For the Release of Kidnapped Students
- OHCHR (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights)
- OHCHR
- Human Rights Watch (HRW)
- Amnesty International
- Amnesty International Kenya
- Human Rights Watch (UK)
- African Union
- EU Delegation to Ethiopia
- ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross)
July 22, 2024
Re: For the Release of Kidnapped Students
Dear
We, the members of the Federation of Amhara Associations in Europe, are writing to bring to your attention a critical situation that requires immediate action.
On July 3rd, 2024 a group of over 160 students, en route from the Amhara region to Addis Ababa, were taken hostage by government affiliated activists in the North Shewa area of Oromia region.
Unfortunately, such acts have become a routine in Ethiopia and the target groups have mainly been people of Amhara ethnicity. What makes these kidnappings different is the high number of students who fell victim. It is disturbing that government officials gave false statements claiming that they have liberated a large number of victims only for facts to surface, documenting and reporting the opposite. We are perplexed by the fact that families of the victims have been asked to transfer ransom money to bank accounts. It is impossible to dismiss emerging facts that high level government officials are a part of these kidnappings who are enabling money to be transferred using bank accounts in government run banks. In March 2020, Amnesty International published a report detailing the abduction of Amhara students from Dembi Dolo University in western Oromia. Despite the best efforts of their families to obtain information, the whereabouts of the hundred students still remain unknown.
We call upon all parties with an interest in the field of Human rights government, to press the Ethiopian to take immediate measures to ensure the safe release of all students who remain in captivity and investigate as to how the government banks are used for ransom money transfers .
As reported by Borkena newspaper, “abductions have become a pervasive issue in various parts of Ethiopia since Abiy Ahmed assumed power in 2018. Their prevalence and severity are particularly pronounced in the Oromia region” most of the time targeting Amhara ethnic groups. A significant number of abductions in the region have been linked to the government affiliated group OLA. Other Oromo opposition parties have alleged that the government itself orchestrates these incidents.
We call on the international community to press the Ethiopian authorities to allow independent investigation into these matters and rescue the victims.
Yours sincerely,
Federation of Amhara Association in Europe
Child soldiers
- Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
- Human Rights Watch (HRW)
- European Union (EU) Delegation to Ethiopia
- International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
- African Union
July 22, 2024
Re: Child soldiers
Ethiopia is one of the nations that ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, demonstrating a formal commitment to protecting the rights and welfare of children, particularly in conflict situations. However, in a gross violation of the convention and protocol it ratified, the Ethiopian regime is forcefully conscripting and sending children to the front lines in the Amhara region.
The situation on the ground is appalling. Children have become the victims of the outrageous invasion by regime forces. Schools were closed last year, and many Amhara children were denied the fundamental right to education. This disruption has had severe repercussions on their development and future prospects. Moreover, the ill-disciplined army, as widely verified by human rights organisations, has engaged in heinous acts, including killing, maiming, and raping with impunity. Many children have suffered from these massive human rights abuses, leaving deep physical and psychological scars.
Some children managed to escape from conscription camps and found refuge with Fano, a local militia group. Fano took on the humanitarian role of contacting these children’s parents and facilitating their safe return home. One notable case reported in the news involved a mother from Wollega in the Oromo region, who travelled to the Amhara region to collect her 14-year-old child from Fano’s protection.
These actions underscore the Ethiopian regime’s desperation and loss on the battlefield. The regime’s decision to forcefully conscript very young children and send them to the front lines with minimal preparation reveals a complete disregard for the lives and welfare of its citizens. This blatant violation of international norms and the conventions it ratified reflects a regime that neither values human life nor respects international laws and protocols. The toppled regime of Abiy Ahmed failed to ensure the safety of citizens, even children were kidnapped and for their release they demanded millions of Bir and commodified human lives.
The international community, including the United Nations, has remained largely silent on these atrocities. This silence is both alarming and unacceptable. It is high time for the international community and the UN to hold the Ethiopian regime accountable for its actions. The genocidal war and massive human rights abuses in the Amhara, and Oromo regions must be addressed with urgency and seriousness.
The instability in Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa, has the potential to create a ripple effect, destabilising the entire region and beyond.
The international community must act now to prevent further escalation and to protect the innocent lives being destroyed by this conflict. Diplomatic pressure, sanctions, and international legal actions are necessary to ensure that those responsible for these atrocities are held accountable. The protection of children’s rights and the adherence to international conventions must be upheld to prevent such tragedies from recurring. The world cannot afford to turn a blind eye to the suffering of Ethiopia’s children and the gross violations of their rights.
Yours sincerely,
Federation of Amhara Association in Europe