On Tuesday, Ethiopia received an international commendation at the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) that reviewed its human rights record for the third round. The two round reviews held back in December 2009 and April 2014 respectively.
Criticisms and recommendations from the first one were far from being improved in the second one. Shortly after the reformist administration took office, the human rights protection and promotion of the country improved greatly. Among other things, Ethiopia has widened the democratic space, made null and void previous terrorism law and abolished arbitrary detention.
To address complaints on issues relating to administrative boundary and identity, the government has also established Administrative Boundaries and Identity Issues Commission. The Commission is mandated to conduct studies and make recommendations to the House of Federation. To lay the foundation of peace and order as well as prosperity on a solid base, the administration has embarked on a series of works that included law improvements and civic engagements.
Despite the rise and fall along the journey, the progress made so far have brought hope and optimism among the public. The current applauds of governments at the UPR session also speak for themselves. It took the government mainly goodwill to improve the human rights handling of the country. The shift is from a hell on the earth to oppositions and journalists to somewhere they could openly and freely exercise their political rights.
It was even unimaginable to see previously armed politicians put their arms to rest and give peace and prosperity a chance. As ‘Rome was not built overnight’, the reforms need time. At this juncture, it suffices to quote what the U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia reflects on Ethiopia’s transition and the relevance of the American experience in National Day remarks on last May 7/2019. “After all, it took nearly a century for all American people to be free.
It took almost another full century before all Americans were promised equality under the law, and we’re still having debates about how best to uphold that promise.” Democracy here in our country is just at its infancy. And it will take us years and years and centuries until we get full-fledged democracy if at all a full-fledged democracy itself exists. But at least it demands patience, rigorous and sustained works from all pertinent bodies to see Ethiopia where its citizens’ political, social and economic rights are respected.
Indeed, the country has a backlog of works ahead to award citizens with better lives to further protect and promote human rights. But, there is a high potential for the gains to get further consolidated. Unlike previous years, Ethiopia is throwing its full weight on its pressing menaces, in all spheres of life, through participating seasoned academicians, who previously secluded themselves, politicians and the diaspora community.
Civil Society Organizations have got a green light to operate in all spheres of life without restrictions to funding options, they can now raise both local and foreign funds and operate in the political, social and economic area. The public at large is widely participating in the country’s affairs.
The seeds of the efforts are now germinating for there comes relatively enabling condition as a result of the reform. Its, hence, incumbent upon all of us to make sure the conditions continue being conducive for the young reforms to send deeper roots and bear sweet fruits.
The Ethiopian Herald, May 17/2019
BY DIRRIBA TESHOME
