Rights group censures EU official over one-sided statement on Ethiopia

ESAT News (March 24, 2017)

The Human Rights Watch says it is disappointed by the one-sided statement by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs last week on Ethiopia.

HRW says the statement by the Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, after meeting Ethiopia’s Prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn focused only on “the important European Union partnerships with Ethiopia on humanitarian assistance, migration, refugees, and economic growth, and reiterate your support for the dialogue with the political opposition currently underway.”

“In our view the statement was a missed opportunity to state publicly and unequivocally that Ethiopia’s repressive response to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly –  illustrated by the government’s brutal crackdown on protests– is not conducive to Ethiopia’s long-term stability or the EU’s ability to partner with Ethiopia on areas of mutual interest,” said the letter by Lotte Leicht, EU Director for Human Rights Watch.

“As you are aware, Ethiopia’s widespread human rights violations against its citizens means that Ethiopia is a country producing refugees and asylum seekers seeking safety,” the letter went on to say, “Since November 2015 state security forces have killed hundreds and arrested tens of thousands of protesters, plunging Ethiopia into a human rights crisis.”

The letter reminded the High Commissioner that “a state of emergency, called in October 2016, prescribes sweeping restrictions that go far beyond what is permissible under international law, eliminating what little space there was for the peaceful expression of critical views. The government has detained over 20,000 in ‘rehabilitation camps’ since the state of emergency was declared, according to official figures.”

The letter urged the High Commissioner to take advantage of future meetings with Ethiopian authorities to “publicly and unequivocally” urge the release of prominent opposition leaders such as Dr. Merera and Bekele Gerba.

The director also underlined that the need to press for the lifting of oppressive provisions of the state of emergency as well as “an international investigation into the crackdown on government protests, and the repeal of longstanding restrictions on media and civil society.”