BY YESUF ENDRIS
ADDIS ABABA– The Ministry of Justice announced that public consultation to formulate a transitional justice policy will be held in 59 selected areas within the next 13 weeks, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen said that the government has a firm belief in conducting transitional justice in accordance with the public interest.
Following the government’s reform, conflicts that resulted in grave human rights violations had been ragged in several areas of Ethiopia. “Also, we had been passed through number of conflicts that confronted our national unity. Therefore, victims should be compensated through transitional justice.” Demeke added: “It is high time to formulate transitional justice policy. Over the past years lots of victims were in need of compensation and justice. In one way or another, all victims should be compensated and accountability should be ensured.”
According to the Deputy Premier, the Ethiopian government believes that this consultation is important to draw up options to guide the needed transitional justice. “As we can learn from other countries, transitional justice is fundamental process to ensure accountability to repair harms of grave human rights violation. Also, it will lay foundation to resolve disputes and conflicts.”
Sharing the above the House of Peoples’ Representative Speaker Tagesse Chafo stated that the goal of the transitional justice should be to establish peace and security across the country. Transitional justice should be based on national and international guidelines. The consultation commenced this day is the result of the firm commitment of the governmental and non-governmental actors, he added.
“Attempts to implement transitional justices in the past years are few in number and unsatisfactory in quality. So, CSOs, In his remark at the launching ceremony of the public consultation here yesterday, governmental and other concerned bodies should pay special attention to make the process successful.”
United Nations Higher Commissioner for Regional Office for East Africa, Marcel Clement Akpovo said on the occasion that global experiences teach that transitional justice is always vital after gun silence and it helps to repair broken harmony and to sustain peace and security. The meaningful participation of victim society members is also crucial for the successful conduct of transitional justice.
“We believe that the upcoming transitional justice of Ethiopia will benefit all of us. The transitional justice will define what justice is mean to victims of conflicts and human right violations.” Religious and traditional leaders should be also invited to take part in consultations to play their role in future transitional justice architecture, the representative emphasized.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 7 MARCH 2023
