Some of the statements in the report of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE), which was set up without the agreement of the Ethiopian side, is unfair, House Foreign Relations and Peace Affairs Standing Committee Chairperson Dima Noggo told European Union Members of parliament today.
The chairperson made the remark during the discussion held between European Union Members of Parliament and Ethiopian parliament Foreign Relations and Peace Affairs Standing Committee members.
The EU parliament delegation led by Foreign Affairs Committee Chairperson David Mcallister and drawn from various standing committees including women rights and gender equality, development, took part in the discussion.
On the occasion, Dima said “we believe some of the statements made by this body, which was set up without the agreement of the Ethiopian side, is unfair.”
He recalled that the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and the Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights jointly did an investigation on the ground up to a certain point during the first round of the conflict in the northern part of the country and they came up with a lot of recommendations.
And the Government of Ethiopia accepted those recommendations and even set up an inter ministerial committee to implement the recommendations of this report, the chairperson noted.
According to him, even the Ethiopian National Defense Force set up tribunals to try members of the armed forces who have been suspected of involvement in human rights violation and other crimes.
While this is ongoing, this unilateral action to set up a separate body to investigate what is going on this part of the country was unnecessary, Dima stressed.
The chairperson also criticized that the experts have never been on the ground. And they came up with this report without being on the ground, without investigating what happened on the ground on the issues they dealt with.
Therefore, “we believe some of the statements made by this body, which was set up without the agreement of the Ethiopian side, is unfair,” he underscored.
He stressed that the parliament and the government are more concerned about the rights of the people than anybody else definitely; and accountability is very important.
”If we bill a civil order and a democratic society, we have to establish accountability; and we will continue to do that regardless of the position of other countries or other committees.”
Dima also reaffirmed that “we will continue to cooperate with the pertinent international bodies to do a proper investigation on the ground and then take all the necessary action. And in this, the parliament will also make sure that the Ethiopian government leaves up to its responsibilities in this regard.”’
Moreover, the government has set up a committee to solve the problem in the northern part of the country peacefully, but it has not been accepted by the terrorist TPLF group, the chairman pointed out, urging member of the parliament to put pressure on the terrorist group to accept peace option as it is not ready for peace.
The EU parliament delegation and the Standing Committee of HPR also discussed various issues, including women rights and gender equality, development, and prosperity.
