The state backed Human Rights Watchdog, the Ethiopia Institution of Ombudsman (EIO) has slammed mass “illegal home demolitions” happening near Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, the Voice of America (VoA) Amharic language service reported on Tuesday evening.
Speaking to VoA Amharic, Endale Haile, the Chief Ombudsman of the Ethiopian Institution of the Ombudsman (EIO), said the Institution is worried that citizens whose houses are being demolished in Shaggar city, a newly formed metropolitan city under Oromia region which surrounds Addis Ababa aren’t being provided either compensation, alternative building spots or temporary shelters.
“At a time when there around 20 million Internally Displaced Persons needing humanitarian aid, it’s inappropriate to displace more people,” VoA Amharic quoted Endale as saying.
Endale further said his Office has received around 100,000 complaints alone in relation to the ongoing house demolitions in Shaggar city.
The Chief Ombudsman also said even though it had held discussions with Shaggar city administration officials, the outcome of the discussions hasn’t resulted in fruitful outcomes so far.
VoA Amharic also interviewed, Shaggar city mayor, Teshome Adugna who denied that house demolitions are sudden and stated that only illegally built houses are the target of the ongoing house demolitions.
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