News: Ethiopian Human Rights Council raises concern over alarming surge in abductions, attacks in Oromia region

Established in 1991, the Ethiopian Human Rights Council is the oldest independent human rights organization in Ethiopia (EHRCO/Facebook)Addis Abeba – The Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO) has expressed serious concern over the escalating number of abductions and attacks carried out by armed groups, predominantly in the Oromia region. Despite repeated appeals to federal and regional authorities to intervene and halt these activities, attacks on Ethiopian citizens and foreigners persist unabated, demonstrating a failure to adequately protect human rights and ensure security, the non-governmental rights group said. This convention clearly defines enforced disappearance as a violation of human rights and mandates that states hold the perpetrators legally accountable. The human rights group also expressed its willingness to assist authorities in crafting stronger laws and policies to address disappearances, uphold human rights protections, and restore security. While the government attributes these actions to the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), the armed group denies any involvement.