Falls Church, Virginia (09/19/2022) – On September 9th, OLLAA submitted a report to the United Nations Human Rights Committee on the pattern of violations of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) that have been perpetrated against Oromo civilians in recent years. This report will be considered by the Committee as it reviews Ethiopia’s compliance with the obligations contained in the ICCPR during its next session, from October 10-November 4, 2022.
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UN Treaty Bodies are committees of independent experts tasked with monitoring the implementation of the international human rights treaty they are associated with. As part of this process, they undertake a periodic review of each country’s compliance with their international obligations and issue recommendations. This October will mark the second occasion that the Human Rights Committee, which oversees the implementation of the ICCPR, has assessed Ethiopia. Its previous review concluded in August 2011.
In our submission, OLLAA discusses the systemic pattern of violations that have been committed against Oromos since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s rise to power in 2018, starting with the installation of military command posts in western and southern Oromia in December 2018. Our report alleges that the Ethiopian government has violated Oromos’ rights to life, freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of assembly and association, liberty, fair trial, and the prohibition of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
OLLAA concludes its report by requesting that the Human Rights Committee issue the following recommendations to the Ethiopian government:
- Halt hostilities inside Oromia, and enter comprehensive ceasefire agreements the OLA and other armed groups throughout the country;
- Release all remaining Oromo political prisoners, including those detained following the assassination of Hachalu Hundessa in June 2020;
- Launch independent and effective investigations into allegations of human rights abuses and ensure the perpetrators are held accountable;
- Strengthen the rule of law inside Ethiopia in order to ensure that:
- Oromo civilians are not arbitrarily deprived of their right to liberty, and that their rights to a fair trial are protected;
- Ethiopian security forces cannot operate with impunity inside Oromia and other regions of Ethiopia.
You can read the report by heading to the United Nations Human Rights Committee website.
OLLAA is an umbrella organization that works in collaboration with dozens of Oromo communities around the world