African Commission on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR) 79th Ordinary Session (Hybrid Day 5 - May 18th, 2024) [full session]
Transcript of Hone Mandefro’s oral intervention delivered on Saturday, May 18th, 2024
Thank you for the opportunity, the Kampala Convention is indeed a crucial legal framework to safeguard the rights and well-being of internally displaced persons (IDPs) across Africa. And in this regard Ethiopia's ratification of the convention in 2020 was a significant step forward. However the plight of IDPs in the country has only deteriorated since then. The Amhara Association of America (AAA) is deeply concerned in particular about the state's role in exacerbating displacement. Government policies, such as large-scale urban projects in Addis Ababa, have forced many residents from their homes, usually with no proper consultation or proper advance notice. Furthermore, the ongoing war, particularly in the Amhara Region, has resulted in widespread displacement and a humanitarian crisis. The use of drone attacks by government forces, which almost always lead to civilian casualties, has forced countless individuals to flee their homes. In the Amhara region, the government's internet shutdown and restriction of humanitarian access have created conditions that resemble a famine, and have worsened the suffering of the local population. Additionally, the recent invasion by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) into the Raya areas has displaced tens of thousands of Amhara people, marking the fifth round of mass displacement from the [Raya] area since Ethiopia adopted the Kampala Convention. In Oromia, elements within the regional government, along with armed Oromo groups, have been implementing policies that amount to ethnic cleansing against the Amhara population including frequent ethnic targeted massacres. All these have contributed to the alarming number of IDPs in Ethiopia, which stands at 6.4 million according to the UN Humanitarian Response Plan for 2024. Despite the severity of this crisis, there has been insufficient attention and action directed toward the plight of IDPs. The ratification of the Kampala Convention, while a positive step, has not translated into effective monitoring or enforcement mechanisms. We urge the commission and other stakeholders to intensify efforts to highlight this humanitarian crisis in Amhara Region and other parts of Ethiopia. And in this regard, immediate and robust responses to calls for intervention submitted to the secretariat are crucial in addressing the ongoing crisis. I thank you.
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