Hostage Situation And Its Resolution In Ethiopia

Abstract

Purpose of the study: One of the modus operandi of criminals such as terrorist, emotional, mentally ill person to achieve their need is held person hostage, especially government officials, investors, and tourists. The police also used to force to secure peace and security, but now the police use the hostage negotiation team to save the life of hostage-taker and hostage. These hostage-takers take innocent hostage persons as means of negotiation, which may terrorize everybody, such as an investor, tourist, and vulnerable group, which have a negative impact on the development and peace of the country. Additionally, the right to life is the mother of other human rights. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the practice of hostage situation and its resolution

Methodology:  Data were collected through document review and interviews of police and victim, who were selected purposively since they have direct relation. This is desktop research and descriptive design. The data were collected through document review and media review. The collected data were analyzed thematically.

Finding: The result of the analysis data shows that there is a hostage situation in Ethiopia, and the response of the police is the use of force than the negotiation team.

Application: The police should establish a hostage negotiation department with professional negotiators. The governments also should enact negotiation policy and strategy in Ethiopia.

Novelty/Originality: There is a hostage situation, and its resolution lacks clear guidelines in Ethiopia, and nobody studied it. Therefore, this study may use as reference material for students'; the government may use it as input for policy and lawmakers.