We have heard a lot about the Central Prison in Addis Ababa, where numerous human rights abuses have taken place in recent decades. Countless terrifying stories also emerged from the Ogaden Jail. However, relatively little has been said about the Awash Arba military camp in the country, where the state of emergency is the norm.

Over the past three years, Awash Arba has become the preferred facility for mass incarceration, particularly during periods of public protest and states of emergency. Individuals who were imprisoned there during both the EPRDF and Prosperity periods and later released have described enduring a ‘hell on earth.’

What is in Awash Arba? When the military camp was set up, was there a dedicated facility for housing prisoners? Why are suspects sent to this location?

BBC Amharic delves into the historical background of Awash Arba by reaching out to army officers who held leadership positions during the establishment of the military camp, consulting human rights activists, and examining documents related to the prison system.

Awash Arba is a location in the Afar region, situated 220 kilometers east of Addis Ababa. The climate is warm, and the soil is predominantly sandy.

The Awash Arba military camp was initially established during the Derg era with the primary objective of repelling the Somali invasion of 1977. The terrain and climate of Awash Arba are believed to be ideal for training soldiers, making it a strategic location to counter both the Somali invasion and northern incursions.

Former army officers indicated that the camp, initially established for road construction, was set up by a German contractor company for the construction of the road from Addis Ababa to Assab. The camp included blocks of barracks, swimming pools, restaurants, and some essential infrastructure.

However, the area remained barren for several years, lacking of a school, health center, mill, and religious institutions. Eventually, the town of Arba was established by newcomers who arrived to fulfill the needs of road construction workers, offering tea and food.

However, the area remained barren for several years, lacking a school, health center, mill, and religious institutions. Over time, the town of Arba became populated with newcomers who came to meet the needs of road construction workers, offering tea, coffee, and snacks. The Derg government trained the initial battalion, consisting of 500 soldiers, for swift deployment, utilizing the infrastructure left by the German company. As the frontline troops were dwindling, with a boost from the Soviet Union to enlist and train more soldiers, the Derg put up ten block timber houses. According to former military leaders, these houses were fully furnished and intended for high officials and advisers. Over time, the number of military trainees grew, prompting the construction of a corrugated blockhouse. It was officially designated as the Subordinate Officer Academy.

The Subordinate Officer Academy

Some subordinate officers underwent training in this camp. Subordinate officers play crucial roles in combat situations. Although their ranks are lower than those of superior officers, their responsibilities are pivotal in military operations. In the event of injuries or casualties among superior officers, these subordinate leaders often step up to fulfill vital leadership roles.

In February 1978, the Arba army barracks were constructed to address the challenges of managing training camps scattered across various areas and to streamline organizational operations. At that time, training for crew members responsible for driving tanks and mechanized troops commenced in four camps, which also served as rehabilitation centers for army officers wounded in combat.

Afterward, it ceased to function solely as a subordinate officer’s academy and expanded its scope to become the ‘School of Combat Arms and Technical Service’.

The air reconnaissance previously located in Debre Zeit, the mechanized army training facility in Nazareth, and the tanker and artillery units stationed in Awash were consolidated to form a comprehensive combat school in 1980. Army officials affirm that the Awash Arba training facility serves as a suitable location to test the endurance and capabilities of soldiers, preparing them for their duties.

This military camp not only served as a training ground for locals but also hosted foreign commanders. It was in this camp that the Zimbabwean freedom fighters honed their skills and underwent training. The southern country, which had ties with Mengistu Hailemariam, would years later offer him refuge when he fled the country.

“These commanders are now part of the national army leadership, and I’ve heard that they occasionally pay visits to Mengistu Hailemariam at his residence in Harare,” remarked one army officer.

Most of the commanders and trainers received their education in the former Soviet Union and Cuba.

Where are prisoners housed within the camp?

After the EPRDF assumed leadership of the country, modern houses were constructed in the area where arms training and shooting practices were previously held. Additionally, two-story houses were built to accommodate trainers and their families.

