A recent conference in Washington DC focused on Ethiopia's human rights crisis and ongoing political instability, featuring prominent speakers who called for increased international awareness and accountability. The event highlighted religious persecution, ethnic violence, and constitutional issues affecting the country.
Sylvia Stanard, representing United for Human Rights and Youth for Human Rights, emphasized the universal nature of human rights as outlined in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Stanard noted that rights to life, liberty, security, and freedom of thought are being violated daily in Ethiopia, with religious freedom under particular attack. She pointed to targeted churches and priests as evidence of this persecution.
Stanard highlighted the challenge of drawing global attention to Ethiopia's crisis amid other high-profile conflicts worldwide. She urged the Ethiopian diaspora and allies to educate policymakers and media about the situation's gravity, stating that accurate information is crucial for international action. Stanard directed those seeking more information about human rights education to www.humanrights.com.
Ato Yilkal Getnet presented an analysis titled "Ethnic Federalism and the Crisis in Ethiopia," arguing that Ethiopia's constitutionally enshrined ethnic federalism system has created political instability. According to Getnet, this system prioritizes ethnic identity over national unity, resulting in political fragmentation and social unrest. He specifically noted that the Amhara people have suffered significant political repression and harmful narratives under this system.
Abel Gashe, a leader in Ethiopian American organizations working to raise awareness, described mass killings and massacres occurring in Ethiopia. Gashe reported that over fifty Orthodox Christians have been killed in the last two to three months in Arsie and Wollega regions due to their religious affiliations. He detailed churches being burned and worshippers massacred, including the recent killing of the Wollega region's Chief Executive Officer, whose body has not been recovered. Gashe characterized these events as religious genocide targeting Orthodox Christians and Amharas for their beliefs and identity.
Gashe called upon the Ethiopian government to defend citizens being killed for their beliefs and identity, stating that protecting citizens from such killings should be the government's primary mission. He emphasized that the killing of Orthodox Christians and Amharas has reached genocide levels and must be stopped.
Scott Morgan, head of the International Religious Freedom's Africa Working Group, noted that Ethiopia's crisis competes for attention with other African conflicts, including situations in Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo that currently receive more international focus. Morgan stressed that the situation in Northern Ethiopia remains as serious as other crisis spots in Africa and deserves equal attention from the international community.
The conference, organized and moderated by Mesfin Mekonen, author of the Washington Update bulletin about Ethiopia's struggles, concluded with calls for the international community to pay closer attention to Ethiopia's human rights violations. Speakers advocated for meaningful dialogue and policies aimed at restoring stability and justice in alignment with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
