Amnesty International (AI) has formally urged the government of Ethiopia to immediately halt forced eviction of residents under the pretext of “Corridor Development Project” currently underway in Addis Ababa and 58 other cities across of the country.
In a letter addressed directly to the Prime Minister and seen by APA on Thursday, the prominent human rights organisation expressed its profound concern over the ongoing displacements and serious human rights violations, which it said have been occurring since November 2024.
Amnesty International has urged the called on the Ethiopian government to “stop the forced evictions with immediate effect” and to suspend the entire development project until a comprehensive and independent human rights impact assessment is conducted.
Amnesty International stated that their analysis of satellite imagery taken between November 2024 and February 2025 revealed the “structural clearing” of “at least 29 hectares of densely built-up areas” within the Bole and Lemi Kura sub-cities of Addis Ababa.
According to their findings, an estimated 872 individuals were forcibly removed from their homes in these two sub-cities alone during November 2024.
“These evictions have been happening not just in Addis Ababa, but in 58 other cities and urban centers across Ethiopia,” Amnesty International emphasized, highlighting the national scale of the issue.
“Individuals have been forcibly removed from their homes without adequate consultations, without sufficient notice, and shockingly, none of the individuals impacted reported receiving any form of compensation for their loss.”
The organisation underscored that these actions constitute clear violations of Ethiopia’s obligations under international human rights law.
They pointed to the absence of critical safeguards that are internationally recognised as essential, such as meaningful community consultation, access to effective legal remedies, provision of suitable alternative housing, and the issuance of adequate and timely notice prior to any eviction.
“Many families, including groups of people particularly vulnerable to discrimination and marginalisation such as children, older people, and people with disabilities, have been left homeless, facing severe hardship, and at heightened risk of further human rights violations as a direct result of these evictions,” the letter added.
MG/as/APA