Ethiopia lessons in repression: violations of academic problems, HRW

IX. CONCLUSION
The Ethiopian government has dismissed criticism of the violations of academic freedom documented in
this report—the use of lethal force to repress student demonstrations, widespread arbitrary arrests of students and
educators, the banning of the country’s foremost academic association, and the cultivation of a climate of selfcensorship
on campus—with the claim that academics are entitled to the same rights as all other Ethiopian
citizens. Unfortunately, the claim is largely true: the government systematically violates basic rights of its
citizens and its treatment of academics is just one manifestation of this broader problem. To the extent that the
government’s claim is based on the premise that university life and continuing attacks on professors, educators,
researchers, and students are of no particular significance in Ethiopian society, however, it is mistaken. The rights
to education and to academic freedom are valuable not only in their own right but also because they facilitate the
recognition and fulfillment of other rights, including civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights essential
to Ethiopia’s future. Remedying the abuses detailed in this report should be an integral part of efforts to bring
Ethiopian government practices into compliance with international standards.
Human Rights Watch
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January 2003, Vol. 15,No. 2 (A)