UN Human Rights Council orders investigation into abuses in Ethiopian conflict

The United Nations human rights council has voted to begin an international investigation into abuses perpetrated during Ethiopia's 13-month conflict.  

This comes amidst a number of indications of immediate "widespread violence".  

The resolution was introduced by the European Union and supported by several Western states, which made it possible to pass the resolution on Friday, despite opposition from the Ethiopian government, which accused the UN Human Rights Council of using the conflict as an "instrument of political pressure" and reiterated its commitment not to cooperate.  

The vote took place in Geneva where, of the 47 member states, 21 voted in favor, 15 voted against, including China and Russia, and 11 abstained. 

The African Group of countries also disagreed with the resolution and called for its rejection, arguing that the system of investigation presented was "counterproductive and likely to exacerbate tensions". 

As a result, six African countries, including Senegal and Sudan, abstained.  

According to the resolution, there will be a three-member panel of experts who, for one year, will have to "establish the facts and circumstances surrounding the alleged violations and abuses, collect and preserve evidence and identify those responsible." 

According to deputy human rights chief Nada al-Nashif, the UN council received "credible reports" that horrific human rights violations were being committed in the northern Tigray region, perpetrated by government forces and fighters in the region themselves.  

In addition, al-Nashif warned that in Ethiopia the risk "of increased hatred, violence and discrimination is very high," which would lead to "widespread violence, [with] significant implications, not only for millions of people in Ethiopia, but also throughout the region."    

The number of people detained is estimated to be between 5,000 and 7,000, including nine UN staff members, under a state of emergency. 

"Many are being held incommunicado or in unknown locations. This amounts to enforced disappearance and is a matter of great concern," al-Nashif added.  

For its part, Ethiopia has criticized the decision to carry out this investigation and urged the other countries to vote against it.  

"We call on all council members to (...) oppose short-sighted interests and reject the politicization of human rights by rejecting this resolution," Ambassador Zembe Kebede communicated, while accusing the body of having been "hijacked."  

Likewise, the Ethiopian government said in a statement that it "will not cooperate with the established mechanism imposed on it against its consent," and expressed that it was "extremely disappointed."  

"No more double standards; no more unilateral coercive measures; and no more meddling in internal affairs under the pretext of human rights." 

Because of this, Ethiopian authorities have begun their own investigation regarding the crimes, also participating in a joint investigation through the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission with the UN rights office. 

However, the joint investigation concluded last month that all parties involved in the conflict, which began in November 2020, had committed possible war crimes and crimes against humanity. 

According to Michelle Bachelet, UN high commissioner for human rights, there would be a "worrying lack of transparency" on the part of Ethiopian national institutions during the course of the investigation.  

"A key concern of our report is accountability," Bachelet added, while calling for an independent investigative mechanism.  

In response, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission noted that there was "added value" to the request to continue the joint investigation, adding that creating another new body would be a repetitive action, counterproductive to ongoing implementation processes and further delays reparations for victims and survivors."  

"Several of these violations may constitute crimes against humanity and urgently require further investigation by independent experts," the European Union delegation to the UN said.  

According to UN estimates, during the conflict in Ethiopia thousands of people have been killed and more than two million have been forcibly displaced, in addition to the hundreds of thousands of people on the brink of starvation.