History Repeats Itself Once Again as the UN Betrays Ethiopia

December 19, 2021   

BY ADDISALEM MULAT

History yesterday repeated itself as Ethiopia has been betrayed by the international community once again decades later. The UNHRC shamefully and regrettably passed a politically motivated resolution setting up an international commission of experts on Ethiopia to conduct an inquiry into allegations of human rights abuses by all parties.

The resolution that saw dozens of countries’ opposition runs against the principal impartiality. For many, countries that supported the resolution are trying to undo the well-organized and conducted a joint investigation of the United Nations Human Rights Council and Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.

The special session that came amidst fierce opposition predominantly from Africa and other parts of the world resembled the 1936 League of Nations where Ethiopia was left unheard by member countries with regard to Italian aggression.

However, this Ethiopia has got friends that stand for truth and justice. While 15 countries opposed the resolution, 11 countries abstained. In fact, Ethiopia has been consistent in its position towards of human rights abuses by allowing a joint investigation on the alleged abuses but stand firm to defend any attempt of foreign intervention on the pretext of humanity and human rights.

“His Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I, his appeal to the League of Nations could not convince multilateralism to end the Italian aggression. History repeats itself today. Eighty-five years later, here in Geneva, Ethiopia is once again defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity; this time from internal aggression,” Ethiopian Ambassador Zenebe Kebede to Switzerland, Austria, Hungary & Romania, Permanent Representative to the UN Office at Geneva & other International Orgs in Switzerland said while addressing the 33rd Special Session of UN Human Rights Council on Friday.

He also stated that Ethiopia will not cooperate with any mechanisms that may be imposed on it. “Our commitment to multilateralism is not helping us to defend our country. Multilateralism after all these years is once again being hijacked by a neocolonialist mentality.”

Ethiopia is being targeted and singled out at the Human Rights Council for defending a democratically elected government, the peace, and the future of its people, he underlined.

As one of the founders of the League of Nations, the UN, Ethiopia is fan believer in multilateralism. The mandate and work of the human rights council are not to advance ulterior political objectives.

 In recent years, we have seen the same powers oversee the complete destabilization of several countries. This must stop. In the past, we stood alone to defend colonial aggression. Today, Ethiopia confronts this blatant political pressure with other many countries shoulder to shoulder to defend multilateralism.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission have jointly investigated the alleged human rights violations in the context of the conflict in the northern parts of Ethiopia.

Ethiopia has a government with an unreserved commitment to human rights;  we declared our commitment to implement the recommendations of the recently issued joint investigation report and set up a national mechanism, an inter-ministerial task force. The task force has been ready to cooperate with the Office of the High Commissioner, and some areas require additional expertise.

Reacting to the adoption of the resolution, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement concerning the fact that Ethiopia is extremely disappointed to have witnessed once again the use of the Human Rights Council by some to advance their politically motivated agenda.

“Regardless of repeated requests by the government of Ethiopia for the Council not to hold a special session but rather engage in a constructive manner and work in a collaborative spirit with the country concerned, some succeeded in achieving their objective through attaining majority votes in the Council. This is also done against the recommendations by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission which were submitted to the President of the Human Rights Council on 14 December 2021 and to all members of the Council requesting it to unequivocally support the implementation of the Joint Investigation Team’s recommendations, the work of the Inter-Ministerial Task Force and for the OHCHR and the EHRC to continue with further joint investigations, the statement added.

“This action by some in the Council is an attempt to find an alternative way of meddling in the internal affairs of a sovereign state and serves no purpose except exacerbating the situation on the ground. What is even more worrying is that this trend in the proliferation of establishing mechanisms through the Council in most cases has failed to attain their objectives and have become mere tools of imposition on countries that refuse interference in their internal affairs.”

During the special session, Russia denounces politically-motivated approaches toward Ethiopia. Establishing HRC monitoring mechanisms without the consent of the country concerned is initially hard-wired to failure. In Ethiopia’s case, we are witnessing an obvious politically motivated approach of certain States, said Russian representative during Special Session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) on Ethiopia.

The Russian representative also stated that his country consistently opposes the politicization of the situation in Ethiopia at the HRC.

“We believe that establishment of a fact-finding mechanism on Ethiopia is an excessive measure. The country’s Government successfully cooperates with international human rights mechanisms. Evidence to this is professional and impartial work of the Ethiopian National Human Rights Commission, the activities of which fully complies with the Paris Principles and has the highest “A” category status.”

Promotion of this topic in the HRC is counterproductive and does not contribute to the settlement of the military and political crisis in the country.

Russia adheres to the postulate: “African solutions to African problems” and supports the mediation efforts of the African Union. And, it firmly and consistently rejects any imposition of unilateral approaches, the representative added.

“Potentially appointed experts will have no opportunity to work “on the ground”. Their reports will consist of one-sided information obtained from dubious sources or the Internet.”

Prior to the session, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has expressed deep concern over the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) special session about Ethiopia apart from urging UNHRC to support the ongoing independent investigation about the alleged human rights violations in the northern part of the country.

According to a letter sent to UNHRC President and members as well as the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) High Commissioner, EHRC has opposed the draft Resolution SS33 on the situation of human rights in Ethiopia. In collaboration with OHCHR, it undertook an investigation about the situation of human rights in the conflict areas between November 3, 2020, and June 2021.

In the letter, the EHRC stated that it is equally distressed by the ongoing human rights and humanitarian law violations in the context of the conflict in Northern Ethiopia and expressed its concerns about some paragraphs of the above-referenced draft Resolution which may be counterproductive to current positive processes and particularly to the right to redress of thousands of victims and survivors.

In particular, the letter has raised some concerns about the proposal to establish a body with a similar mandate to the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) and covering a similar period as that of the joint investigation.

EHRC stated that setting up another body to investigate the same matter covering the same time period could be counterproductive as it could delay criminal investigations and prosecution aside from being detrimental to the right to full redress for victims and survivors of violations identified by the JIT.

EHRC, moreover, said that it may halt steps being taken by the State to implement the recommendations of the team in light of similar new investigations. Likewise, the commission called on the UNHRC to support the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce in the timely implementation of the joint investigation team recommendations, particularly on accountability and redress for victims.

The Ethiopian Herald December 19/2021