Ethiopian Human Rights Commission said it has been studying the human rights situation in Oromia region between the months of July and November this year
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Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRCO) on Wednesday released a statement regarding the human rights situation in the Oromo region of Ethiopia.
It highlighted the statement it issued in July of this year, which talked about rights violations by armed groups in the Oromo region, the dangerous situation of the right to life, displacement and looting.
EHRCO also said that it has recommended that the Federal and regional authorities pay compensation to the victims and find lasting solutions for recurring violence in the region and take proactive security measures to avert any more attacks on civilians.
It is said that the rights group has also been following violence and attacks in the Oromia region between July and November of this year. In the areas where the organization can not deploy investigators due to security reasons, it gathered information from victims’ families, displaced people and eyewitnesses.
Its finding is, based on the statement, that conflict and violence areas in the region are widening. The frequency of violence has been increasing.
Horo Guduru, East Wollega, North Shoa, Qelem Wollega, Ilu Aba Bora, Buno Bedele, East Shoa, West Shoa, South West Shoa, Arsi zone, the two Guji zones and districts in there – have all seen violence or rights abuse situation.
Kiramu, Gida Ayana, Alge, Hurumu, Amuru, Horo Buleq, Jardaga Jarte, Bost, Gindeberet, Chobi, Dear, Kuye, Merti, Jeju, and Arsi zone neighboring areas are some of the areas that the report mentioned as having security problems and rights violations. ( To see the full list of the areas, consult the Amharic report is available HERE )
Another key finding is that the type and number of armed groups in the Oromo region have increased and that there were times when the armed groups entirely controlled a locality or even district.
EHRCO sees four armed groups in the region. Government security forces, groups armed by the government to protect themselves from armed groups’ attacks, armed groups that are said to have come from Amhara region and Oromo Liberation Army are the major armed groups.
EHRCO is saying that the situation has worsened the human rights situation. Civilians have been killed and displaced as a result of fighting between armed groups and also as a result of direct attacks by armed groups. Some rural communities had been entirely destroyed.
It cited what it called information it gathered from informants to report that there have been summary executions (by different groups), airstrikes by the government that failed to properly identify targeted armed groups, arbitrary arrest and torturing of suspects. For EHRCO, some of the actions could erode trust in security forces.
Residents in different parts of the region are also experiencing service disruption due to the security situation.
Most of the conflicts and attacks in the region are ethnic-based attacks. Hundreds of civilians were killed in a horrifying manner. However, EHRCO did not employ the term “ethnic cleansing” or “genocide. The Commission rather described them as “Grave violations of Human Rights.”
The statement also talked about rights violations in areas where there is no violence and conflict. Ransom kidnappings, looting and destruction of properties.
EHRCO says protecting the security of civilians in the places mentioned above and coordinating the provision of humanitarian assistance to those displaced need urgency.
It recommended an ad-hoc structure drawn from Federal and regional security officials, and relevant governmental and non-governmental organizations (including from representatives of victims) to create the security situation needed for the work.
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