By John Ikani
France and Germany on Thursday urged Ethiopia to establish a transitional justice mechanism to hold accountable those who committed abuses during the country’s recent conflict.
The call came as French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visited Ethiopia to support the peace agreement signed last year to end the two-year conflict in the northern region of Tigray.
During their visit, the ministers met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and other government officials to discuss the importance of accountability and the need for a transitional justice mechanism.
The ministers praised the progress made in the peace process between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), but emphasized the importance of accountability and justice in achieving lasting peace.
Colonna said she welcomed “good progress which we encourage to continue” in the peace process between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
On her part, Baerbock stressed that: “We, Germans and French, know from our own experience that reconciliation does not happen overnight. But without the prospect of justice for the victims of crimes, reconciliation and lasting peace are not possible.”
In response, Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen reassured the ministers that crimes committed during the conflict will not go unpunished and that Ethiopia has requested the deployment of monitors by the United Nations human rights office and Ethiopia’s own rights commission in war-affected areas.
The call for accountability and justice was met with support from local civil society groups, who have long been calling for accountability for the atrocities committed during the conflict.
“We welcome the call by France and Germany for accountability and justice. It is crucial for the victims of the conflict to see justice done and for Ethiopia to move forward towards lasting peace,” said a representative of a local civil society group.
With the peace process moving forward and aid deliveries and basic services resuming in Tigray, the call for accountability serves as a reminder that true reconciliation cannot be achieved without justice for the victims.
