Latest Posts

79th Special Report: Human Rights Violations Committed by Government Security Forces In Dire Dawa Town

Posted on 21st September 2004 by HRCO
Categories: Press Releases, Special Report
Posted on: Sep 21, 2004
Region: Dire Dawa

“On 1Septmber 2004 at about 7:00 a.m. customs police in Dire Dawa town had broken into closed shops in a place known as Ashewa Garment Market. Then they started collecting garments and other textile items displayed for sale with a view to confiscating them. But before the customs police completed the search and confiscation of the goods, owners of the shops arrived and objected to the taking away of their property. Representatives of the shop owners asked the customs police officer commanding the operation why the police were taking their commodities. The commanding officer told the shop owners that they (police) were confiscating only contraband goods and would not touch an item that is legitimately acquired by the merchants. Calmed down by this reply, the shop owners agreed to the search.

However, police tried to take goods that the owners claim to be legitimate telling that they were bought from the customs office itself during auctions and from legitimate dealers in Addis Ababa. The owners objected to the confiscation of those goods and a dispute ensued as police continued the confiscation ignoring the claims of the owners. Then, police tried to disperse the owners and the crowd by clubbing and firing in the air. Members of the defense forces arrived after a while as a reinforcement. Then, police and members of the defense force opened fire indiscriminately. Six persons were killed and 19 others sustained heavy and light injuries by bullets fired by police and members of the defense force. A few policemen were also slightly injured. The customs police took property belonging to the merchants estimated at 30,000 birr. Damage was also caused to other property of an unknown value.”

Read more here

77th Special Report: Stop The Illegal Arrests Being Committed By Government Security Forces

Posted on 19th April 2004 by HRCO
Categories: Press Releases, Special Report
Posted on: Apr 19, 2004
Region: Addis Ababa, Oromia

“EHRCO had denounced the illegal arrest and detention of persons of Oromo decent following the student protests in different parts of Oromia that had ignited following the decision taken by Addis Ababa University to suspend and dismiss Oromo students. The illegal arrests and incommunicado detention of Oromos from homes and working places have continued unabated until the present. Apart from the illegal arrests, the detainees had been denied their rights to be visited by their families and counsels for days after their arrest.”

To read the full report click here

 

76th Special Report: Human Rights Violations Occurred During Clashes Between Students and Security Forces in Oromia Region

Posted on 5th April 2004 by HRCO
Categories: Publications, Special Report
Posted on: Apr 5, 2004
Region: Oromia

“The Cause of the Clashes

Students in different towns of the Oromia region staged demonstrations to protest the measures taken in January by Addis Ababa University to suspend and dismiss some Oromo students and the decision of the Oromia State Council to transfer the capital city of Oromia to Adama.In most of the towns the students clashed with security forces who tried to disperse them.

The Clashes in Ambo town

Starting from 8:30 a.m. on 25 February 2004,students of Ambo Secondary School gathered in the school compound chanting slogans. They threw stones at other students who were attending classes. Stones shattered glasses of windows. As the actions of the students grew more and more violent, police entered the school compound and stopped the disturbances. Police also arrested three students on that day. The protests in the schools continued almost daily resulting in the frequent disruption of the educational process.

On 4 March 2004, starting from 8:30 A.M.students of Ambo Secondary and Addis Ketema Elementary schools were marching to the center of the town after gathering in their respective schools. Members of the Oromia Police force tried to disperse the protesters by firing in the air. They also clubbed and whisked many students. The protesting students threw stones at the policemen. Stones hit passing vehicles. The police finally managed to put the situation under control.

In the days that followed, police hunted down several students entering residential houses during day and night times and arrested several students. Classes were interrupted as this report is being prepared.”

Read more here

76th Special Report: Human Rights Violations Occurred During Clashes Between Students and Security Forces in Oromia Region

Posted on 5th April 2004 by HRCO
Categories: Special Report
Posted on: Apr 5, 2004
Region: Oromia

“The Cause of the Clashes

Students in different towns of the Oromia region staged demonstrations to protest the measures taken in January by Addis Ababa University to suspend and dismiss some Oromo students and the decision of the Oromia State Council to transfer the capital city of Oromia to Adama.In most of the towns the students clashed with security forces who tried to disperse them.

The Clashes in Ambo town

Starting from 8:30 a.m. on 25 February 2004,students of Ambo Secondary School gathered in the school compound chanting slogans. They threw stones at other students who were attending classes. Stones shattered glasses of windows. As the actions of the students grew more and more violent, police entered the school compound and stopped the disturbances. Police also arrested three students on that day. The protests in the schools continued almost daily resulting in the frequent disruption of the educational process.

To read more click here

 

75th Special Report: Reveal The Condition And Whereabouts of Citizens Illegally Taken By Government Security Forces

Posted on 25th March 2004 by HRCO
Categories: Featured, Press Releases, Special Report
Posted on: Mar 25, 2004
Region: Addis Ababa, Oromia

“It is to be recalled that following the protests by Oromo students of Addis Ababa University as of 18 January 2004, Oromo students were arrested by police and dismissed from their studies by the university administration. In its 74th Special Report issued on 10 February 2004, EHRCO denounced the illegal measures taken by the security forces and the university officials. It also urged the government to seek just and amicable solutions taking the seriousness of the problem into account.

Nevertheless, as sufficient measures were not taken, the problem remained unresolved, the protests of students has spread to schools and higher learning institutions in different towns of the Oromia Region. And as a result of actions taken by security forces many students were arrested and tortured. Bullets fired by the police killed at least one student. There have also been frequent interruptions of the educational process.

The problem has been aggravated and is taking a dangerous course in causing further violations of the human rights. As this report is being prepared, individuals of Oromo descent, living in Addis Ababa and outside are being illegally taken by government security forces and detained incommunicado in utter violation of Art.17 (1) of the FDRE Constitution which stipulates that “No one shall be deprived of his or her liberty except on grounds and in accordance with such procedure as are established by law.” And Art.9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states, “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.”

Read more here

 

 

Observation Report: On the Somali Regional State Wereda Councils Elections

Posted on 15th February 2004 by HRCO
Categories: Reports, Special Report
Posted on: Feb 15, 2004
Region: Somali
250px-Somali_in_Ethiopia.svg
Somali Region of Ethiopia

“Assisting the realization of a democratic system is one of the fundamental objectives of EHRCO. We realize that raising public awareness on election is one way of achieving this end. Accordingly EHRCO had been conducting voters’education programs in different parts of the country. As regards election observation, EHRCO observed and issued reports on the general election conducted in 2000, the reelection in SNNPR in the same year, the wereda and kebele elections in Feb, 2001 and the zone, wareda and kebele councils elections in December 2002.In all these elections, EHRCO trained 943 independent observers and assigned them in different parts of the country to observe the elections.”

To read the full report click here Somali