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African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Announced It Will Continue Its Investigation

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Mekelle, Tigrai- February 17, 2023 (Tigrai Television) – African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights says it will continue to investigate crimes committed in the war on Tigrai.

In a presser on Thursday, Chairperson of the Commission Remy Ngoy Lumbu told reporters that the commission is finalizing its investigation.

The chairperson said this following a question by reporters to comment on Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mokenen’s remarks on Wednesday that the commission’s unilateral decision to establish an inquiry commission was unacceptable. “Ethiopia regrets the establishment of the inquiry commission” Demeke Mokenen stated.

Remy Ngoy Lumbu told the reporters that the commission will continue its investigation regardless. “We have our own mandate, we have our own work” the Chairperson underscored.

The Ethiopian government has been consistent in opposing the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry since its establishment on the 15th of June, 2021.  The ACHPR’s unilateral decision to establish an inquiry commission was “completely outside the scope of the invitation by the government and lacks legal basis” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in June of 2021.

According to the ACHPR “The Commission of Inquiry has a mandate to, inter alia, investigate allegations of violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, and to gather all relevant information so as to determine whether the allegations constitute serious and massive violations of human rights,”

It is to be recalled that, in September of last year, Ethiopia also rejected the findings of the UN-backed International Commission of Human Rights Expert on Ethiopia, which said “there are reasonable grounds to believe the federal government is using starvation as a method of warfare.”

 “Extrajudicial killings, rape, sexual violence, and starvation of the civilian population as a method of warfare” the report by the UN human rights experts stated.

The U.S., EU, and other members of the international community have repeatedly said the peace process should ensure unimpeded humanitarian access, and accountability for International Humanitarian Law and human rights violations and abuses.

By Abel Tsgabu

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