The Law and Basic Human Rights at Stake: The Case of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Ethiopia (original) (raw)

It is crystal clear that, the ‘Law’ as a basic instrument of maintaining peace and order, is guaranteed when and where the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals and people are respected. Taking in to cognizance of this, different states promised their subjects for the unflinching protection and respect of their fundamental human rights. The Ethiopian people, under their Constitution have their fundamental and essential human and democratic rights guaranteed. Moreover, the constitution, which is the supreme law of the country, makes international treaties an integral part of the law of the country and as such provides for the due respect of international human and democratic instruments ratified by Ethiopia and instruments that has got the status of customary international law. However, the issue of whether human rights (which are guaranteed under national and international instruments) in normal life of people and human rights of displaced persons are really universal or not, is worthy of consideration. Moreover, the lack of institutional and legal framework that undertakes and/or ensures the better protection of displaced person’s rights, in addition to basic human right laws, added a fuel to the suffering of internally displaced persons in Ethiopia. In further of this, the reluctance of the state to take appropriate measures makes the internationally and constitutionally guaranteed human rights in particular and the law in general, at stake. To this end, this paper discusses the international and national legal and conceptual framework of the law and human rights in light of internal displacement and the legal and practical challenges thereto. Finally, short conclusion and recommendations constitute the end of this work.