The United Nations has raised concerns about Eritrean troops continuing to commit human rights abuses in Tigray, Ethiopia, amid ongoing impunity. The UN called for the immediate withdrawal of the Eritrean Defense Forces, who allegedly persist in serious violations despite the 2022 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement. Additionally, the lack of accountability and legal reforms in Eritrea has been criticized, with calls for the nation to cooperate with international human rights mechanisms.
The United Nations has expressed grave concerns over the persistent human rights abuses perpetrated by Eritrean troops in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, along with the continuing state of impunity despite global demands for accountability. During the 58th session of the Human Rights Council held on February 27, Ilze Brands-Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General at the UN Human Rights Office, reported that the Eritrean Defense Forces (EDF) have remained in Tigray, contradicting the terms of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement established in 2022, which calls for their withdrawal.
Brands-Kehris indicated that a joint investigation by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission in 2023 substantiated allegations of serious violations committed by the EDF, including abductions, rape, property looting, and arbitrary arrests. She emphasized that such impunity not only emboldens the perpetrators but also underscores the necessity of their immediate withdrawal from the region.
Human Rights Watch’s 2024 annual report corroborated ongoing abuses attributed to Eritrean forces, notably sexual violence against women and girls, alongside theft of civilian properties. Furthermore, distressing accounts from residents of Zalambessa revealed that the local population is living in fear due to the continuous presence of Eritrean military personnel, leading to increased avoidance of outdoor activities after dark.
The now-disbanded International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE) highlighted the EDF’s enduring presence, warning that the lack of credible accountability for such violations and crimes perpetuates a climate of impunity and poses a risk of future atrocities. Focused on Eritrea, Brands-Kehris critiqued the nation’s failure to initiate reforms in its legal and justice systems to meet international standards and to ensure accountability for ongoing human rights violations.
She raised alarms regarding practices such as indefinite military service, enforced disappearances, and restrictions on fundamental freedoms like expression, assembly, and association. Many individuals, including politicians, journalists, and religious figures, are reportedly detained incommunicado without any judicial proceedings.
Conclusively, Brands-Kehris urged Eritrea to fully collaborate with international human rights mechanisms and to actively engage with UN bodies, particularly the Special Rapporteur on human rights in Eritrea. She reiterated the importance of undertaking necessary reforms within the justice sector and ensuring accountability in addressing violations.
The UN has underscored the alarming violation of human rights by Eritrean troops in the Tigray region, stressing an ongoing state of impunity and a lack of political will for reform in Eritrea. Reports detailing serious abuses, including sexual violence and arbitrary arrests, accentuate the need for immediate intervention and accountability. The international community is thus called upon to act decisively to halt these violations and implement justice sector reforms.
Original Source: addisstandard.com
