The Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO) has reported worsening human rights violations in several regions of the country, attributed to ongoing conflicts and instability. The report highlights the situation in the Amhara, Oromia, and Southern Ethiopia regions, noting that the persistence of rights violations is due to the failure of pertinent government entities to uphold their human rights protection duties.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has reported that the ongoing conflict in the Amhara region, involving various high-powered weapons, continues to result in loss of life and significant damage to property. The conflict is also inflicting severe harm on health and education institutions that serve the public, further exacerbating the toll on civilians through deaths and injuries.

The report highlighted that the drone attacks are endangered innocent lives. During September and October, drone strikes on schools in the Awi ethnic zone, North Gojam zone’s Mecha district, and Dangla district resulted in the death and injury of civilians.

Similarly, drone attacks in North Gojam Zone’s South Achefer District Aroge Gebeya, East Gojam Mota Asteryo, a rural kebele, and West Gojam Zone’s Dega Damot, Feres bet Town resulted in deaths and injuries.

in addition to this, EHRCO reported that in September, two teachers became victims of armed groups in the Sinan district of the East Gojam zone. Since the conflict began, the educational process has been disrupted in the region, excluding some zonal cities, leading to social and psychological stress for students, parents, and the community.

In the Oromia region, particularly the eastern Welega zone, peace restoration efforts have failed. It is reported that armed factions in the area are engaging in killings, maiming, abductions, and the destruction of property belonging to government employees in the kebeles of Subbu Sre district, Nunu district, Jima Arjo district, and Kiremu district.

The EHRCO reported that in the East Borena Zone, Wachile District, on September 19, 2024, a man tied his wife to a tree and beat her with a log, claiming he had received a ruling from the local elders, which constitutes a violation of human rights principles.

Furthermore, EHRCO confirmed incidents of killings, arrests, kidnapping, property destruction, and dismissals in the South Ethiopia region, specifically in Drashe Zone, Konso Zone, and Amaro Kele Zones towards the end of 2016 E.C. Additionally, on September 12, 2024, armed groups active in the region attacked, resulting in the death of four individuals and injuries to one person.
EHRCO has called on the appropriate judicial authorities to present the suspects detained across the region in court, ensuring their right to justice is upheld. Following the defense army’s declaration of renewed measures against Fano militants in the Amhara region, the conflict has intensified in several areas.

The federal government should facilitate a peaceful resolution of the armed conflict in the Amhara region and stop the multifaceted human rights violations that are occurring in the region.

Amnesty International has recently reported that the government is unlawfully conducting mass arrests of prominent individuals, including educators, in the region.