The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has cautioned that the ongoing clashes between Ethiopian federal forces and militias in the north-west of the country are posing a severe threat to Sudanese refugees who are trying to escape.
The Fano militia, located in Amhara state, is just one of the regional groups that have been fighting against the federal government since the government announced its intention to eliminate paramilitary forces in April 2023.
Although the state of emergency declared by the government in Amhara, a region with a population of around 23 million, expired in June, the unrest has continued, leading to the deployment of a significant number of federal forces in September.
This region shares a border with Sudan, which is itself in the midst of a civil war between the Rapid Support Forces and the country’s de facto ruler, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, resulting in tens of thousands of people fleeing the violence.
“Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia have been targets of abuses for more than a year from various armed actors,” HRW’s deputy Africa director Laetitia Bader said.
“These refugees have fled horrific abuses back home and urgently need protection, not further threats to their lives.”
HRW said in a report that “armed men and local militias have committed murder, beatings, looting, kidnapping for ransom and forced labour” near two camps.
The mistreatment has persisted since June 2023, as reported by HRW, which carried out telephone interviews with 20 refugees in three camps and a transit centre earlier this year.
The human rights organisation also alleged that the Ethiopian government positioned the camps in locations susceptible to local conflicts before the eruption of war in Sudan and yet only offered “limited security.”
“We wanted to be safe when we left Sudan, but the beatings and robbery (in Ethiopia) were a lot for us to take,” a 45-year-old refugee told HRW.
“My kids were crying,” the refugee said, describing how the police and military beat them in front of their children.
“They started insulting us, saying if we didn’t want to stay in Ethiopia, then we should go back to our country, to Sudan.”
The individual, who was not named for their safety, said: “Every time the (Ethiopian authorities) promise something, nothing changes.”
According to HRW, reports on preliminary findings were sent to Ethiopia’s refugee service, which acknowledged the camps were “relatively close to conflict areas” but said there was “adequate security”.
It added that escalating Amhara clashes prompted the closure of the Awlala and Kumer camps in July.