A recent conference held in a congressional building brought Ethiopia's human rights crisis to the forefront, with prominent speakers calling for heightened awareness, accountability, and international intervention. Sylvia Stanard, a representative of United for Human Rights and Youth for Human Rights, emphasized the urgent need for global engagement, grounding her appeal in the principles of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
Stanard stated that human rights violations are occurring daily in Ethiopia, with severe attacks on religious freedom where churches and priests are being targeted. She highlighted the alarming lack of global awareness about the crisis, noting it struggles for attention amidst other high-profile conflicts. Stanard urged the Ethiopian diaspora and allies to educate policymakers and media, directing those seeking information on human rights education to https://www.humanrights.com.
Another speaker, Ato Yilkal Getnet, argued in his address titled "Ethnic Federalism and the Crisis in Ethiopia" that the country's constitutionally enshrined ethnic federalism is a root cause of political instability. He explained that this system prioritizes ethnic identity over a collective national identity, resulting in political fragmentation and social unrest, with the Amhara people suffering the most from political repression and harmful narratives.
Abel Gashe, a leader in Ethiopian American organizations, detailed specific atrocities, stating the first objective is to create global awareness about mass killings and massacres. He reported that in the last two to three months, more than fifty Ethiopian Orthodox Christians have been killed in Arsie and Wollega because of their religious affiliations, with churches being burned and the faithful massacred while worshipping. Gashe described these events as religious genocide and called upon the Ethiopian government to defend those being killed for their belief and identity.
Mr. Scott Morgan, head of the International Religious Freedom's Africa Working Group, noted that crises in Syria, Ukraine, and Gaza overshadow events in Northern Ethiopia. He warned of a crisis in Africa with the potential to demand significant attention, mentioning that Nigeria currently has the focus of the Trump Administration with the Democratic Republic of the Congo not far behind. Morgan emphasized that advocacy should focus on the situation in Northern Ethiopia remaining no less serious than other crisis spots in Africa.
The conference, organized and emceed by Mr. 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 support for policies aimed at restoring stability and justice in alignment with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
