MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Ethiopia

24.11.2020 - (2020/2881(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules of Procedure

Anna Fotyga, Karol Karski, Witold Jan Waszczykowski, Raffaele Fitto, Assita Kanko, Ryszard Czarnecki, Adam Bielan, Bogdan Rzońca, Elżbieta Kruk, Jadwiga Wiśniewska, Alexandr Vondra, Veronika Vrecionová, Emmanouil Fragkos, Valdemar Tomaševski, Elżbieta Rafalska, Ruža Tomašić, Jan Zahradil, Eugen Jurzyca
on behalf of the ECR Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B9-0383/2020

B9‑0386/2020

European Parliament resolution on the situation in Ethiopia

(2020/2881(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in Ethiopia,

 

  -  having regard to the statements of the HR/VP of 2 and 9 November 2020 and to the joint statement by the HR/VP and the Commissioner for Crisis Management of 12 November 2020,

 

  -  having regard to the statement of the Secretary-General of the UN of 4 November 2020,

 

  -  having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,

 

  -  having regard to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights,

 

– having regard to Rule 144 of its Rules of Procedure,

 

 

 

A. whereas after the assassination on 29 June 2020 of Oromo singer and civil rights activist Hachalu Hundessa, protests erupted in Oromia, that were heavily repressed by the Ethiopian authorities with at least 239 people killed and thousands arrested, including journalists and opposition leaders;

 

B. whereas other massacres took place in the country and the human rights situation deteriorated;

 

C.  whereas the federal elections were postponed, stalling the transition to democracy;

 

D.  whereas on 3 November 2020 the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) carried out attacks on Ethiopian National Defence Force bases in the Tigray region;

 

E.  whereas on 4 November 2020 Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched military operations in  Tigray thus risking an escalation into civil war in Ethiopia and destabilisation of the East African region;

 

F.  whereas since 7 November 2020 at least six journalists covering the ongoing conflict in Tigray have been arrested on unknown charges;

 

G  whereas cutting off communications with and access to Tigray hampers the ability to provide humanitarian assistance and to monitor the situation on the ground;

 

H.  whereas 30,000 people fled to Sudan and the UN warned that millions of people could be threatened by famine;

 

I.  whereas on 13 November 2020 the TPLF carried out missile attacks on the Bahir Dar and Gandar airports in Ethiopia and on 14 November 2020 on the airport in Asmara, Eritrea;

 

J.  whereas Tigray accepted, but the Ethiopian government rejected mediation offers by the African Union;

 

K.  whereas on 22 November 2020 Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed gave the Tigrayan regional forces 72 hours to surrender before the Ethiopian military begin an offensive on the regional capital Mekelle;

 

 

1.  Calls for immediate measures of all concerned parties to de-escalate the conflict, restore peace, protect civilians, desist from disinformation campaigns and to resolve their differences peacefully by engaging in a genuine, inclusive and credible dialogue, and to commit to a democratic process decided at free, fair and transparent elections; 

 

2.  Urges to restore all connections in Tigray and to ensure unfettered access to humanitarian organisations, human rights monitors and independent media;

 

3.  Calls on the EU to support African-lead mediation efforts for a ceasefire and the creation of the conditions for dialogue;

 

4.  Calls on the Ethiopian federal and state governments to take steps to facilitate the safe repatriation of Ethiopian refugees;

 

5.  Urges all concerned parties to uphold the rule of law and to respect human rights and calls for an independent investigation into recent alleged ethnically motivated incidents in Oromia, Benishangul Gumuz, Southern Nations and Nationalities, Addis Ababa and Tigray;

 

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Government and Parliament of Ethiopia, the Commission, the Council, the HR/VP, the institutions of the African Union, the ACP-EU Council of Ministers and Joint Parliamentary Assembly and the Secretary-General of the UN.