Ethiopian Review

Federal Police director Workneh Gebeyehu said that the federal police does not allow any kind of human rights violations by its members but conceded that there could always be incidents of abuses.

Briefing the parliamentary Standing Committee on Legal and Administrative Affairs, Workneh said that the track record of the police force over the past several years showed that there had been definitely improvements in handling human rights, rejecting accusations by foreign organizations which alleged that the police were involved in gross violations of human rights.

“We don’t violate human rights; basically because we want to have good relationship with our citizens, Workneh said.

“I admit that some of our officers could bi people around, and tarnish the entire force’s image,” he added.

Responding to one of the standing committee’s members, Major Mekonen Geleta, allegation that he had seen photos showing the mutilated backsides of some people, the director said that some people produce fake photos to claim asylum in other countries or to get overseas get visas.

“This is pure politics. If members of the federal police did that we will punish then,” he said.

Deputy Director of the force Hassan Shifa, who was accompanying Workneh said, “We have no torture facility as an institution.”

He challenged Major Mekonen to produce the actual photos of the alleged victims, and promised that they will investigate the matter.

Hassan admitted that violations of human rights could take place.
“The officers on the ground have discretionary powers. They could violate the rights of citizens. But we always evaluate them, and then reprimand or dismiss them. In fact, some of them are in jail.”

The Federal Police 10-month performance report submitted to the standing committee by the two directors says that it had been active in hunting down bandits who had been wreacking havoc on travelers throughout the country.

Five bandits who have been involved in robbing bus travelers in the Abay gorge were apprehended, the report stated.

It also said the Addis-Djibouti highway had also been cleared of armed robbers who were robbing and killing truck drivers.

Some Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) fighters were killed and apprehended in Oromia and Gambella regions, according to the report.

Contraband goods worth millions of birr were seized by the federal police in border areas.

The report also revealed that it had been involved in preventing conflicts between communities in the Afar-Oromia, Afar-Tigray, Afar-Isa bordering areas.

- By Bruck Shewareged | EthiopianReporter