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ATROCITIES COMMITTED AGAINST STREET
CHILDREN AND THE HOMELESS
Urgent Report no. 2/1996
May 6, 1996
Many citizens have been forced into dire poverty, beggary and
prostitution as a result of the displacement caused by the long
civil war, the post-Derg ethnic politics, and the mass dismissal
of workers caused by the government's structural adjustment
program. Consequently, there are now far more street children,
prostitutes and the homeless than ever before. Unless concerted
effort is made to rehabilitate these unfortunate citizens, the
situation will further deteriorate thereby exacerbating the
already high magnitude of crime in urban areas.
However, instead of attempting to find a just solution and
reintegrating into the society these marginalized citizens, the
authorities have resorted to inhuman means of addressing the
problem. As of April 4, 1996, the police in Addis Ababa have been
trying to clean up the city by indiscriminately rounding up the
homeless and street girls late at night, and temporarily
detaining some of these at police stations until the next
morning. The other victims were forced onto police trucks and
taken out of Addis Ababa and dumped at bushy outskirts of the
city, in dangerous places such as Karra (Kottebe), Gafarssa,
Qarranyo, Karraqore (Sabatta road), and Qalitti where they were
exposed to attacks by hyenas.
Among the victims of this atrocious act, the following persons
have personally lodged complaints with the Ethiopian Human Rights
Council (EHRCO).
| NAME |
SEX |
AGE |
POLICE ACTION
|
| Asmeret T/Senbet Asgedom
|
F |
16 |
Abandoned at Qarranyo on
4 April 1996 |
| Maaza Gedamu Retta
|
F |
15 |
Abandoned at Karraqore
on 5 April 1996 |
| Eleni Asfaw Mengistu
|
F |
18 |
Abandoned at Karraqore
on 5 April 1996 |
| Jerusalem Wasse Mesfin
|
F |
17 |
Detained at Woreda 7
Police Station on 5 April 1996 and released the next day
|
| Dessalegn Abay Tegegne
|
M |
19 |
Abandoned at Karra on 5
April 1996 |
| Fatie Yimam Reshid
|
F |
18 |
Abandoned at Karraqore
on 5 April 1996 |
| Wudie Fentie Dejenie
|
F |
20 |
Abandoned at Karraqore
on 7 April 1996 |
| Meseret Desta Negusse
|
F |
16 |
Abandoned at Karraqore
on 8 April 1996 |
| Netsanet Shewa Negash
|
F |
22 |
Abandoned at Karraqore
on 8 April 1996 |
| Birqe Assefa Taddese |
F |
20 |
Abandoned at Karraqore
on 8 April 1996 |
| Itagegn Mersha Manaye
|
F |
60 |
Detained at Woreda 7
Police Station on 9 April 1996 and released the next day
|
| Tigist Mesqele Gebre
|
F |
18 |
Abandoned at Gafarssa on
13 April 1996 |
| Sara Wolde Geda |
F |
17 |
Abandoned at Qarranyo on
14 April 1996 |
| Ibrahim Mohammed Sali
|
M |
24 |
Abandoned at Karra on 14
April 1996 |
| Solomon Abate Hailu |
M |
17 |
Abandoned at Karra on 14
April 1996 |
| Solomon Gemechu Debela
|
M |
28 |
Abandoned at Karra on 14
April 1996 |
| Hamid Mohammed Ahmed
|
M |
14 |
Abandoned at Karra on 14
April 1996 |
| Aster Assefa Amelie
|
F |
17 |
Detained at Woreda 5
Police Station on14 April 1996 and released the next day
|
| Hiwot Tareqegne Getahun
|
F |
18 |
Detained at Woreda 7
Police Station on 18 April 1996 and released the next day
|
| Betelihem Haile
|
F |
17 |
Detained at Woreda 7
Police Station on 18 April 1996 and released the next day
|
| Firehiwot Qelemeworq
|
F |
16 |
Detained at Woreda 7
Police Station on 18 April 1996 and released the next day
|
| Beletu Mekonnen Taddese
|
F |
18 |
Detained at Woreda 7 Police Station on 18 April 1996
and released the next |
day |
This act is a violation of human rights that contravenes
Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR),
Article 6 (1) of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights (ICCPR) and Article 14 of the Constitution of
the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE), all of which
provide that "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and
security of person." The arbitrary detention of these
persons late in the night is also a violation of the provisions
of Article 9 of the UDHR, Article 8 (1) of the ICCPR and Article
17 of the Constitution of the FDRE, all of which provide that
"No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest and
detention." This illegal police action also reminds us of
the atrocities committed by the Brazilian police against the
street children of Rio de Janeiro. It was only last week that we
heard that one of these criminal policemen was sentenced to 309
years of rigorous imprisonment.
The problem related to the high number of street children and the
homeless cannot be solved by rounding up these unfortunate
citizens late at night and abandoning them in the outskirts of
the city where they could be attacked by wild animals. Therefore,
EHRCO asks the authorities concerned to intervene immediately and
to stop this inhuman act. Likewise, EHRCO urges the Ethiopian
Government to take appropriate action against those policemen who
have participated in this violation of the constitutional rights
of the above- mentioned citizens.
EHRCO also urges all individuals, national and international
organisations, religious institutions, government and
non-government organisations which stand for the respect of human
rights to do everything possible to stop the perpetration of
these atrocities and to assist in finding ways and means of
rehabilitating these unfortunate persons.
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