11 December 2008
Addis Abeba — The establishment of legal instruments and institutions is crucial to t up to facilitate respect and protection of human rights in Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO) announced on Wednesday.
The Council said however that the value and effectiveness of legal instruments and institutions is to a large extent dependent on the steadfast dedication of states to respect the provisions of the instruments as well as to abide by the decisions and recommendations of the institutions.
EHRCO stressed the appropriateness of looking back at the various forms and causes of human rights violations that are being committed world wide "in relation to the value and effectiveness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the various international human rights instruments as well as the institutions that are set up to facilitate respect and protection of human rights and bring perpetrators to justice, among other things".
The Council said despite "conducive" legal environment in Ethiopia for human right protection such as its adoption and ratification of various international and regional human rights instruments including the UDHR and enclosing them in the domestic constitutional law, there have been enormous challenges in carrying out the fundamental obligations of the government to respect, protect and fulfill human rights.
"One can still notice the lack of a genuine commitment on the part of the government especially in bringing perpetrators to justice and end impunity," the council said in a statement issued on the International Human Rights day observed globally on Wednesday.
"Ensuring the independence of institutions, protecting freedom of expression as well as freedom of association is now, more then ever, facing serious obstacles." The International Human Rights Day is marked annually with the spirit of relishing one of the historic achievements of the international community namely the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a document that unequivocally outlined the vital importance of respect and protection of human rights for a sustainable world peace as well as economic and social development.
The international human rights day provides the opportunity for all actors to pause and evaluate rhetoric and legal duties in relation to performance and to renew their resolve to work towards a better performance.
EHRCO called on the government "to take its obligations under national and international laws very seriously and carry out its primary responsibility of ensuring respect and protection of human rights in Ethiopia." It added that this year the UDHR turns 60.
Although it was adopted by the United Nations in the form of a declaration with no binding legal force, the universal nature of the principles and ideas contained in it enabled the document to gain a status which is even far more sacred than a legal instrument under International law.
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