News EPRP urges halt to drone strikes on civilians
November 16, 2024
The Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party (EPRP) has issued a call to halt the targeting of civilians in drone strikes, asserting that such attacks constitute a severe violation of human rights.
The party criticized segments of the international community for what it described as a failure to address these abuses, alleging indifference despite repeated appeals for intervention.
EPRP issued the statement on November 14, 2024, calling on the government to end attacks on civilians. According to the party’s press release, the attacks have targeted civilians in the Amhara, Oromia, Benishangul-Gumuz, Afar and other regions, as well as in the previously affected Tigray Regional State.
The EPRP’s statement further alleged that the attacks involved “not only drone strikes but also other forms of military engagement”.
The statement references the Ethiopian Constitution, specifically Article 14, which asserts the right to life, personal security, and freedom for every citizen. The EPRP contends that recent events demonstrate a disregard for these rights, as government security forces, including the military, reportedly engage in operations that have led to the deaths of numerous civilians.
“What we observe in Ethiopia, however, is that the government, which bears the responsibility to protect citizens’ lives, is causing extensive civilian casualties across many parts of the country through the actions of its security forces including the national military members,” reads the statement.
The party’s statement further highlights incidents in the Gurage Zone and central Ethiopia, among other locations, where drone strikes have allegedly killed and injured civilians.
The EPRP claims that these attacks continue to cause widespread grief among the families of the victims and the Ethiopian public at large. It also questions the government’s adherence to constitutional principles, urging that security forces should not be targeting civilians.
“As a result of these attacks, the loss of loved ones has become a source of grief, sorrow, and resentment for countless Ethiopian families and the wider public,” reads the EPRP press release.
Additionally, the press release cites recent media reports, including from BBC, which have covered similar incidents and collected accounts from local residents and relatives of the deceased, describing the impact of the drone strikes and violence.
According to the party’s statement, a drone strike launched on November 5, 2024, in the “Aregea” zone of Gojjam, located in the Amhara Regional State, killed and injured more than a hundred people.
The statement attributes the casualty figures to a BBC report based on local testimonies and confirms the party’s verification of this information from the same media source.
The party’s press release adds that such incidents are not confined to the Amhara Regional State.
“This report may have been highlighted through external channels, but it is clear that the overall number of victims from these attacks, including in Oromia and throughout all regions of our country, is exceptionally high,” reads the statement.
EPRP verified the extent of the devastation after speaking directly with people in the affected area, according to the press release.
“The alleged drone attacks have also impacted health facilities and schools, affecting not only individuals but also social infrastructure,” it reads.
The press release includes a call for the Ethiopian public to recognize and voice their opposition to the reported civilian casualties resulting from government military operations, according to the statement.
Speaking to The Reporter, the party’s vice chairman, Abraham Haimanot (PhD), stated that the alleged attacks threaten the country’s peace and stability. According to him, Ethiopia has endured such a devastating situation for over five years, impacting the nation’s overall stability.
Abraham criticized the government for “not creating an open political environment” for opposition parties, saying that “calls from their side never receive attention from the government”.
“The federal government has consistently rejected our requests to establish the rule of law in the country, dismissing our party as outdated and rotten,” he said.
While acknowledging the efforts of the US and Canadian embassies in Ethiopia, Abraham condemned the lack of involvement from the British embassy, accusing it of siding with the federal government.
“We appreciate the work of the US and other embassies in addressing human rights issues in Ethiopia,” he told The Reporter. “However, the British Ambassador in Ethiopia has turned a blind eye to our concerns about the ongoing human rights abuses.”
In a report issued on November 6, Amnesty International stated that Ethiopia has entered a new phase of disregard for national, regional, and international human rights obligations.