Amnesty Intl: Peace agreement must deliver justice to victims and survivors of conflict
The Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front have agreed to end hostilities and proceed on a detailed programme of disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration for TPLF combatants. They have also requested support to rebuild the East African country.
“We are confident that friends of Ethiopia and members of the diplomatic community will lend their support in rebuilding infrastructures in affected communities and the economic recovery of our country,” they said in the agreement.
This was disclosed by the African Union (AU) mediator in peace talks, former president Olusegun Obasanjo, in Pretoria, South Africa on Wednesday after 10 days of talks, where negotiations have been going on behind closed doors.
The two parties agreed to end two years of hostilities that have caused the death of thousands and the displacement of millions of people.
Both parties agreed “to permanently silence the guns,” acknowledging that the war has “brought a tragic degree of loss of lives.”
Responding, Amnesty International’s Director for East and Southern Africa, Muleya Mwananyanda, said: “The signing is a step in the right direction, yet further strides must be taken to address the accountability deficit that has permeated the conflict since it began. All parties to the war have committed unspeakable abuses, including mass, extrajudicial executions and sexual violence against women and girls. These appalling crimes cannot simply be washed away.
“At present, the accord fails to offer a clear roadmap on how to ensure accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity, and overlooks rampant impunity in the country, which could lead to violations being repeated.”
THE Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), on Thursday, commended Obasanjo for successfully negotiating a cessation of hostilities between the Ethiopian government and the Tigrayans, describing him as “a reformer, visionary and defender of democracy in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.”
The coalition recalled how Obasanjo peacefully handed over power in 2007 after serving two terms as Nigeria’s President.
Also, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has commended Obasanjo for his contribution to a stable Africa. Tinubu wished that the process results in a permanent resolution of the conflict.
“I commend the statesmanship of former President Olusegun Obasanjo as he continues his contribution to the stability of the African continent with a successful diplomatic mission in Ethiopia where he led the mediation of an important peace treaty.
“It is hoped that the process results, ultimately, in the permanent resolution of the conflict and a full commitment to the cause of unity, restoration, and development,” the former Lagos State governor said.