“The camp has expanded and improved compared to what it used to be,” remarked former army personnel who visited the camp months ago. He noted that the small houses originally constructed for highway workers were repurposed for detaining prisoners.

According to the personnel, the arrest of people in the camp began during the EPRDF’s period.

He mentioned that the EPRDF detained people in temporary detention facilities in Dedessa, Tolay, and other military camps, including Awash Arba, during the protests of 2000 and 2005.

“Those who are now ruling the country learned from them and make use of the old houses to detain prisoners,” he said.

Those who claim to have endured physical and psychological torture at various times in this detention center liken the place to “Guantanamo Bay,” where the United States holds al-Qaeda suspects without trial.

Certainly, in the absence of independent media, local humanitarian institutions, and opposition political parties, little is known about exactly what happened in the camp during that period.

Yared Hailemariam, a lawyer and human rights activist serves as the executive director of the Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia Defenders. Before this role, he worked for seven years as the lead investigator at the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (HRCO). He investigated several cases that occurred at these military camps.

Yared says during the reign of the EPRDF, amid uprisings in higher education institutions or tensions related to political opposition, individuals suspected of involvement were frequently taken to military camps upon arrest.

Prime Minister Abiy, who came to power in April 2018, following widespread protests in the country, garnered praise for releasing thousands of political prisoners and opposition activists from jail. He emphasized the principle of arresting individuals only after gathering sufficient evidence, stating, “We would arrest individuals after gathering sufficient evidence; we would not arrest them and then gather information.” Fisseha Tekle, a researcher at Amnesty International, said the exact number of those released was not available, but it could be in the region of 45,000.

However, this period of change was short-lived. Since then, cases of mass detention and human rights violations have been regularly reported by both local and international human rights organizations.

Yared remarked, “The Prime Minister’s speech resembles more of an election campaign address intended to garner public support.”

Yared clarified that it is not a matter of bestowing a favor but rather a constitutional obligation outlined in the Ethiopian Constitution to ensure that no individual is detained without evidence, deprived of justice, or denied bail.

Why detain civilians in military camps?

In recent decades, especially during states of emergency, Ethiopian authorities have been seen moving prisoners to military camps located far from cities.

It is said that this practice is adopted due to the convenience of accommodating a large number of individuals in one location, coupled with the strict military security provided at these camps. Since the sites are in harsh environments, the belief is that this is done to exert psychological pressure on detainees, deny them visitors, and prevent monitoring by human rights groups and the media.

In a report released after visiting detainees held in Awash Arba in September 2023, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) stated that the Federal Police justified transferring detainees to the facility far from their location of arrest because of overcrowding in the Federal Police Detention Center in Addis Ababa.

The human rights activist Yared states that whenever a state of emergency is imposed in response to instability in the country, there are mass arrests, which exceed the capacity of regular prisons. As a result, warehouses, schools, and even military camps are utilized to accommodate detainees.

Certainly, there may be other reasons beyond capacity issues, says Yared.

Utilizing harsh environments for punitive measures

Awash Arba may be secure for soldiers, but it poses significant risks to civilians. The region is characterized by notably high temperatures. It is particularly prone to malaria outbreaks, as well as instances of yellow fever.

It’s a location where individuals who travel for work exercise caution. Additionally, it’s an area where “desert allowances” are provided to help workers protect themselves in the harsh environment.

The act of keeping prisoners without adequate access to food, water, and showers in such an environment is like using nature as a means of torture, Yared says.

The activist asserts that there is no legal basis for detaining civilians in military camps, and there have been reports of instances where military training has been utilized as a form of punishment. “Using these facilities to closely monitor detainees is to silence journalists and aims to intimidate the population,” he says.

During his investigation into human rights abuses at the time of the Tigray conflict, Yared discovered that severe humanitarian violations had been perpetrated against journalists detained in the Awash Arba military camp. “They are still grappling with the trauma,” he added.

Neither the past nor the current regime of the country has addressed the alleged rights violations and abuses committed in the Awash Arba detention center.

(A report by the BBC Amharic, published on the news website on January 24, 2023. The text was translated from the original text, Amharic into English by Ismaël MOUSSA. )