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74th Special Report: Human Rights Violation Committed Against Oromo Students of A AU

Posted on 10th February 2004 by HRCO
Categories: Press Releases, Special Report
Posted on: Feb 10, 2004
Region: Addis Ababa, Oromia

“According to information gathered from the detained students, the number of students that had been detained by police and received heavy physical punishments is about 494.EHRCO could get the names of 349 until the time of preparing this report. A complete list could not be found as the students were disbanded and could not be traced.

The Addis Ababa Police told EHRCO that it has 8 students arrested on 18 January and they all appeared before a court on 19 January.EHRCO visited the detained students at their place of detention at the Addis Ababa Police headquarters. The judge at the Addis Ababa City Court allowed the 14 days requested by the police to conduct its investigation and remanded the suspects in custody until 2 February 2004.The detainees appeared before the judge on 2 February and another 14 days was allowed to the police, as it did not complete its investigation.

Another 15 students who were among the hundreds of students detained at the Kolfe Police training Camp, appeared before the Addis Ababa City Court Mexico square division on 24 January 2004.The court remanded them in custody upon the request of police for 14 days to conduct investigation. EHRCO has been following up the situation. The 23 students listed in tables 1 and 2 have been detained at the Addis Ababa Police headquarters.”

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73rd Special Report: Another Round of Ethnic Conflict Flared up In West Harrarghe Zone

Posted on 24th January 2004 by HRCO
Categories: Featured, Press Releases, Special Report
Posted on: Jan 24, 2004
Region: Oromia, Somali

“In its 71st Special Report issued on 30 December 2003 EHRCO reported that an ethnic conflict had flared up between Oromo and Somali tribes. It was stated in the report that 19 persons were killed 21 sustained injuries; a woman was gang raped, 387 houses were burnt down and 34 camels were looted. EHRCO also urged pertinent regional and federal authorities to take urgent measures and particularly

  • give due attention to the border disputes between the two regional states on some kebeles in Meisso wereda and investigate other causes of the problem
  • take lasting legal measures that could help to avoid further damages
  • bring to justice those who are involved in the killings and other human rights violations and to give assistance to those displaced due to the conflict.
    However, the conflicts that were temporarily stopped by the intervention of the defense force have escalated once again and resulted in the death and injury of several persons and damage of property. The cause and specific details of the casualties are presented as follows.

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Ferocious 72nd Special Report: Attack Committed In Gambella Region 72nd Special Report

Posted on 5th January 2004 by HRCO
Categories: Commentaries, Featured, Special Report
Posted on: Jan 5, 2004
Region: Gambela

” The indigenous people in Gambella Region are the Anuak, the Nuer, the Komo, the Medjenger and the Oppo.People that moved from the different parts of the country and who live in the region are referred to as “highlanders” or people from the center. Though all the indigenous ethnic groups are represented in the regional government structure, the top positions are held by the Anuak and the Nuer.

The “highlanders” have long been complaining that repeated human rights violations and injustices were benig committed against them by some officials of the region that belong to the Agnuak ethnic group. They also tell that their repeated petitions to the Federal as well as the Regional officials have fallen on deaf ears. As a result tension has been created between the Anuaks on the one hand, and people from other ethnic groups living in the region.

The ‘highlanders’ complain that apart from the ethnic based discrimination that they have been subjected to, the periodic killings and looting launched against them by unidentified armed groups in the region have precipitated the situation into an all-out clash. The failure on the part of the Regional Government to apprehend and to bring to justice those armed groups has also contributed a lot to the worsening of the situation by the day. It was in such time of heightened hostility among the different ethnic groups in the region that the conflicts escalated and turned into a violent clash.

On 17 November 2003, in a place named Abebo, 40 kilometers from Gambella town, unidentified armed men killed in cold blood, five people who work for a construction company called Satcon.”

