The European Commission has expressed serious regarding the on-going conflict, alleged violations and abuses of human rights, reports of dozens of civilian casualties in the Amhara region of Ethiopia.
According to the statement released by the Union High Representative, Joseph Borell on Tuesday, stated that large-scale detentions, notably since the proclamation of a State of Emergency are being reported.
The EU joined the African Union, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission in calling for the protection of civilians, for a cessation of hostilities and for a dialogue between the parties.
While urged all Ethiopians to take the path of dialogue, in particular in the framework of the on-going National Dialogue process, which offers a tangible and long-term framework to work out a peaceful future for the country.
The European Union said its ready to support any process leading to dialogue, reconciliation and peace through a political settlement.
Fighting between Ethiopia’s military and militiamen in the Amhara region has killed at least 183 people, the UN human rights office said on Tuesday, providing the most comprehensive independent death toll to date of the month-long conflict.
More than 1,000 people have been arrested nationwide, many of them reported to be young people of ethnic Amhara origin, under a state of emergency the government decreed to respond to the violence, the UN added in a statement.
The conflict has been fuelled by accusations among many in Amhara, Ethiopia’s second most populous region, that the government is trying to undermine its security while report has it that the government denied the accusation.
Government forces reclaimed major towns and cities across the region earlier this month after initially being chased out by the militiamen, but the conflict has ground on.
Ethiopia’s authorities declared a six-month state of emergency last week in the region as clashes and mass protests intensify over a plan to absorb regional forces into the military.
The federal government has tried to centralize security powers after the end of a devastating two-year conflict in the country’s Tigray region, where Amhara regional forces and militia were key allies of the federal military.