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36th Special Report: For a Sure and Lasting Peace

Posted on 25th December 2000 by HRCO
Categories: Press Releases, Reports, Special Report
Posted on: Dec 25, 2000
Region:
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika (C) stands between Eritrean President Isayas Afewerki (L) who shakes hands with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi (R) after signing peace agreements December 12, 2000. Ethiopia and Eritrea formally ended their two-year border war after months of mediation by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the United Nations and the United States.
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika (C) stands between Eritrean President Isayas Afewerki (L) who shakes hands with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi (R) after signing peace agreements December 12, 2000.

“On 12 December 2000, the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea signed a peace treaty in Algiers. To the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO), the mere fact that both governments have signed the peace treaty is a good start. EHRCO would like to express its hope that future negotiations between the two governments result in a lasting and certain peace.

The protracted war that has been going in the region has killed, disabled, and displaced thousands of citizens, has destroyed lots of private and public property and hindered development efforts. It is an irrefutable fact that the destruction caused by the recent and relatively short war was appalling. That is why that the December 12 peace agreement between the two countries becomes a hopeful sign for the respect and protection of the human and civil rights of citizens.”

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35th Special Report: Ethnic Conflict A Dangerous Problem of the Utmost Concern

Posted on 2nd November 2000 by HRCO
Categories: Commentaries, Special Report
Posted on: Nov 2, 2000
Region: Amhara, Oromia, Southern Nations

“For generations, members of the Geri and Borena Oromo lived in Arero Wereda, Borena Zone in Oromiya region. Both ethnic groups are represented in the executive body of the wereda council. While working together in the council, they were faced with a serious problem that they were unable to resolve. This problem had to do with ownership of land which both groups claimed beginning from 1991. To date, the wereda council has been unable to resolve this dispute over land. The Borena Oromo have since been telling the Geri saying, “The land on which you are now living has been ours for a long time. At the present moment you are using our grazing land and water wells”, telling them at the same time to vacate the area. The Geri, on their part, refused to leave the area, asserting that the land is also theirs. After that, the dispute between the two ethnic groups worsened and led to a serious conflict.

The misunderstanding and hatred between the two groups that had been muffled for many years finally broke out in the violent attack of the Geri by the Borena at about 9 o’clock in the evening of September 7, 2000. A coalition of some 60 Borena and Guji Oromo, armed with modern and traditional weapons, attacked Geri residents of Meta Gefersa in Borena Zone, Arero Wereda, causing considerable destruction to human life and property.”

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34th Special Report: Serious Destructions Resulting from Ethnic Governance

Posted on 18th September 2000 by HRCO
Categories: Special Report
Posted on: Sep 18, 2000
Region: Oromia

“Recently, members of wereda councils went around their respective weredas and, mobilising the people, committed serious infringements against those peasants who had come from the Amhara Region and settled in Eastern Wellega. This illegal action is a result of leadership based on ethnicity.Beginning in March 2000, council members as well as administrative officials in Eastern Wellega in general and especially in Seredeno, Abidengero, Ghida Kiramo, and Awaro weredas, caused the burning of houses and churches, the looting of household and church property, including cattle and other domestic animals, the illegal detention, beating and wounding of people whose exact number is unknown at present as well as the death of eight Amhara peasants who had been either displaced from their original region or brought for resettlement purposes. Eight persons were also killed in the conflict.”

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33rd Special Report: Repeated Violation of the Freedom of Expression

Posted on 1st May 2000 by HRCO
Categories: Commentaries, Special Report
Posted on: May 1, 2000
Region: Oromia, Southern Nations

“As much as man has been endowed with the ability to think, the right to freely express the product of his thought is a natural and inalienable right. The Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO) believes that the stifling of the free expression of thought is harmful more to society in general than to the individual human being whose right to that freedom has been violated. As a result, EHRCO has repeatedly condemned the illegal actions of government officials with respect to the freedom of thought and expression. In providing its advice repeatedly, EHRCO had hoped that those bodies that suppress the freedom of thought and expression would realise that their illegal actions violate the natural and fundamental rights of citizens and would, consequently, refrain from such actions. The recent violations of this right of elders in North Omo, students and residents of Ambo, students and teachers in East Wellega attest to the fact that citizens’ freedom of thought and expression in the country is under a serious threat. In its 27th special report issued on December 13, 1999 and titled ‘’Human Rights Violations in North Omo’’, in its 31st special report issued on April 20, 2000 entitled ‘’Human Rights Violations in Ambo’’, as well as others, EHRCO had shown that using various pretexts, government officials and armed security officers have taken different illegal actions against citizens and especially students and teachers who had tried to express their thoughts peacefully.”

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32nd Special Report: A Dispute Over Land Demanding an Urgent Attention

Posted on 25th April 2000 by HRCO
Categories: Commentaries, Special Report
Posted on: Apr 25, 2000
Region: Amhara, Oromia

“Members of Sama Qebele Peasant Association in Minjar Shenkora Wereda, Semen Shewa, Amhara Administrative Region, live adjacent to members of Amecha Jawis Peasant Association, Misraq Shewa Zone, Oromiya Administrative Region. A dispute over land that arose between the two neighbouring people has created serious problems. The Amhara and Oromo peasants living in the above-mentioned weredas have long been bonded by marriage and culture. Over the years they have been settling their misunderstandings and disputes through their respective elders as dictated by cultural heritages. Recently, however, the border dispute in which they found themselves as of recent years is diverting their hitherto amicable relationship into a dangerous direction. By magnifying the differences between the two neighbouring people, ethnically biased government officials and cadres are leading them toward a potentially dangerous ethnic conflict.”

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30th Special Report: An Urgent Call for Peace

Posted on 24th April 2000 by HRCO
Categories: Special Report
Posted on: Apr 24, 2000
Region: Addis Ababa

“The current conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea is now close to two years old. In that period, thousands have been killed, disabled, and displaced.

Eritrea army3

 

Considerable private and public property has been destroyed and development efforts have been disrupted. What is even more worrying now is the fact that the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea are preparing

for yet another all-out war. EHRCO feels that should such a full-blown war be allowed to recur, the consequences will be even more devastating. Consequently, EHRCO would like to make this urgent call to all concerned to help bring about a peaceful and fair resolution of the conflict.”

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