Ethiopia - Washington Update

By Mesfin Mekonen
Lawmakers and policymakers in Washington are becoming increasingly concerned about the situation in Ethiopia. A congressional hearing last week highlighted bipartisan criticism of the Ethiopian government. Members of Congress made it clear they are convinced that the Ethiopian government is violating agreements about free and fair elections, and is routinely violating human rights.

Speaking at a March 24 hearing of the Africa and Global Health Subcommittee, Rep. Donald Payne (D-N.J.) said he is "deeply concerned and troubled about the deteriorating conditions in Ethiopia. The EPRDF regime is becoming increasingly totalitarian. A few weeks ago the government began to jam the Voice of America Amharic program, and the Prime Minister compared the VOA to the hate radio…which was used by the Rwandan government that committed genocide. This is just unbelievable. My concern continues for the deteriorating condition of Mrs. Birtukan Mideksa, who testified to this committee, and continues to languish in prison in Ethiopia, along with hundreds of other [political prisoners] without access to medical care."

Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) said that "unfortunately, Prime Minister Meles [Zenawi] shows deteriorating signs of human rights practices.”

A State Department report on the hearing by Jim Fisher-Thompson noted that U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson told Payne and other members of the subcommittee that he has raised American concerns about human rights abuses and the suppression of democracy with Meles. “We are watching with great interest … and encouraging the government of Ethiopia, as well as the opposition parties, to act responsibly during the election campaign and during the [May] election itself,” Carson said. “We think it is incumbent on the [Ethiopian] government to do everything it possibly can to ensure that the playing field is level in the run-up to the election, that there are opportunities for the opposition parties to participate prior to the elections in their campaigns and that they be allowed to vote freely and fairly on election day."

A webcast of the entire hearing is available at: http://international.edgeboss.net/real/international/af03242010.smi

In addition to the hearing, Humans Rights Watch has recently released a report about "the myriad ways in which the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) has systematically punished opposition supporters."
The BBC recently noted that the "Ethiopian government is waging a sustained attack on its opponents in the run-up to an election in May."

The Human Rights Watch report is available at http://www.hrw.org/en/reports/2010/03/24/one-hundred-ways-putting-pressure

The hearing and report make it clear that the world realizes the Ethiopian government is preparing to steal another election, and that it fails to respect basic norms of human decency, human rights and democracy. The real question is if the U.S. or the European Union will do anything about it, or if it will take a tragic event to focus the world's attention on the Horn of Africa.

In addition to bringing the Ethiopian reality to the attention of members of Congress, State Department officials and the U.S. media, Ethiopians in Washington are also coming together to try to help their homeland. The All-Ethiopia Unity Party Advisory Board held a small fundraiser dinner event March 28. Dr. Taye Woldesmiat, Ato Abayeneh Berhanu, Ato Mesfin Mekonen and Ato Fekadu who reside in Germany spoke to an enthusiastic AEUP suporters audience. The audience requested a follow up fund raiser in two weeks.