'Completely unacceptable': US concerned over detention of UN staffers by Ethiopian forces

The United Nations on Tuesday informed that 16 of its Ethiopian staff have been detained in Addis Ababa, with six others having been released. Briefing reporters in New York, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, as per Sputnik, said the world body was “actively working” with the Ethiopian government for the immediate release of those who were still in detention. Meanwhile, Ethiopian government's spokesperson Legesse Tulu said the security forces have detained the UN local employees accusing them of "participation in terror" under a state of emergency.

In a message to the Associated Press, Tulu explained that the detentions occurred "because of their wrongdoing...and had no connection with their office and job." Earlier in September, Ethiopia ordered seven UN employees from several international agencies to leave the country within three days. They were accused of persona non grata for alleged meddling in the country's affairs.

According to lawyers and humanitarian workers, as told to the AP under conditions of anonymity, all the detained staffers were from Tigray. Widespread detentions in the capital city of Ethiopia were based on the basis of ethnicity alone, lawyers and witnesses. "They are being detained in facilities against their will," UN spokesperson Dujarric told reporters.

US raises concern over detention 'based on ethnicity'

The United States has raised concerns about the detention of United Nations staffers "based on ethnicity" after the Ethiopian parliament declared a six-month state of emergency throughout the country. Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said: "We have seen the reports and we find them concerning." Price also criticised the previous expulsion of UN officials from Ethiopia and added that "we would similarly condemn arrests of the UN staff members", Sputnik reported.

Calling the latest arrests of the UN staffers "completely unacceptable", Price called out the Ethiopian government Security forces for harassment of Tigrayan people. "We can understand from reports...that those arrested are Tigrayan," Price said. He added that the US also "equally condemned" attacks by rebels associated with the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

Conflicts in Tigray reached catastrophic proportions: UN

The year-long conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region has reached "catastrophic proportions," said UN political chief Rosemary DiCarlo on Tuesday. She warned the Security Council on Monday that the country's future and the peace of the Horn of Africa region were in jeopardy. The UN Human Rights Office documented significant violations on all sides last week, which could amount to crimes against humanity.

Internal conflicts in the Horn of Africa have increased manifold since November last year after the Ethiopian central forces accused TPLF of attacking a military base in which thousands of people were killed. Subsequent counter operations by Ethiopia also fuelled the ongoing hostilities despite the unilateral ceasefire announced in June this year. In November, Ethiopia declared a state of Emergency for at least six months after TPLF rebels threatened to attack Addis Ababa.

(With inputs from agencies)

(Image: AP)