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Home > Projects & Research > Horn of Africa : Ethiopia

Horn of Africa

Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa with the second largest population in all of Africa, second only to Nigeria. Ethiopia is a multiethnic and multicultural country with over 80 different ethnic groups each speaking its own language. Since 1991, the power of the government has been in the hands of the Tigre People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), an ethnic Tigre rebel group, established in 1975. With the fall of the Soviet Union, the previous pro-Soviet Union military government collapsed and was replaced by the TPLF.

Initially, the TPLF-led government respected the rule of law and human rights, ratifying a number of human rights treaties and adopting the 1995 Ethiopian Constitution which incorporated all government ratified international human rights treaties. Unfortunately, the government’s commitment to human rights and rule of law largely exists only on paper.

Since 1991, the TPLF has violated numerous international human rights laws. Political opponents of the TPLF and members of other ethnic groups, especially the Oromo, have been targeted. Many have been subjected to torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, disappeared, or been detained without due process.

Beginning in 2000, the government targeted students for protesting government policies. Many students have been arrested, executed without due process, tortured, or dismissed from their respective Universities.

In 2005, the government held its’ first ever opposition party contested election. The process leading up to the election was, for the most part, transparent and participatory as observed by international election observers. The TPLF, however, terminated the democratic process when it was obvious they were going to lose the election. The Prime Minister unconstitutionally suspended the constitution, declared a state of emergency, and declared his party (TPLF) the victors of the election.

In addition to the human rights abuses already noted, Ethiopia is the top jailor of journalists in the world, greatly restricts freedom of speech and access to information, has a growing armed insurgency, and has rising numbers of internally displaced peoples.

For more information please see:

Ethiopia Human Rights Factsheet (PDF)

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