Ethiopia has accused the United Nations Human Rights Council of engaging in unjust and counterproductive attempts to undermine the government’s effort to respect, protect and fulfill human rights under international law.
The government once again is perplexed and saddened by the regrettable situation that is unfolding at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday in a statement.
The Ministry said the latest call by the council to hold a special session on Ethiopia is politically motivated and has ignored the outcome of the joint investigation on human rights violations allegedly committed in Ethiopia during conflict between rebel and government forces.
While the Government is trying to implement the recommendations set forth in the report, some in the Human Rights Council disregarded the efforts and work done by the Government, in what seems a politically motivated objective, the ministry said.
“This, of course, is not the first time Ethiopia witnessed such unjust and counterproductive attempts by some to exert political pressure. At the 47th Session of the Council, despite the Ethiopian Government‘s repeated appeal for the Council to allow the joint investigation team to complete its work, these countries went on to adopt a resolution that neither involved the country concerned nor considered the call by others to withdraw the resolution.”
“What is even more disheartening is the fact that, in the midst of these important undertakings, and with utter disregard for the work that has been done prior to the commencement of the joint investigation, some members still choose to advance their political agenda through the work of the Council,” the statement said.
Ethiopia therefore calls on members of the Human Rights Council to categorically reject and vote against the special session and its politically motivated outcome. What should have been a priority for the Council instead was the urgent task of carrying out an investigation into the violations of human rights and atrocities committed by the TPLF terrorist group in the Afar and Amhara Regional States.
It is unfortunate to witness that no such call has come forth from some in the Council. This has to be immediately rectified, the Ministry added.
MG/abj/APA