Postponing Peace in Ethiopia Threatens Transitional Justice - Ethio Eyewitness News

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Postponing Peace in Ethiopia Threatens Transitional Justice

In recent developments, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Justice announced the completion of a comprehensive roadmap for implementing the Transitional Justice Policy adopted in April. This roadmap is designed to lay out the necessary steps for criminal accountability, reparations, truth-seeking, and institutional reform. However, the timing of this implementation has raised significant concerns, given the ongoing armed conflicts in various regions of the country.

The Transitional Justice Policy was developed amidst continued conflict, most notably the ongoing violence in Oromia and recent clashes in Amhara, even after the conclusion of the Tigray war in late 2022. The complexity of implementing transitional justice in such a volatile environment cannot be understated. While the official stance is to proceed with the policy despite these hostilities, many question its feasibility under current conditions.

The concept of drafting transitional justice policies during conflict is not unprecedented. Historical data from the During Conflict Justice Dataset reveals that 76% of countries since 1946 have established some form of justice during periods of war. However, crafting policy during conflict and implementing it amid ongoing violence are vastly different challenges. The Ethiopian Working Group of Experts has highlighted these difficulties, contrasting Ethiopia’s approach with the African Union’s policy, which emphasizes that peace processes should be integral to transitional justice efforts.

Peace is a crucial enabler for the effective implementation of transitional justice. It ensures the meaningful participation and public buy-in necessary for the process to comply with international standards. One of the primary goals of Ethiopia’s Transitional Justice Policy is to end the cycle of violence through institutional reform. However, without first achieving peace and addressing the root causes of conflict, such reforms may fall short of guaranteeing a future governed by the rule of law.

The policy’s call for special judicial mechanisms to establish criminal accountability faces significant practical challenges. Pursuing accountability during ongoing violence may not only be difficult but could also fail to deter further atrocities. Historical examples, such as the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, show that severe atrocities can occur even while justice mechanisms are in place.

Achieving peace would facilitate broader participation in the transitional justice process. It would enable militants to join the process and make currently inaccessible areas available for dialogue, truth-seeking, and accountability. Political parties, some of which have boycotted sessions due to ongoing hostilities, would be more likely to engage in a peaceful environment. This engagement is critical for the legitimacy and success of the Transitional Justice Policy.

Furthermore, peace would allow civil society organizations to participate more actively, enhancing the policy’s comprehensiveness and effectiveness. The Ethiopian diaspora, comprising over three million individuals, could also play a vital role in national consultations and implementation, contributing as victims, perpetrators, witnesses, and experts.

Young people, who are key players in both armed conflicts and peacebuilding efforts, often find themselves excluded from transitional justice processes. Peace would enable their voices to be heard and their participation in proceedings. Similarly, ensuring the involvement of victims trapped in conflict zones and providing them with mental health and psychosocial support is crucial, and such efforts are more feasible in a peaceful context.

The international community, particularly the US and European Union, has urged Ethiopia to implement transitional justice as part of its commitment under the 2022 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement. Continued and expanded efforts from external actors, in collaboration with regional entities like the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the African Union Commission, are essential for supporting Ethiopia’s journey towards peace and justice.

Ethiopia’s history of selective and incomplete peace efforts has led to recurring conflicts. For instance, the post-1991 transition led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front resulted in another era of violence and repression. The selective nature of peace agreements, such as the Ethiopia-Eritrea accord, has sometimes exacerbated conflicts, as seen with the Tigray war and current Amhara conflicts.

Future peace processes in Ethiopia should integrate transitional justice requirements to ensure the coexistence of peace and justice. Peace agreements should address crimes through transitional justice frameworks, incorporating criminal accountability, institutional reform, truth-seeking, and reparations early in negotiations. This approach can help reconcile the tensions between disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration programs with transitional justice efforts.

The urgency of achieving peace in Ethiopia cannot be overstated. Delaying peace will undermine the timely implementation and effectiveness of transitional justice. Ethiopia’s government and armed groups must engage sincerely in peace talks, adopting a conflict-sensitive approach that includes all stakeholders. Only through a genuine commitment to both peace and justice can Ethiopia hope to break the cycle of violence and build a future grounded in the rule of law.


Tadesse Simie Metekia, Senior Researcher, Rule of Law, Institute for Security Studies, Wubeshet Kumelachew Tiruneh, Research Fellow, Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, and Tessema Simachew Belay, Assistant Professor, Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia.

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Habtamu Alemu

Habtamu Alemu is a seasoned journalist and the editor-in-chief of Ethio Eyewitness News.

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