The recent decision by the US Treasury Department to backtrack on its determination of gross human rights violations in Ethiopia has sparked outrage among human rights advocates and international organizations. The move, based on a State Department assessment, has raised concerns about the US government’s commitment to upholding human rights and seeking justice for victims of atrocities in the war-torn region. The decision has triggered a wave of criticism from prominent human rights organizations, which argue that the move overlooks the ongoing human rights abuses and sends a dangerous message that atrocity determinations carry minimal consequences. “We’re deeply concerned that the US government no longer believes that gross violations of human rights are occurring in Ethiopia,” expressed Sarah Yager, Washington Director at Human Rights Watch. In June, Human Rights Watch published findings of an ongoing ethnic cleansing campaign against Tigrayans in Ethiopia’s Western Tigray Zone, including allegations of torture, arbitrary detention, and forced expulsion.

Source: Ethiopian News June 30, 2023 18:04 UTC