Causes of Popular Protests and Violations of Human Rights in Ethiopia, 2015-2018
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Date
2021-04
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study examines the causes of the popular protests in Ethiopia during 2015-2018 that led to massive human rights violations, and the dynamics in the human rights records of Ethiopia after PM Dr. Abiy held office. Data was gathered through key informant interviews. According to the findings of the study, there has been deprivation in Ethiopia since the EPRDF held office, which was intensified in the post-2015. Citizens were aware of the ongoing deprivation. The popular movements had similar slogans to topple the government. There were also event full protests that followed the Irrecha incident, and the arrest of Col. Demeke that changed the protests into a nascent movement. The finding also suggested that the people were open along with some officials within the government. It was noted that resource mobilization contributed by large to the success of the popular protests. There had been gross human rights violations in Ethiopia since the EPRDF took office, the magnitude intensified since the popular protests erupted in 2015. The dynamism of the human rights landscape in Ethiopia changed since PM Dr. Abiy took office in April 2018. Since then, the government’s direct human rights violations reduced, however, other human rights-violating actors appeared in the picture. These human rights violations were based on ethnic, territorial, and identity claims. These non-governmental human rights violators violated the right to life and also the freedom of expression and association. Because of that, PM Abiy’s administration, regardless of the promise for building a better human rights landscape, success was very much limited, while the human rights violations caused by non-governmental actors increased
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Causes of Popular Protests and Violations of Human Rights in Ethiopia, 2015-2018