HRLHA’s Statement _________________________________________________________________
April 30, 2018
The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa – HRLHA- expresses its appreciation for the Ethiopian government’s bold and unusual initiative of inviting the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights – UN HCHCR- Mr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein to visit Ethiopia started on April 22, 2018. In a total departure from the previous policy of the government, which did not only refuse to allow the UN High Commissioner and other UN experts to visit Ethiopia but also categorically denied the existence of political prisoners in the country, the Prime Minister has now invited the High Commissioner into the country. The government facilitated the meeting of the High Commissioner with leaders of the opposition, with former political prisoners and the “Abba Gadaas”. The HRLHA also learned that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights signed an Agreement/Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to open a regional office in Addis Abeba.
The initiative by the government to invite the High Commissioner followed the assumption of office by the newly elected Prime minister, which presupposes that it is the new administration, which decided to invite the High Commissioner for which it should be commended.
The HRLHA understands that the piled political problem in the country which has been the cause of gross violations of human rights, may not be solved in a short period of time or by simply involving the UN Human Rights office in the country. It requires a substantive undertaking by the government to establish a genuine institution that is capable of building the culture of respect for human rights.
The HRLHA is of the view that such a deep-rooted change in society requires establishing and building the capacities of independent human rights institutions. Existing national Human Rights institutions which were created by TPLF led-regime, to cover its human rights abuses, should be replaced by new independent institutions populated by independent experts and human rights activists loyal only to the Constitution and the international human rights standards to which Ethiopia signatory.
The HRLHA, while commending the Ethiopian Prime Minister’s bold initiative to invite the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to open its office in Ethiopia, recommends that the government releases political prisoners who are victims of human rights abuses in the country.
Ethiopia: The Government Should Keep up its Promise to Open UN Human Rights Office Branch In Ethiopia
