November 27, 2020

Ethnic profiling is a serious concern in Ethiopia!

Editorial

Ethnic profiling - a visible challenge in recent times but a preexisting theme informing…

Ethnic profiling is a serious concern in Ethiopia!

Ethnic profiling - a visible challenge in recent times but a preexisting theme informing interaction among Ethiopians for the past few decades - has emerged as one of the human rights concerns associated with the current armed conflict in the Tigray region between forces led by the Ethiopian National Defence Forces and the TPLF led Tigray Special Forces and Militia. With over 30,000 Tigrians displaced and some 99,000 Eritrean refugees facing security risks as well as food and water shortages as a result of the conflict. Human rights commentators like the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission have warned of trends of ethnic profiling against the Tigre community of the country in different parts of the country. House searches, detentions, dismissals from jobs, social media bullying and other forms of ethnic profiling have surfaced during different times since the onset of the conflict in Tigray.

Addis Zeybe has chosen to speak to this matter in this week’s editorial article because it believes it is a serious issue in the country (as it has been for a while) and requires attention before it spills over to further violations of right towards those targeted based on their identity. Ethiopia’s diversity is usually identified as its strength. However, it has now become the biggest threat to its existence. There is ample evidence to demonstrate this. From the targeting of ethnic Tigrians after the onset of the current conflict in the region to the selection and killing of ethnic Amhara and Wolkait Ethiopians in Mai Kadra by an extremist group with support from government structures are two of the most recent examples of ethnic profiling in Ethiopia. 

What is Ethnic Profiling?

Ethnic profiling - usually defined from the perspective of law enforcement agencies - is the existence of a pre-existing policy or stereotypical conclusion based on the ethnic, or racial identity of a particular individual or group by police, customs authorities, immigration workers and other government officials in carrying out their duties. According to the Open Society Foundation, it is an illegal policy approach which is prohibited under international law with key principles such as non-discrimination and universality of human rights protecting citizens from such policies designed to harm them based on their ethnic identity. Addis Zeybe concurs with this while also adding that ethnic profiling is an important indicator for ethnic cleansing and genocide in any given scenario. 

Ethnic Profiling exists as a mainstream policy of the government in Ethiopia

In the most recent preliminary report of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission about the atrocities that occurred in Mai Kadra said that door to door searches and the use of identification cards to identify and brutally kill nearly 600 ethnic Amhara and Welkait Ethiopians. Before anything else Addis Zeybe would like to take a moment and express its utmost condolences to the families of the 600 fellow Ethiopian brothers and sisters that suffered losses over an ideology that is neither shared by many nor expected from anyone living in the twenty first century. However, the incident shows the conducive environment created by ethnic based identification of Ethiopians for groups such as the Samiri to carry out ethnic based attacks. If these groups were able to identify over 600 people in a matter of one day under pressure and retreating from the Ethiopian National Defence Forces, there is no reason why this couldn’t happen at a larger scale. 

Government structures are easily able to identify the ethnicity of any Ethiopian based on the identification card of that person. Yes, there are initiatives to change this. There is no indication of ethnicity in the identification cards of Ethiopians anymore. However, Ethiopians are still expected to stipulate their ethnicity in many government forms including the one you fill out in order to get the new identification cards. This is a dangerous approach. Under current circumstances - where your ethnicity could be your crime at any point in time depending on where the political agreement of the mass lies - the government or any other group should have access to this information. 

Another example of ethnic profiling in Ethiopia is related to the approach of law enforcement, citizen informants, immigration workers and other institutions towards ethnic Tigrians. Since the onset of the conflict and the propagandization of the word junta by the government, many actions pointing towards ethnic profiling have been apparent in different parts of the country. From home searches solely based on the ethnic identity of the person to the dismissal of ethnic Tigrians from key posts as well as regular jobs, being an ethnic Tigre has meant suspicion in recent times. It is normal to see people call members of that ethnicity words like junta, mafia and many more names emanating from 4 Kilo. Despite messages delivered by the prime minister in Tigrinya, Amharic and English driving the message that the people of Tigray are of primary concern in the “operation to restore the rule of law”, the reality on the ground and the public opinion and sentiment towards Tigrians is contrary to this. Members of the ethnicity have questioned this approach in different mediums, many of whom are disappointed by the treatment they are receiving from the government and the public as well. 

Addis Zeybe believes this is problematic. It is not legal. It is not moral. It is not Ethiopian. The country must stop thinking solely in terms of ethnicity. More meaningful steps must be taken by the state to correct the damage done in the thirty plus year of indoctrination by adopting more inclusive policies that respect ethnic identity but require tolerance as well. Nations cannot be built on ethnic politics. Nations are built on ideas that are complemented by a system conducive of varying opinions. The constitution must protect individual rights as much it protects group rights. If it stands against the principle of non-discrimination ethnic politics must go too. No more Ethiopians should die because of their ethnic identity. Neither should anymore Ethiopians kill their fellow countrymen over their ethnic identity.