The United States has expressed its encouragement over the 'incremental progress' made in Ethiopia's peace and reconciliation efforts, particularly in the Tigray region. According to Mike Hammer, the U.S. special envoy for the Horn of Africa, there has been a decrease in human rights abuses in Tigray and internally displaced people have started to return to their homes. However, conflicts in the Amhara and Oromia regions persist. The U.S. remains committed to supporting Ethiopia's transitional justice process and ensuring accountability for war crimes. During his visit to Ethiopia, Hammer attended the African Union's meeting to review the implementation of the Pretoria Agreement. He also discussed regional issues in Djibouti and expressed concern over the situation in Sudan, calling for a resumption of peace talks [4c98c874].
The Government of Ethiopia has reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the Transitional Justice Policy in order to achieve lasting peace in the country. The policy, which was approved by the Council of Ministers, aims to resolve disputes arising from the past through forgiveness and bring about peace and stability in Ethiopia. House of People's Representatives Chief Government Whip Tesfaye Beljige emphasized the importance of appropriately implementing transitional justice to achieve sustainable resolution of complex crises. The government has shown unwavering commitment to realizing transitional justice and believes that it is crucial for the country's future. House of People's Representatives Speaker Tagesse Chaffo highlighted the need for a participatory transitional justice process that takes into account Ethiopia's political and social circumstances. The Ministry of Justice will play a significant role in monitoring and coordinating the implementation of the policy and law documents [e55e0612].
A comprehensive cessation of hostilities is necessary for Ethiopia to effectively implement transitional justice. The Ministry of Justice has drafted a roadmap for implementing the Transitional Justice Policy, which includes activities for criminal accountability, reparations, truth-seeking, and institutional reform. However, implementing transitional justice amid ongoing armed conflicts is challenging. While drafting policy during conflict is not unusual, implementing it under worsening conditions is different. The Transitional Justice Policy in Ethiopia does not highlight the need for a peace process, unlike the African Union's policy. Peace is crucial for meaningful participation, public buy-in, and compliance with international standards. Ending ongoing conflicts and addressing structural issues are necessary to guarantee the non-recurrence of violations. Pursuing accountability during violence is tricky and may fail to deter further atrocities. Achieving peace can encourage militants to participate in the transitional justice process and make currently inaccessible spaces available for dialogue, truth-seeking, and accountability. Peace can also bring political parties to the table and change the views of skeptical civil society organizations. The involvement of the Ethiopian diaspora, youth, victims, and experts is vital for the effective implementation of transitional justice. The international community, particularly the United States and European Union, has urged Ethiopia to implement transitional justice. Peace processes in Ethiopia should integrate transitional justice requirements to ensure peace and justice coexist. Delaying peace will undermine the timely implementation and effectiveness of transitional justice [c4710b85] [e55e0612].
On the recent International Day for the Elimination of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, stakeholders in Jonglei State, South Sudan, including the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), local authorities, and civil society representatives, came together to reaffirm their commitment to hold perpetrators of sexual violence accountable. At the event, they emphasized the importance of protecting community members, particularly women and children, and paid tribute to survivors of sexual violence. The Acting Governor of Jonglei State, Atong Kuol, pledged to strengthen the judicial system to increase accountability and encourage reporting of incidents. Geetha Pious, Head of the UNMISS Field Office in Bor, expressed concern about the increasing violence and abductions in the region. Lual Monyluak Dau, Minister of Health in Jonglei State, warned health workers about breaching confidentiality and stated that violators would face legal consequences. Activist Elizabeth Ayen highlighted the issue of traditional justice mechanisms rewarding rapists by allowing them to marry their victims, which can lead to intercommunal conflict and loss of life. Stakeholders agreed that sexual violence is not only a personal trauma but can also cause intercommunal violence [e55e0612] [4e2ba3d5].
Traditional and religious leaders in Taraba State, Nigeria, have been urged to assist in eliminating practices that promote Gender Based Violence (GBV). The call was made by the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development during a roundtable with key stakeholders. The discussion focused on faith and cultural leaders' roles in ending GBV through advocacy and policy change. LEAP Project Officer, Amina Ali, urged cultural and religious leaders to use their influence to discourage practices that promote GBV and to advocate for ending GBV and encouraging positive social norms. The Sultan Foundation Senior Programme Officer, Haruna Aliyu, stressed the need to end violence based on gender. The roundtable was attended by prominent leaders from the two major religions and monarchs [ea4f2309].
The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Nigeria, has reiterated its commitment to transitional justice for communities affected by insurgency in the North-East. Dauda Garuba, CDD’s executive director, explained that transitional justice must be practicalised academically. The CDD is sponsoring a Hausa radio programme to promote dialogue and peace-building in the sub-region. The renovated and equipped lecture hall at the University of Maiduguri was handed over to the university’s Centre for Peace, Diplomatic and Development Studies (CPDDS). The CPDDS aims to produce graduates that will contribute to peacebuilding in the North-East and Nigeria in general [d7ba66e5].