Thank you for your report.
We recognize that there are ongoing discussions [between the Commission and the Government of Ethiopia] and call on the government to grant you full access so that you can implement the mandate from this Council.
The United States remains deeply concerned by the escalation of violence and the involvement of outside actors in northern Ethiopia. We strongly condemn violence harming civilians by all parties, including Eritrean forces. We welcome the Ethiopian government’s expressed commitment to avoid combat operations in urban areas, but we are deeply disturbed by reports of unlawful killing, rape, and displacement.
We welcome the detainees released to date, but we remain concerned about reports of ongoing arbitrary detentions based on ethnicity.
We are also concerned by the ongoing denial of humanitarian assistance, the seizure of humanitarian materials for military use, and Internet shutdowns and other restrictions on freedom of expression on and offline, including for members of the press.
We welcome the government’s expressed commitments to hold those responsible for human rights violations and abuses accountable, and we call for comprehensive, inclusive, and transparent transitional justice processes. We call for an immediate cessation of hostilities, unhindered access for humanitarian assistance, Eritrea’s withdrawal, and accountability for human rights violations.
Our question: What steps should we, as the international community, take to support comprehensive transitional justice and accountability for human rights abuses and violations in Ethiopia?
Thank you.
Original source can be found here.
