Ethiopian government says Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch fail to exercise ‘due diligence’
The government of Ethiopia said it questions the validity of numerous political matters the Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch issued in their latest report in relation to war crimes allegations committed in Wolkait region in northern Ethiopia.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the government said matters of internal boundaries are dealt with by constitutionally mandated bodies and it is unwise for the activist organizations to pass judgments on such matters.
Knowing that their report would be used for political purposes, the government said they turned to be judgmental and this attitude is certainly not acceptable and they failed to exercise due diligence.
The Government is also concerned about the ethnic undertones of the report that seem to apportion blame disproportionally while trying to exculpate others.
It said this fuels hatred and makes reconciliation and healing more difficult. Responsibility is individual. All those responsible for the alleged violations will be held accountable.
Sensational and journalistic reporting discredits the bulky report. Simply blaming one group does not serve the cause of human rights and peace. Other weaknesses in the report are also very apparent. They rely largely on alleged testimonies from certain groups.
The Government investigation team will examine this report despite such fatal weakness and unfair attack against the gallant forces of ENDF and allied forces, the government said in a statement.