UN Adviser Warns of Genocide Risk in Ethiopia Amid Ongoing Clashes

The UN's special adviser on the prevention of genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, has issued a warning about the escalating risk of genocide and related atrocities in several Ethiopian regions. She expressed alarm at the situation in Afar, Amhara, Oromia, and Tigray, where ongoing violent clashes involve government forces and local militias.

According to a press statement released by the UN, which emphasized the deeply disturbing reports emerging from Ethiopia and called for immediate action, Alice urged the global community to take notice of the persistent risk factors for genocide and related crimes within the country.

The UN adviser cited reports of assailants killing entire families, forcing relatives to witness horrific crimes against their loved ones, and displacing or expelling entire communities from their homes. She stressed that the suffering of innocent civilians should not be considered inevitable and should reinforce the commitment to prevent impunity and prioritize actions for prevention.

“The suffering of innocent civilians should never be accepted as inevitable. Rather, it must reinforce our commitment to ensure that impunity does not prevail and that all possible prevention actions are prioritized.”

She called for an immediate cessation of the extensive violations committed by parties to the conflict since November 2020, which included mass killings, sexual violence, starvation, destruction of schools and medical facilities, forced displacement, and arbitrary detention. She stated that the ongoing hostilities affect civilians directly, making it crucial to halt the violence and protect innocent lives.