Britain will spend some of its budget training an Ethiopian paramilitary security force, which stands accused of numerous human rights abuses, according to an internal document of the Department For International Development (DFID).
Described as a 'peace-building mission', the document states that the funding is to be provided for the Ethiopian government’s counter insurgency campaign in Ogaden, in order to train security forces in the Somali region of Ogaden, despite noting the “reputational risks of working alongside actors frequently cited in human rights violation allegations.”
The document outlines a five year funding programme worth £15 million.
Expressing concern over British engagement with the paramilitary group, known as the 'special police', or 'Liyu police', Amnesty International’s Ethiopia researcher, Claire Beston, said:
“There have been repeated allegations against the Liyu police of extrajudicial killings, rape torture and other violations including destruction of villages and there is no doubt the special police have become a significant source of fear in the region.”
