EHRC urges gov’t action to stop conflicts in Benshingul, SNNP Regional States

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has urged the government to take the necessary measures to control the conflicts in Kamashi zone, Benshingul Gumu as well as Sheka and Kaffa zones in SNNP regional states.
In a press conference issued from Hawassa today, Dr Addisu Gebregziabher, Commissioner of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission said that the government should act now before the situations become out of control.
Human rights abuses and the conflicts in these areas, in five woredas of Benishangul Gumuz regional state in particular, have reached at a critical stage, the Commissioner said.
Free movement of people and the rights to generate wealth have been restricted in the three zones, Dr Addisu said, adding a team dispatched by the Commission to the areas was unable to conduct investigation.
The investigation team from the areas told the Commission on a phone contact that security officials were not taking the necessary measures to stop the conflict, the Commissioner noted.
According to him, it is difficult to know the numbers of causalities in the conflicts.
The Commissioner asked the government to deploy national defense forces to stabilize the areas, restore order, and protect human rights.
The government has so far deployed national defense force in two of the five conflict affected woredas of Benishangul Gumuz regional state and the situation is improving there, he said.
The Commission will begin its investigation in the two woredas as of tomorrow, Dr Addisu indicated.