International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia Finds Reasonable Grounds to Believe that the Federal Government Has Committed Crimes against Humanity in Tigray Region and that Tigrayan Forces Have Committed Serious Human Rights Abuses, Some Amounting to War Crimes
Council Concludes Interactive Discussion with the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar, Discusses Remaining Challenges to Implementing the Recommendations of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar with the Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights
Kaari Betty Murungi, Chairperson of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia, told the Human Rights Council this morning that its report found reasonable grounds to believe that the parties to the conflict in Ethiopia had committed serious violations and abuses of international human rights and humanitarian law since November 2020. It found reasonable grounds to believe that many of these acts amounted to war crimes.
The report found reasonable grounds to believe that the Federal Government and its allies had committed crimes against humanity in Tigray region, said Ms. Murungi. Some of these crimes were ongoing. The report also underscored the dire humanitarian situation in Tigray, where the Federal Government and its allies had denied some six million people access to basic services for over a year. The report found reasonable grounds to believe that the Federal Government was using starvation as a method of warfare. The report also found reasonable grounds to believe that Tigrayan forces had committed serious human rights abuses, some of which amounted to war crimes.
Ms. Murungi noted that after a five-month cessation of hostilities, fighting resumed last month between the Federal Government and its allies, and forces backing the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. That fighting appeared to be intensifying. She said there was a need for an external, independent and impartial mechanism to address ongoing violations and accountability.
Ethiopia, speaking as a country concerned, said that it had been the subject of unfair and biased scrutiny at the Council for more than a year now. Such misguided campaigns against Ethiopia should stop as the Government was implementing the recommendations of the Joint Investigation Team of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, and abiding by its international human rights and international humanitarian law obligations. The Commission had submitted a report of substandard quality, with unsubstantiated allegations, and it had not met the standard of proof for such investigations. The Council should reject this report and oppose any attempt to extend the mandate of this Commission.
In the ensuing discussion, some speakers said that parties to the conflict should seize the opportunity to immediately end hostilities and engage in direct talks with the aim of reaching a formal ceasefire agreement and a permanent political solution. Some said the report clearly outlined the reported brutality of methods of warfare used by all parties to the conflict, including extrajudicial killings, rape, sexual violence and starvation of the civilian population, and the Commission found that, in several instances, there were reasonable grounds to believe that these violations amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity. One speaker said the Commission had gone beyond its mandate, and made statements that went beyond its remit, underscoring that the Commission should not undermine the measures of accountability undertaken by the Ethiopian Government. A number of other speakers said they rejected bias, selectivity, politicisation and double standards in the Council.
Speaking in the interactive discussion were European Union, Denmark on behalf of a group of countries, Côte d’Ivoire on behalf of a group of countries, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Cuba, Germany, Australia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Venezuela, Russian Federation, Namibia, China, Netherlands, Czech Republic, United States, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, South Sudan, Belarus, Belgium, Greece, and Canada.
Earlier in the meeting, the Council held an interactive dialogue with the Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights on a report by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the progress made and remaining challenges to implementing the recommendations of the independent international fact-finding mission on Myanmar.
Nada Al-Nashif, Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, presenting the report, said after the military coup of February 2021, the Myanmar military had continued its exploitation of the country’s resources to advance its own interests and fuel a campaign of violence and repression against Myanmar’s people. The report urged the international community to take all steps within its power to support the people of Myanmar and to act in coordinated fashion to financially isolate the military. Member States should implement additional targeted measures against key entities that facilitated the Tatmadaw’s continued access to foreign currency.
In the discussion on the report on Myanmar, many speakers condemned the military’s illegal coup d’état. They called on the junta to cease all attacks on civilians, release all people arbitrarily detained, stop abusing the Rohingya, and cease imposing the death penalty on pro-democracy leaders. States needed to hold the junta accountable for their crimes, place an embargo on arms, and prevent flows of financial resources to the military. States also needed to put an end to the climate of impunity and stop the flow of arms into Myanmar. Some speakers encouraged States to respect the sovereignty of Myanmar and not interfere in its domestic affairs. One speaker called for a halt to illegal unilateral coercive measures, which were causing untold suffering for the Myanmar people. Another speaker said that it was deplorable that the report suggested the use of such sanctions.
Speaking in the interactive dialogue were Lithuania on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic countries, European Union, Pakistan on behalf of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation, France, Luxembourg, Australia, Maldives, Venezuela, Russian Federation, Namibia, China, United States, United Kingdom, Bangladesh, Canada, Thailand, Malawi, Jordan, Singapore, Gambia, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Belarus, and Lao Peoples’ Democratic Republic.
Also speaking were Edmund Rice International, Organization for Poverty Alleviation and Development, Human Rights Now, CIVICUS – World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, Centre for Civil and Political Rights, and iuventum e.V.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Council concluded its interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar.
In the discussion, some speakers said that since the military coup in February 2021, the most serious crimes were being committed on a daily basis by the Myanmar authorities, including sexual and gender-based crimes and crimes against children. The Rohingya continued to live in horrendous conditions, both inside and outside of Myanmar, waiting for a possibility to safely return to their homes. The reports of human rights abuses committed by the military were strongly condemned, including the executions of four pro-democracy activists in July following secret and unfair trials. One speaker said the international community should respect the political independence, sovereignty, and the will of the people of Myanmar, in order to restore peace at an early date.
In concluding remarks, Thomas Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, said the international response to the crisis in Myanmar had failed. The pattern of the response from the international community needed to change. A coalition of like-minded nations needed to be established immediately. All Member States should halt the sale of weapons to the Myanmar military. All States should deny the legitimacy of the Myanmar junta. There needed to be greater investment in humanitarian aid. Member States should better support people fleeing Myanmar by increasing resettlement quotas and by providing legal status to Myanmar refugees. If there was no change in the way the United Nations responded to this crisis, Mr. Andrews said he would return with news that the situation had again worsened. He urged the Council to do the right thing for the people of Myanmar.
Speaking in the interactive dialogue were China, Czechia, Malaysia, United States, United Kingdom, Bangladesh, Croatia, Bulgaria, Thailand, Malawi, Japan, and Germany.
Also speaking were Baptist World Alliance, CIVICUS – World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Article 19 – International Centre Against Censorship, Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development, International Federation for Human Rights Leagues, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, Centre for Civil and Political Rights, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Partners for Transparency, iuventum e.V., and International Organization for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
The webcast of the Human Rights Council meetings can be found here. All meeting summaries can be found here. Documents and reports related to the Human Rights Council’s fifty-first regular session can be found here.
The next meeting of the Council will be at 3 p.m. this afternoon, when it will conclude its interactive dialogue with the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia. It will then hold an interactive dialogue with the commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, followed by an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Burundi.
Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar
The interactive dialogue with Thomas Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, started in the previous meeting and a summary can be found here.
Source: UN Human Rights Council