As reported in an earlier issue of this newsletter, in July of 2007, a total of 111 households living in what is locally called “Bole 66 Quarter” here in Addis Ababa were evicted from their residences at short notice and had subsequently approached APAP, seeking legal aid.

APAP, for its part, reviewed their case against the provisions of the housing law of the land and that of international human-rights instruments on eviction. Then it decided to provide them with legal defense by hiring a lawyer—to represent them before the appropriate tribunal. Forty-one households were made to benefit from this service, whereas the rest were given general consultancy services on the manner in which they should lodge their complaints and pleas.

Last May, the Addis Ababa City Administration Land-Clearance Appeals Commission gave the households a positive decision: it recognized their rights to compensations in the forms of replacement plots of land.

APAP was, of course, delighted that the legal aid it gave to the evictees was able to produce some result, though the positive decision has not yet been executed. APAP was also pleased to learn that the government has put in place an effective system of checks and balances to right any wrongs that could be made by different agencies.