There are concerns over the recent escalation of abductions and attacks being carried out by armed groups in Ethiopia’s Oromia region.
Development Diaries reports that the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO), in a statement, said armed groups have been engaging in disappearances, torture, arbitrary arrests, and other forms of abuse.
Government forces and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) armed group have been fighting in parts of the region since 2019.
It is understood that despite repeated appeals to the federal and regional authorities to intervene and halt these activities, attacks on Ethiopian citizens and foreigners persist unabated.
According to EHRCO, abductees often endure torture, cruel treatment, and detainment under inhumane conditions, constituting severe crimes against human dignity.
This demonstrates a failure to adequately protect human rights and ensure security.
Although enforced disappearance is considered a serious offence in Ethiopia, the country has yet to ratify the international convention for the protection of all persons from enforced disappearance.
The convention clearly defines enforced disappearance as a violation of human rights and mandates that states hold perpetrators legally accountable.
Development Diaries calls on the federal and regional authorities in the country to promptly bring individuals responsible for these crimes to justice and implement measures to safeguard communities from further threats.
Photo source: HRW
