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US senators revive bill on Ethiopia
Two of the U.S. Senate’s respected senators, Patrick Leahy and Russ Feingold, have revived their Support for Human Rights and Democracy Act. The two senators had co-sponsored a similar bill in 2008 that had a also aimed at holding the Meles regime accountable to the gross human rights violations it is committing with impunity.
The new version raises a number of important issues including the release of prisoners of conscience such as Birtukan Mideksa.
Underlining the fact that the Meles regime has passed passed a number of repressive laws, including the Charities and Societies Proclamation and the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation that severely restrict freedom of expression, freedom of association, peaceful assembly, and the right to a fair trial, while broadening the definition of terrorism, the new bill demands the United States to pres for the respect of human rights and democratization. The following are the key provisions of the revised bill.
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States–
(1) to support and encourage efforts by the people and Government of Ethiopia–
(A) to achieve a participatory multiparty democracy, an active and unhindered civil society, rule of law and accountability, judicial capacity and independence, freedom of the press, respect for human rights, and economic development; and
(B) to develop a comprehensive strategy to combat extremism and terrorism in a manner consistent with international law;
(2) to promote peace and stability, equal access to humanitarian assistance regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, or political views, and good governance, transparency, and accountability;
(3) to seek the unconditional release of all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Ethiopia, and the repeal of laws that enable politically motivated arrests without due process;
(4) to prohibit funding to any unit of the Ethiopian security forces if the Secretary of State has credible information that such unit has committed a gross violation of human rights, unless the Secretary certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the Government of Ethiopia is taking effective measures to bring the responsible members of the security forces unit to justice; and
(5) to seek a resolution of the ongoing dispute between the Government of Ethiopia and the Government of Eritrea consistent with the Ethiopia-Eritrea Border Commission arbitration decisions on border demarcation, to press the Government of Eritrea to cease all support for armed opposition groups in Ethiopia and the region, and to urge both Governments to contribute constructively to stability throughout the Horn of Africa, especially in Somalia. [Fll text]
Too little too late for America to be relevant to modern day Ethiopia. The days that American can manipulate Ethiopian government is over and with it the die-hard Diaspora’s influence on Ethiopia is also over. Unless America decides to bomb Ethiopia, I am afraid they can’t do much to hurt Ethiopia in terms of Finance and the transfer of Technology. China became a strong partner to Africa and particularly Ethiopia. I bet America can’t even pay the money that it owes to China.
Molla,
You sound like those retarded, genocider tplf thugs.A beggar woyane has no choices except listening to its masters.
Let’s see whether this bill passes. We have learnt a lot from the previously proposed bill by Donald Payne. After all, the bill explicitly mentions that everything US does in this regard should be looked at from their own national interest perspective; not Ethiopia’s or its people.
Only God can save us. Meles and US have been in bed it is hard to have US see Melese’s criminal doings.
Woyane has settled well after the recent election and it believes it has tightened its grip on power. USA is now trying to perform its role of appeasing to Meles’ regime and fooling Ethiopians that there is hope in the future while there is not any. USA and UK are the main accomplices in the destruction of Ethiopia by Meles and his cronies. USA is now trying to cool down the recent upsurge and determination in the oppostion camp. Ethiopians should never expect anything from USA or other Western government for that matter. You can study history and understand how USA’s intervention in different countries has turned out to be. Believe me no country has achieved democracy and freedom by USA’s intervention!!! USA is good at only sabotaging the economy and evil manuevering of the politics of poor nations.
Fikirte …. Rather than insulting me why not concentrate on the issue at hand and contribute on the discussion?
Bill on Ethiopia would do noting to Ethiopian government. You tell me one single Meles’s brutal policies that America stopped in the last 20 years. The truth is, while the America passes the new bill, simultaneously the accounting department is paying out a few million dollars check to Ethiopian development banks so that EFFORT will have a lion’s share of that fund. That is the reality we are living in. So my advice to you is don’t relay on America to resolve your problem. The Ethiopian problems can only be resolved by Ethiopians. A good start would be to stop TPLF’S bread & butter EFFORT operating in Ethiopia, and then you will see game is on.
Free Birtukan Mideksa