Amnesty Int’l Recent Report Revealing, New Stand: Legal Scholars
The current report of Amnesty International on crimes committed by the terrorist TPLF in the Amhara Regional State demonstrated new stand of the right group in revealing the truth to the international community, scholars said.
The report released on Wednesday states that fighters affiliated with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) killed civilians in and around Chenna and Kobo towns of Amhara region, looted property, and gang-raped women and girls as young as 14.
According to Amnesty, the Tigrayan forces committed the atrocities around Chenna and Kobo last August and September after taking control of the areas.
Speaking to ENA, Bahir Dar University Law lecturer Misganaw Gashaw said it is encouraging that Amnesty International released the report that would enable them to hold the TPLF accountable.
The instructor noted that Amnesty International had previously failed to employ proper methodologies and working procedures during human right violence investigations in Ethiopia.
Many human right experts argue that one of the major problems which have been witnessed in human rights reports on Ethiopia is that the investigations were conducted remotely and driven by social media campaigns.
Misganaw also recalled that Amnesty International had previously released a contradictory report against the Ethiopian government.
However, the scholar noted that “the recent Amnesty report has employed proper methodologies procedures, including interviews, satellite observations and other methods which are acceptable.”
The report exposes the massacre, rape and sexual assault of innocent civilians by the terrorist TPLF in Kobo and Chena areas as well as massive destruction of property.
“Although the report is not complete in terms of content, depth and coverage, Amnesty International shows that the institution is taking a new position compared to its previous practices,” he said.
The scholar further stated that terrorist TPLF has carried out large scale massacres and other crimes in Maikadra, Galikoma, Agamsa, Gashena, Mersa, Antsokia and other places in North Shoa, North and South Wollo, Oromia Special Zone and around North Gondar.
The recent report of Amnesty International only highlights TPLF’s atrocities in Kobo and Chinna areas, and those could make the terrorist group held accountable for human rights abuses and war crime.
The other lecturer in same university, Dessalegn Tigabu said that the report has not adequately shown the magnitude of the damage caused by TPLF.
He stated that the report should have covered the economic and psychological damages along with the atrocities.
“However, when human right institutions such as Amnesty International present a balanced and scientific study as this one, the report would be purposeful,” the Law lecturer said.
Dessalegn further added that the Ethiopian government should support and encourage such organizations to investigate as they reveal and show the truth to the world.
Source: Ethiopia News Agency