1.The Senate Foreign Relations Africa Subcommittee hearing on human rights in the Horn of Africa has been postponed at the request of Republicans who have requested more time to prepare. This hearing will be important because it will set the context for introduction of a Senate version of H.R. 2003. Senators need to hear about the human rights abuses, the suppression of basic democratic rights, political prisoners, media censorship, elimination of the freedom of assembly, and the other facts that make enactment of legislation important.

2. The Meles regime has stepped up its campaign to prevent enactment of H.R. 2003, both with propaganda within Ethiopia that mischaracterizes the legislation, and with lobbying abroad. Meles even gave an interview to the Guardian (London) newspaper in which he asserted that the U.S. and European countries should not do anything to promote the democratization of Africa.

Meles has a very personal concern because the legislation could help Ethiopians bring leaders of their choice to power, and because the legislation would prohibit travel to the U.S. of government officials who were involved with the killing of peaceful protestors. Because the Meles regime is spreading lies about H.R. 2003, it is useful to reiterate its purpose and key points.

Ethiopian democracy achieved a major milestone on October 2, 2007 when the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 2003, the Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007. House passage of the bill sends a strong signal to the Ethiopian regime, the State Department and the international community. Representatives Payne and Smith, the Republican and Democratic backers of HR 2003, described the need for the legislation in speeches on the House floor. They highlighted the Ethiopian regime’s brutality, the killing and unjust imprisonment of opposition politicians, civil society leaders and journalists. Payne and Smith also dismissed arguments that the Ethiopian regime should not be criticized because it is assisting the U.S. in the war on terrorism. The regime’s actions will breed more terrorism, Smith said.

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.

3. 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 ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it <mailto: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it >), to request that that the committee act on Ethiopian democracy and human rights.

4. Engineer Hailu Shawel was invited to speak at the Martin Luther King Center in Atlanta, Georgia last week. His speech was very well received and  MLK Center officials expressed interest in working on projects to promote human rights in Africa. In addition to the MLK speech, Engineer Hailu Shawel spoke last week at a town hall meeting in Atlanta. During the meeting Abanyeh Berhnu, a CUD representative, and other CUD organizers from different regions of Ethiopia, spoke from Ethiopia about ongoing initiatives to organize the democratic opposition throughout the country. They are laying the groundwork for future elections. Engineer Hailu Shawel also spoke last week about his vision for a democratic, prosperous Ethiopia to a packed audience at a town hall meeting in Oakland, California. He told Ethiopians in America to work together, and stressed that they are carrying the hopes and expectations of their country.

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