Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Press Release
February 3, 2022
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) East Africa Regional Office (EARO) held on February 3, 2022 a consultation forum with key government representatives, the diplomatic community, international organisations, regional organisations, international non-governmental organisations, civil society organizations and the academia on support for the implementation of recommendations from the joint investigation report on the Tigray conflict.
The report (“Report of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC)/Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Joint Investigation into Alleged Violations of International Human Rights, Humanitarian and Refugee Law Committed by all Parties to the Conflict in the Tigray Region of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia” (JIT Report)) published on November 3, 2021 forwarded a total of 59 tailored recommendations, urging all warring parties and other non-state actors including the international community, the United Nations (UN), and bilateral and multilateral partners to take appropriate measures.
OHCHR and EHRC held a series of discussions with the government of Ethiopia regarding the implementation of the JIT Report recommendations. In this regard, the OHCHR and EHRC have jointly established a Follow Up and Implementation Team to support the government in implementing the recommendations, mainly through advocacy, capacity building and technical support. The consultation is a result of these discussions and was organized with the objective of creating consensus on the respective roles and obligations of stakeholders.
In his opening remarks, EHRC Chief Commissioner Daniel Bekele stated, “the outcome of the joint investigation report should not be up for debate. All parties to the conflict have a duty to accept responsibility for the violations and abuses committed by their forces and take the necessary steps to remedy the situation.” Urging all partners present at the consultation to unequivocally support the recommendations from the report, he added that “they need to firmly press all parties to the conflict to accept and implement the recommendations by taking concrete steps”.
Marcel Clement Akpovo, OHCHR-EARO Regional Representative also called “on all those with responsibilities of implementing or supporting implementation of the recommendations to play their part. “When in full compliance with international legal framework and standards, home remedies are given primacy to address and bring about accountability; when states express willingness, political intent and capability to assume their primary responsibility of human rights protection, we can only be receptive and unequivocally commit to support, despite any doubt and suspicion that may exist” he added.
