Ethiopia after the violent crackdown on protests

The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) has asked the European Union (EU) to clarify the whereabouts of thousands of demonstrators who were arrested in a violent crackdown on protests in Ethiopia ten days ago. “We are seriously concerned about the fate of the arrested Oromo and Amhara. They might be facing torture or even execution,” said Ulrich Delius, the STP’s Africa consultant, in Göttingen on Wednesday. Reports indicate that the Ethiopian army is keeping many of them detained in the military training center Bir Sheleko.

“As Ethiopia does not want the United Nations to carry out independent investigations into the crackdown, it is now up to the country’s closest allies – the EU, for example – to clarify the whereabouts of the missing persons.” A total number of 104 demonstrators were killed during the protests (August 5 to 7, 2016). The Ethiopian government rejected a request by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Raad Al Hussein, to allow an independent investigation into the deaths.

According to information from the US State Department, army camps were regularly used as illegal detention centers for government critics in the years 2015 and 2010. In its human rights report, the US State Department mentioned illegal detention centers in army camps or police training centers in Bir Sheleko, Senkele, Hormat, Blate, Holeta, Tolay, Tatek, Dedessa, and Jijiga. Bir Sheleko is located about 230 kilometers to the northwest of the capital Addis Ababa.

Despite the fact that the police forces are trying to suppress demonstrations, there are uprisings in the regions Amhara and Oromia. During the past three days, all shops in Gondar (Amhara region, 360,000 inhabitants) were closed as a form of protest against the repression. Eyewitnesses mentioned a general strike in the city as well as empty streets. The general strike also spread to other Amharic cities such as Woldiya, Dessie and Debre Markos.

“It is impressive how the Amhara and the Oromo continue their peaceful protests against state persecution – despite the relentlessness of the security forces. The authorities left no stone unturned to suppress NGOs and the civil society, and there were measures to block the internet and social media,” said Delius. Since the recent demonstrations, there are more riot police and soldiers patrolling the streets of many cities in Oromia. The aim is to intimidate the civilian population in order to stifle protests. For example, parents are threatened that their children will be arrested in case of further protests. 

Header Photo: Eskinder Debebe via UN Photos