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71st Special Report: An Ethnic Conflict Flared up in West Harrarghe Zone

Posted on 30th December 2003 by HRCO
Categories: Press Releases, Special Report
Posted on: Dec 30, 2003
Region: Dire Dawa, Oromia, Somali

“Since the coming into effect of ethnic and language based division of administrative units, several ethnic and religious conflicts have occurred in many parts of the country. The conflicts between Amhara and Oromo, Oromo and Somali, Oromo and Gedio, Wolayita and Gamo, Wolayita and Sidama, Anuak and Nuer, Surma and Dizzi tribes can be cited as examples. As a result of these conflicts several people were killed and wounded and property worth millions was damaged.

EHRCO has investigated the conflicts when they occurred and reported its findings in its regular and special reports. It also urged all concerned bodies to appreciate the seriousness of the situation and take the necessary measures that would bring about an end to these series of clashes before they spread all over the country and cause irreparable damages. However, due to the failure of all concerned government bodies to take measures, ethnic conflicts have continued to arise in increasing gravity and frequency. One of such conflicts recently broke out between Oromo and Somali tribes in West Harrarghe Zone, Meisso wereda. Several persons were killed and many sustained injuries; and property was destroyed. The following is an account of the cause of the conflict and the consequent damage.”

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69th Special Report:Lift The Ban On The Ethiopian Free Press Journalists’ Association!

Posted on 29th December 2003 by HRCO
Categories: Featured, Laws, Special Report
Posted on: Dec 29, 2003
Region: Addis Ababa

“One of the manifestations of a democratic system is that the human and democratic rights of individuals and groups are respected without restrictions. It is EHRCO’s belief that the constitutional recognition and guarantee of these rights is not enough. It must also be made a point of concern that legislations enacted for the purpose of facilitating the exercise of these rights have been incorporated in them in their entirety.

Article 31 of the FDRE Constitution stipulates, “Every person has the right to freedom of association for any cause or purpose. Organisations formed in violation of appropriate laws, or to illegally subvert the constitutional order, or to promote such activities are prohibited.”Moreover, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which is ratified by Ethiopia and made part of the Constitution, provides in Article22 (2) that no restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right (freedom of association) other than those in the interest of national security or public safety, public order, the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. The Federal Constitution is the supreme law of the land. Accordingly, as it is clearly stipulated in Article 9 of this Constitution “…Any law, customary practice or decision of an organ of state or a public official which contravenes this Constitution shall be of no effect.”

Groupings and associations that are formed in line with the freedom of association recognized by the Constitution have to be able to be managed and controlled by persons who have agreed to the terms of their regulations and become members of them. Whatever the purpose of the associations, any government body should not interfere in their internal affairs. As the government has the responsibility to make every effort to promote and encourage civil societies, it should not go beyond issuing certificates of registration ensuring that after the associations are not formed for illegal purposes. Any administrative or other interference by the government is unacceptable as it stifles the free exercise of the constitutionally recognized freedom of association.”

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70th Special Report: Stop Violating Citizens’ Rights To Education

Posted on 13th December 2003 by HRCO
Categories: Press Releases, Special Report
Posted on: Dec 13, 2003
Region: Addis Ababa

“Government policies concerning the economic, social and political affairs of citizens have to be designed and implemented in line with the constitutionally guaranteed human and democratic rights. Moreover, it is imperative that government policies be designed taking into account the existing realties and the full participation of the public. The Ethiopian government has expressed on various occasions that it has designed different policies that would speed up the country’s economic and social development. One of these policies is the Education and Training Policy, which has come into effect a few years ago.

It is to be recalled that some of the students who completed grade 10 in the year 2001 were made to continue studies in the academic stream. According to the plan these students were supposed to take the Ethiopian Higher Education Entrance Certificate Examination after two years of stay in the preparatory classes. Accordingly, the Exam was administered all over the country for the first time in the year 2003.Following this, the Ministry of Education issued a statement regarding the prerequisites necessary to be placed in the government higher learning institutions for those who took the entrance Exam. According to the statement, those who have scored 101 and above (out of 400) in the entrance exam can apply for degree programs in government higher learning institutions.”

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