesfin&co) to incite other violence.
Do me favor by just telling us the exact time so that we can comment on the issue.
This is the legacy of Meles Zenawi. His pseudo intellectuual foot soldiers are fostering hate politics on this forum. His cadres and soldiers are fostering hate politics on the ground. He will face international court for genocide. Let us see if the alleged Lawyer Ibrahim can represent him.
Great leaders unite people and create peace among ethnic groups to live in peace. What a sad story. This is what we get from Meles. We lived for hundreds of years with peace now this horrible news. What a monster! And a hateful person Meles is to allow this kind of genocide to one ethnic group. Meles is a bloodthirsty monster. I feel bad for my country Ethiopia and the innocent people who lost their lives because of pure hate and devilish act. What a horrible leader!!
