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Dear fellow Ethiopian-Americans and all friends of Ethiopia:
We now turn our attention to the United States Senate as the successful passage of H.R. 2003 means that it will be submitted to the Senate for action. Once again we have our work to do. I know that this is time consuming and possibly frustrating but we can take pride in just how far we have already come. The U.S. Senate is now the forum for Ethiopian democracy.
As you all know
we have received wide bipartisan support in the House; we need to work for the same result in the Senate. We will encounter senators who have taken the side of the Meles regime, like Oklahoma's Jim Inhofe. Inhofe has taken a position against the Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007 even before its formal submission!
He writes: “Though this legislation states that its purpose is to ‘encourage and facilitate the consolidation of peace and security’ in Ethiopia, in reality it focuses only on shortcomings while blatantly ignoring the unprecedented progress the country has made.”
As you can perceive the senator is misinformed as to the reality of the situation in Ethiopia. We all know the truth; we must continue to speak the truth in order to educate senators to the reality.
He goes on:
"...(Ethiopia is a) strong ally in the War on Terror in the Horn of Africa. The language contained in H.R. 2003 enflames tensions already present in the Horn of Africa, threatening regional stability and long term U.S. national security.
H.R. 2003 is exactly in line with President Bush's repeated statements backing democracy around the world. The USA suffered when President Carter failed to speak up for democracy in Iran and the world is worse for it. Long term U.S. national security will always cleave to long term American ideals; democracy, human rights, and free market economic development.
The senator continues:
"While I agree that the violence and intimidation that took place in the country after the 2005 election was an unnecessary use of excessive force, the Government of Ethiopia has taken significant steps to regain a democratic process that is fair and respectful of human rights."
At least the senator acknowledges the state sponsored massacres in Addis Ababa in June and November 2005 but he is making obviously unfounded assertions about "...significant steps to regain a democratic process." REGAIN? What we have never had? SIGNIFICANT STEPS? Like what?
President Ronald Reagan stood at the Berlin Wall and said: "...tear down this wall, Mr. Gorbachev..." and he did! Africa is not Central Europe but human aspirations are the same. Ethiopians need to be freed from this Marxist dictatorship - now!
Senator Inhofe should listen to President Bush who said yesterday of the situation in Burma: "The people of Burma are showing great courage in the face of immense repression, they are appealing for our help. We must not turn a deaf ear to their cries." The Ethiopian reality is so similar; peaceful people murdered in their capital city's streets by a tyranical regime; we know this all too well!
And the senator should take his cue from our First Lady, Laura Bush who wrote so eloquently about the Burmese regime in the Wall Street Journal's October 10th edition: "Meanwhile, the world watches--and waits. (The Regime has) the advantage of violent force. But Ms. Suu Kyi
and other opposition leaders have moral legitimacy, the support of the Burmese people and the support of the world. The regime's position grows weaker by the day. The generals' choice is clear: The time for a free Burma is now."
These clear statements should indicate to all senators that Ethiopia cannot wait indefinitely to rid itself of the Meles dictatorship. We must have the United States Senate and all of its senators stand up like their colleagues in the House and support democracy, human rights, and economic development in Ethiopia.
Please contact you state's senators; please pay special note to those members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, go to their Web site:
http://www.senate.gov/~foreign/
and the full Senate:
http://www.senate.gov/
As important as the House vote was, it will only be a symbolic victory unless the Senate and President Bush act. It is essential that all Ethiopian-Americans contact the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (Majority Phone: (202) 224-4651, Minority Phone: (202) 224-6797), its
chairman Sen. Joe Biden http://biden.senate.gov/contact/emailjoe.cfm),
and its ranking member Sen. Richard Lugar
(
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<mailto:
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>), to request that that the committee act on Ethiopian democracy and human rights.
The distinguished Chairman of the committee, Senator Joseph Biden of Delaware and his equally distinguished ranking member Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana are critical to the success of our efforts. They are respected by all sides in these matters and will be critical for our mission of extending democracy, human rights, and development in
Ethiopia. Please make your contacts now!
ADDENDUM:
Congressional Research Service summary of HR 2003:
Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007 - States that is U.S.
policy to: (1) support human rights, democracy, independence of the
judiciary, freedom of the press, peacekeeping capacity building, and
economic development in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia;
(2) collaborate with Ethiopia in the Global War on Terror; (3) seek the
release of all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in
Ethiopia; (4) foster stability, democracy, and economic development in
the region; and (5) strengthen U.S.-Ethiopian relations.
Directs the Secretary of State to take specified actions to support
human rights and democratization in Ethiopia.
Prohibits until the President makes specified congressional
certifications: (1) security assistance to Ethiopia, with exceptions
for peacekeeping or counter-terrorism assistance; and (2) U.S. entry of
any Ethiopian official involved in giving orders to use lethal force
against peaceful demonstrators or accused of gross human rights
violations, and government security personnel involved in specified shootings of demonstrators and prisoners.
Directs the President to provide assistance for the rehabilitation of Ethiopian torture victims.
Expresses the sense of Congress that the U.S. government should: (1) encourage the government of Ethiopia to enter into discussions with peaceful political groups to bring them into full participation in Ethiopia's political and economic affairs; and (2) provide necessary
assistance to help achieve such goal.
Directs the President to provide Ethiopia with: (1) resource policy assistance; and (2) health care assistance.
Mesfin Mekonen
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