http://charliemetro.blogspot.com/2009/0 ... prime.html
His Excellency Meles Zenawi
Prime Minister, Ethiopia
c/o Embassy of Ethiopia
506 International Drive,NW
Washington, DC 20008
Dear Mr. Prime Minister,
We write to express our concern about several recent developments in your
country, which we fear could make the important partnership between the United
States and Ethiopia more difficult. Weare deeply troubled that these events
together appear to indicate an erosion of political freedom and the rule of law in
Ethiopia.
First, we are concerned by the re-arrest of Unity for Democracy and Justice Party
leader Birtukan Midekssa and reports that her life sentence in prison has been
reinstated. As you know, a political opposition with the right to freedom of
speech, press and association is essential to any vibrant democracy. We worry
that Birtukan's re-arrest signals your government's waning commitment to those
democratic principles. This is a disappointing signal in advance of your country's
elections next year, which we believe have great potential.
Second, we were disappointed to learn of the passage of your government's law
restricting civil society groups receiving more than 10percent of their funding
from sources outside Ethiopia from doing any work related to human rights,
gender equality, the rights of the disabled, children's rights or conflict resolution.
While we respect your government's right to regulate non-governmental
organizations operating within Ethiopia, we fear that as written, this law will
undermine the important work done by many organizations in those respective
fields. We hope you will ensure that the broad discretionary powers granted to the
government by this law are not used as a political tool to impede the independence
of civil society.
Third and finally, we are concerned by reports over the last year that several civil
society leaders and traditional elders in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia have been
detained for extended periods without charge and then tried without due process.
Many of those arrested have reportedly been involved in important and much
needed peace efforts in the region. We appreciate the fact that Ethiopia has
legitimate security concerns in the Ogaden, but fear that this pattern of arrests, if
true, risks exacerbating local grievances and contributing to radicalization rather
than effective counter-insurgency and stabilization. As you know, civil society is
a critical partner in the work of building peace, and we urge you to work with it as
much as possible.
We feel strongly about the importance of our countries' partnership and hope it
will continue in the years ahead. That is why we are writing to you now to raise
our concern about these troubling developments in your country that risk
undermining democratic progress and the rule of law. If these trends persist, we
believe they will have adverse impacts on our close relationship. We hope this is
not the case and look forward to working together toward our shared goals of
peace and prosperity.
Sincerely,
Russell D.Feingol1d
Chairman,
Subcommittee on African Affairs Subcommittee on African Affairs
United States Senate
Johnny Isakson- -
Ranking Member
Committee on Foreign Relations Committee on Foreign Relations
United States Senate
... .
Patrick J. Leahy
Chairman
State & Foreign Ops Subcommittee
Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate
Richard J. Durbin
Chairman
Human Rights & the Law Subcommittee
Committee on the Judiciary
United States Senate
CC: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia Donald Yamamoto
