The Ethiopian government has rejected recent allegations by Human Rights Watch (HRW) of “ethnic cleansing” taking place in the western region of Tigray, stating that they are unfounded and lack evidence.
HRW published a report on June 1st claiming that paramilitary units and militias from the neighboring Amhara region were forcibly displacing Tigrayans from the Western Tigray Zone as part of an ethnic cleansing campaign.
The Ethiopian government’s Communications Service issued a statement stating that HRW published these accusations without conducting a thorough and credible investigation in the affected areas and that they are not supported by any evidence.
Due to restricted access, journalists are unable to verify the situation on the ground in West Tigray, Tigray, and the Amhara region.
The Ethiopian government accuses HRW of distorting and misrepresenting the situation to undermine peaceful coexistence, fuel inter-ethnic conflict, and impede national efforts for peace and reconciliation.
In November, an agreement was signed between the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray rebel regional authorities, putting an end to two years of conflict in northern Ethiopia.
Amhara paramilitary forces and militias supported the federal army against the Tigray rebel authorities and took control of Western Tigray, an area that is administratively part of Tigray but claimed as ancestral land by the Amhara.
The issue of West Tigray remained unresolved in the Pretoria agreement. The Amhara forces continue to maintain control there, considering it a “red line,” while the Tigrayan authorities refuse to relinquish that territory.
The government states that it has initiated a process of national consultations to establish a transitional justice mechanism as outlined in the Pretoria agreement.
They assure that the transitional justice process will allow for a thorough investigation, revealing the truth and holding those responsible for crimes accountable.
While a joint investigation by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission was conducted in 2021, the Ethiopian government has since refused access to northern Ethiopia for an international commission of UN experts.
