Title: Freedom Of Movement In Ethiopia
Authors: Tegen Mamaru Wondie (LLB, LLM),
Volume: 9
Issue: 11
Pages: 324-330
Publication Date: 2025/11/28
Abstract:
Freedom of movement is a fundamental human right provided in the Constitution of numerous countries. Freedom of movement, mobility rights, or the right to travel is a human rights concept of encompassing the right of individuals to travel from place to place within the territory of a country and to leave a country and to return to it. Even though there is no hierarchy of rights, freedom of movement is among a pivotal one and it is reference frame of other rights. In Ethiopia it is almost three decade since freedom of movement has been recognized as one of the fundamental rights and freedoms in the FDRE Constitution. However, currently there is no freedom of movement is respected practically in Ethiopia. Hence internal forced displacement is a current huge economic, political and social crisis of Ethiopian unity and tolerance and ethnic conflict which erode Ethiopians unity. The objective of this paper is to asses freedom of movement and residence right legal & practical aspects Ethiopia in line with FDRE Constitution. This paper tries to examine the nature, application, justification & identify factors for violation of freedom of movement and residence in Ethiopia. The methodology employed in this paper is doctrinal. In this paper the researcher use Amhara people eviction and internal displacement as a reference frame to show how the freedom of movement is a basic human right, to show how freedom of movement is violated and its cause of in Ethiopia, to show how much innocent people especially women, children, elders and other needy individual affected and lost their live, house, property, bodily injuries, moral damage. The concludes that in understanding the essence right to freedom of movement and residence in Ethiopia FDRE constitution & all member state constitution gave recognition to the right but practically the government did not give protection to the right due to this right to freedom of movement and residence violated in Ethiopia. The violation of the right amounts to internal forced displacement member states of the country is a day to day untold thorough occurrence which shows dark future. Finally The researcher recommendation is avoid the right to secession in the FDRE constitution, the federal system should be geographical rather than ethno linguistic federalism, avoid, Control & amend member state constitutions, prohibit ethnic and religious based political parties by law, create awareness about freedom of movement & residence & its usage, the government should delineate territory between sates with public anticipatorily.