Statement for Oral Presentation, June 16, 2014
By Mr. Garoma Wakessa, Executive Director, Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA)
Agenda Item 3: Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development – Ethiopia
Thank You, Mr. Chairman,
The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa is highly concerned about the extreme violations of fundamental rights by the Ethiopian Government against Oromo students of universities, colleges, and high schools particularly in the past two months. The harsh crackdown against the Oromo students, which resulted in the death of more than 34 youth and the arrest and detention of many others happened following a peaceful protest by the Oromo students and the Oromo people against the Integrated Master Plan of Addis Ababa, which aimed at the annexation of 36 towns of Oromia to the Capital Addis Ababa at the cost of evictions of hundreds of thousands of Oromos from their properties and long-time livelihoods without their consultations and consents.
The Integrated Mater Plan of the Capital was confronted even by the Oromo people Democratic Organization (OPDO), the Oromo-wing of the ruling EPRDF party, before triggering wide-spread protest among the Oromos of all walks of life. The HRLHA would like to remind everyone that the absolutely peaceful protests by Oromo students against such undemocratic plan and action could in no way be a criminal offence that invites extra-judicial actions against these innocent young people.
Mr. Chairman,
The currently ongoing human rights abuse against Oromo students is indeed a continuation of the gross human rights abuses that have been being perpetuated against Oromo students of universities, colleges, and high schools in the past seven years. During those years, hundreds Oromo youth have been killed in the same manner, and thousands of others have been thrown into jails, where most of them are still languishing. The HRLHA demands that this deliberate and well planned action, which is victimizing the young generation, and which is equivalent of ethnic cleansing be halted.
By killing, torturing and detaining non-violent protesters, the government of Ethiopia is breaching:
1. The constitution of the country, articles 29 and 30, which grants basic democratic rights to the Ethiopian citizens without distinction .
2. All international and regional human rights instruments that Ethiopia signed and the UN Human Rights council 19th and 25th sessions resolutions that calls the States in context of peaceful protests, to promote and protect all human rights and to prevent all human rights violations.
Mr. Chairman,
The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa is also very concerned about the deteriorating human rights situations which increases political instabilities in Ethiopia and calls upon the UN Human Rights Council, to which is Ethiopia is a member, to:
● Urge the Ethiopian authorities to deliver their responsibilities under domestic, regional and international obligations to protect and promote all human rights
● Call upon the government of Ethiopia to allow independent investigators into the crimes committed areas against Oromo Students by the government armed forces particularly in Ambo, Robe , Nekemt and Haromaya, and disclose the findings to the public.
Thank you!
