UN report exposes Ethiopia’s escalating human rights crisis; state forces responsible for 70% of violations in 2023

[Deeq A.]

According to a recent report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, 594 incidents of human rights violations and abuses affecting 8,253 victims occurred in 2023. The report indicated that government forces were allegedly responsible for 70% of these violations, impacting 7,103 victims. (Photo: China Daily)
Addis Abeba – A recent United Nations report has highlighted the troubling human rights situation in Ethiopia throughout 2023. Despite notable improvements in the Tigray region following the implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA), the report expresses grave concerns regarding the repercussions of violent clashes, particularly in the Amhara and Oromia regions.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released a 24-page report today, documenting 594 incidents of human rights violations and abuses affecting 8,253 victims over the past year. This represents a significant 55.9% increase compared to the previous year.
Defense Force (ENDF), federal and regional police forces, as well as state-affiliated militia groups, were allegedly responsible for 70% of these violations, impacting 7,103 victims.

On the other hand, non-state armed groups accounted for 22.3% of the incidents, with 25 incidents specifically attributed to the Eritrean Defense Forces operating in the Tigray region.

The situation in the Amhara region was particularly concerning, according to the report.

total of 740 civilian deaths were recorded in the region during 2023, with the majority attributed to government security forces engaged in fighting against the Fano militia group.

The report additionally documented 366 civilian deaths in the Oromia region, where clashes between government forces and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) persisted throughout the year. Among those killed in Oromia, 46 were women.

Besides the ongoing conflict between government forces and the OLA, the report also highlighted inter-ethnic clashes between Amhara and Oromia militias, as well as between Oromia and Somali groups, which resulted in further casualties.

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