The Federal High Court’s Fundamental Human Rights Protection Bench will rule next week on a lawsuit filed against the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Peace, the Tigray Interim Administration, and the Amhara and Oromia regional governments concerning the prolonged displacement of millions of Ethiopians.
The case was brought forward by Human Rights First Ethiopia, a local civil society organization, which is seeking court orders compelling the defendants to ensure the safe return, security, and sustainable reintegration of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
In its petition, submitted to the Federal High Court, the civil society organization asked the court to order the defendants to facilitate the safe and voluntary return of displaced persons to their places of origin, establish conditions that guarantee security and protection for returnees, take concrete measures to ensure the practical implementation of return processes and ensure that returnees recover their homes and receive sustainable resettlement support.
The lawsuit argues that the rights violations stem from the defendants’ failure to fulfill their constitutional and international obligations.
According to the case file, following the outbreak of war in the Tigray region on December 3, 2020, citizens of Tigrayan origin were displaced from Western Tigray Zone and Shehet Woreda of the Afar Region.
The petition states that more than one million people remain unable to return to their homes and are currently living in temporary shelters and host communities in locations including Shiraro, Shire, Axum, Adwa, Tembien, Adigrat, Mekelle, and other areas across Tigray.
The plaintiff further reported that nearly 520,000 IDPs from Oromia are sheltering in Debre Birhan city and the North Wollo Zone of the Amhara region. It also states that more than 84,000 IDPs within Oromia remain displaced in temporary shelters or host communities within the region itself.
The organization said many displaced people are living in overcrowded shelters, schools, and open spaces, without adequate food, water, sanitation, shelter, or health services, exposing them to severe hunger, poverty, and psychological distress.
The case file also cites various constitutional and international obligations the defendants are obligated to fulfill, including the African Union Kampala Convention, ratified by Ethiopia in 2009, and formally approved by Parliament in February 2020.
According to the filing, all defendants are legally bound to implement the Convention’s provisions, which require them to ensure the voluntary return of IDPs, provide adequate security, and facilitate reintegration assistance.
The lawsuit alleges that the Amhara regional government, which currently administers areas from which Western Tigray IDPs were displaced, has prevented their return in violation of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of movement and residence. The petition claims this has subjected displaced citizens to years of suffering and hardship.
It further argues that the Tigray Interim Administration, under the Pretoria Peace Agreement, is obligated to work with federal authorities to prioritize the return of displaced persons. However, the organization alleges that political considerations were prioritized over humanitarian responsibilities.
Similarly, the Oromia Regional Government is accused of failing to facilitate the return and resettlement of displaced persons, both those displaced from the region and those internally displaced within Oromia, despite constitutional and legal obligations.
The case was presented to the Federal High Court this week, and the bench has scheduled a hearing for January 2, 2026, where judges will rule on whether the defendants are required to formally respond to the claims raised in the lawsuit, The Reporter learnt.
In an interview with The Reporter in May 2025, Tesfalem Berhe, director of Human Rights First Ethiopia, stated that the organization was finalizing preparations to file a court case against the government over the plight of internally displaced persons.
