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Deadly Protests Grip Ethiopia as UN Calls for an Independent Investigation
By: Lizabeth Paulat
August 14, 2016
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After a weekend of violent protests in Ethiopia, in which nearly 100
protesters were reportedly killed, the international community is
calling on the government to allow independent observers to
investigate the incident.
The demonstrations, which took part in multiple states throughout the
country, protested infringement on land rights, illegal detention of
dissidents and ethnic disenfranchisement. Amnesty reported that 97
people had been killed during the protest, saying, “Ethiopian security
forces fired live bullets at peaceful protesters across Oromia region
and in parts of Amhara over the weekend.” They’ve also reported the
arrest and disappearance of several demonstrators.
Zeid Raad Al Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights stated
that, “The use of live ammunition against protesters in Oromia and
Amhara of course would be a very serious concern for us.” He went on
to say that they haven’t seen any “genuine attempt’ by the Ethiopian
government to probe the killings or hold those responsible
accountable.
Officials in Ethiopia have rejected the UN’s request for international
observers. A spokesperson with the government told Al Jazeera that
they were launching their own investigation into the use of excessive
force, and blamed elements outside Ethiopia for stoking violence. It’s
been widely reported that on state run media, the demonstrations have
been portrayed as acts of ethnic terrorism and separatism.
Protests in Oromia State have been going on since November of last
year. This is when the government announced a plan to expand
Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, into Oromia’s farming lands. During
that time, human rights groups say around 400 were killed in violent
protests. While the government pulled the plug on expansion, the
continued detention of protesters and dissidents has kept tensions
high.
In Amhara, in the north of the country, demonstrations centered around
the arrest of a government opposition figure and what is seen as an
ethnic monopoly on power within the country.
Michelle Kagari, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director in
East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes, says the response of
security forces isn’t surprising. “Ethiopian forces have
systematically used excessive force in their mistaken attempts to
silence dissenting voices,” she said. Kagari went on to call for
investigations into these shootings, saying that, “These crimes must
be promptly, impartially and effectively investigated and all those
suspected of criminal responsibility must be brought to justice in
fair trials before ordinary civilian courts.”
Amnesty has also denounced the arrests of bloggers, human rights
activists, journalists and opposition members under Ethiopia’s
anti-terrorism law.
Human Rights Watch says the ability for people to access information
inside the country is also dwindling. That’s because the government
has clamped down on social media sites, such as Facebook, which they
say is used to organize illegal protests.
According to a HRW report:
In March, the government began restricting access to social media
sites in the region, apparently because Facebook and other social
media platforms have been key avenues for the dissemination of
information. The government has also jammed diaspora-run television
stations, such as the US-based Oromia Media Network (OMN), and
destroyed private satellite dishes at homes and businesses.
The Ethiopian government is seen as a key ally by the west, and a
strategic partner in the fight against Al Shabaab in neighboring
Somalia. Some say this has led to blind praise from the west,
including Obama’s comments in July 2015 that those in power were
“democratically elected.”
Some political opposition members worry that with these powerful
partnerships, change is unlikely to come to Ethiopia anytime soon.
Photo Credit: Ethio Norway TV and Radio ETNK/Wikimedia
Received on Sun Aug 14 2016 - 08:36:38 EDT