Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Addis Standard2
Published on 2024-02-28 09:38:34
The Ministry of Justice has recently announced that it will be submitting the draft transitional justice policy for approval by the Council of Ministers in the upcoming weeks. This significant step follows the conclusion of public consultation workshops that were conducted to validate the draft National Transitional Justice Policy.
The process leading up to this announcement began in September 2023, when a team of 14 experts initiated public consultations on transitional justice policy options across the country. These consultations spanned several months and were finally concluded in March 2023. The Ministry of Justice, under the leadership of Gedion Timothewos (PhD), organized four workshops in Addis Ababa last week, bringing together representatives from various sectors such as political parties, civil society organizations, democratic institutions, victims groups, and government officials. The stakeholders actively engaged in discussions and provided valuable feedback on the draft policy content.
The Ministry stated that it will now review the extensive volume of inputs gathered during the workshops, as well as through written submissions from the public. The draft policy will be finalized based on this feedback before being submitted for approval by the Council of Ministers in the coming weeks.
The transitional justice process in Ethiopia is guided by the Transitional Justice Working Group of Experts, which was established in November 2022. The group conducted 58 public consultations nationwide and issued reports summarizing the input received towards the draft policy.
In a recent article published by Addis Standard, expert perspectives on the outstanding issues surrounding Ethiopia’s transitional justice process were highlighted. The experts expressed cautious optimism, raising concerns about the government’s commitment to genuine accountability. Issues such as the proposed role of international experts, contradictions with customary law, and the lack of clarity on responsibilities between federal and regional governments were also noted.
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In conclusion, the Ministry of Justice’s progress towards finalizing the draft transitional justice policy marks a significant milestone in Ethiopia’s journey towards achieving accountability and justice for all. The engagement of various stakeholders and experts in the process underscores the importance of collective efforts in shaping the country’s transitional justice framework.
Read the original article on Addis Standard
