29 February 2024
Gambella, Ethiopia – The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has released a report detailing its investigation into deadly clashes in Gambella region, which have claimed the lives of 138 people since May 2015.
The report, which covers the period from September 20 to September 30, 2016, details incidents in Itang Special District, Gambella and Gug districts, as well as the regional capital, Gambell
The EHRC documented the deaths of 138 individuals, including refugees, in the clashes and at least 27 refugees were killed in attacks by militants and individuals, both inside and outside shelters besides over 113 people suffered minor and serious injuries in the violence.
The report details the displacement of residents, along with the burning and looting of houses and property.
The EHRC acknowledged the government’s arrest of three local leaders allegedly involved in the conflict in Itang Special District. Additionally, the regional government removed leaders suspected of involvement in the Anew ethnic zone for investigation.
The EHRC urged the government to conduct thorough criminal investigations into those directly involved in the clashes, including “administrative bodies, members of the regional government’s security forces, armed groups and individuals, ” establish a “neutral” and competent security structure in the region, and provide appropriate compensation to those injured in the conflict.
Gambella region hosts over 380,000 refugees from South Sudan. The conflict reportedly began in May 2015 over a missing person and escalated into a wider social conflict.
This report highlights the ongoing violence in Gambella region and the need for urgent action by the Ethiopian government to address the underlying causes of conflict, ensure accountability for human rights abuses, and protect all residents, including refugees
