Q&A: Recent Events and Deaths at the Irreecha Festival in Ethiopia
© 2016 Reuters
The following questions and answers are critical to understanding recent events inEthiopia. Responses are written by Felix Horne, senior Ethiopia researcher at Human Rights Watch. The Human Rights Watch analysis of the situation is informed by 15 interviews with people who witnessed and lived through the events of October 2, 2016, as well as hundreds of other interviews with people caught up in violent government responses to protests across Ethiopia in the past year.
- What is Irreecha and what happened on Sunday, October 2 during Irreecha?
- The government said 50 people died, while the opposition says 678. Why is there such a disparity in the numbers?
- Did security forces violate international laws or guidelines on the use of force in Irreecha?
- Why is an independent, international investigation important? Isn’t it the government’s responsibility to investigate?
- How has the government responded to the October 2 deaths in Bishoftu?
- What are protesters telling Human Rights Watch about the government response to the protests and about what they want now?
- What should the government be doing?
- What should Ethiopia’s key international allies, such as the US, UK and EU, do to help ensure improved human rights in Ethiopia?
