Falls Church, Virginia (02/16/2022) – On February 15, 2022, Ethiopia’s parliament voted to lift the nationwide state of emergency that had been declared in November 2021. This state of emergency granted broad powers to the Ethiopian government, including by authorizing the arrest of any person suspected of being connected to the OLA and TPLF. It has been reported that ethnic Tigrayans and Oromos have been targeted for mass arrests under the auspices of this state of emergency. Multiple groups have welcomed the decision to end the state of emergency, including the US State Department, who issued a statement in which they called the decision “another important step” towards achieving a peaceful resolution to the conflict, and called for the “release of all individuals arrested or detained without charge under the state of emergency.”
OLLAA welcomes the decision to end the state of emergency, whose overbroad powers have allowed for the arrest of numerous Oromo citizens due to purported, and often tenuous, connections to the OLA. However, while we recognize that this was a positive step, much work remains to be done to ensure a peaceful resolution to the conflicts occurring throughout Ethiopia. All political prisoners, including those who were arrested prior to the declaration of the state of emergency, must be released. Targeted acts of violence continue throughout the country, including in Oromia and Benishangul-Gumuz, leading to the deaths of civilians and the destruction of their homes. Reports of drone strikes continue throughout the Oromia and Tigray regions. In order to ensure lasting peace in Ethiopia, these conflicts must also be addressed, and the groundwork must be laid for a truly inclusive dialogue. The Ethiopian government must protect and promote the human rights of its citizens, including by allowing independent investigations to be conducted into all allegations of human rights violations. We also urge the international community to consider launching independent investigations into these, and other, allegations of human rights violations.
OLLAA is an umbrella organization that represents dozens of Oromo communities around the world.