Distinguished President and Members of the Human Rights Council,
- Over the last few years, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has been investigating, documenting, and reporting grave human rights violations in Northern Ethiopia and other parts of the country.
- Despite ongoing human rights violations in parts of the country, EHRC is encouraged by the Pretoria Peace Agreement for Lasting Peace and Cessation of Hostilities.
- EHRC particularly welcomes the Agreement’s provision to establish a comprehensive national Transitional Justice Policy aimed at accountability, ascertaining the truth, redress for victims, reconciliation, and healing. We are further encouraged by the launching of national consultations in Ethiopia on Transitional Justice Policy Options. This fully aligns with the EHRC/ OHCHR Joint Investigation Report recommendation on Transitional Justice.
- Between July and December 2022, EHRC/ OHCHR spoke to over 700 victims of human rights violations, their families, internally displaced persons, and community leaders on their views and aspirations on accountability, truth, reparations, and guarantees of non-repetition. We have published the key findings of these community consultations and wish to echo what they indicated as their primary needs, which include to live without fear, to have peace and security and reparations to get their lives back.
- EHRC therefore, urges the Human Rights Council and the international community to support and coordinate efforts towards the proper designing and effective implementation of a genuine, human rights compliant, holistic, and victim-centred Transitional Justice Policy for Ethiopia.
I thank you.
