Human Rights Watch highlights its areas of concerns

The Human Rights Watch has highlighted three places that top their long list of concerns for the coming year: Ethiopia’s Tigray region, Myanmar and Sudan.

Kenneth Roth, executive director of the organisation  offered criticism for Western governments, some of which promote investment deals with and conduct arms sales to countries seen to violate human rights.

"I think Sudan could go in that direction, it's unclear yet. But you know, the Sudanese military has been unwilling to use the large-scale mass killing that the Myanmar junta has done. But there's a danger to go down that road. So I think we have to watch that very closely. I'm also very concerned about the situation in Tigray because even though the fighting has diminished for now, the Ethiopian government has retained this blockade on humanitarian assistance at a point when there is massive food insecurity. Really many, many people - hundreds of thousands of people - on the brink of starvation."

He cautioned democratic leaders were failing to address issues like climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, poverty, racial injustice and the challenges presented by technology, which all affect people's lives.

The advocacy group on Thursday released its annual report chronicling the human rights situations in roughly 100 countries where it works – from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.