The U.S. House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee today passed H.R. 2003 with all members voting in favor.
Kinijit delegates Dr Hailu Araya, Ato Gizachew Shiferraw, and Ato Brook Kebede attended the committee meeting to show their full support for the bill.
Several members of the Kinijit DC Metro chapter, including the vice chair, Ato Alemayehu Abebe, prominent Ethiopians, including Artist Tamagne Beyene, Addis Dimts Radio host Abebe Belew, and representative of the International Ethiopian Women Association Dr Abeba Fekade were also at the meeting to urge members to support the bill.
High ranking members of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) leadership were at the meeting in a show of solidarity.
This is a victory for people’s power over money power. Woyanne spent millions of dollars to kill this bill through high powered lobbyists.
Great job Prof. Alemayehu Gebre-Mariam, Ato Neway Mengistu, Wzt. Meron Ahadu and all members of the H.R. 2003 Coalition who labored hard to get this bill passed.
The next step is a vote in the full House.
*Facts about H.R. 2003 [in English and Amharic]
19 thoughts on “H.R. 2003 passed with unanimous vote”
It is a wonderful news! I think it will also pass the next step to be legitimate.
Democracy( Hizbawinet) shall truimph !!!
It is very very very very very very big blow for ZEREGNOCH.
The contemporary problem on leaders of KINIJIT is that until the mask of WEYANE SPIES among them is uncovered.
Mriwechachin rasachihun kef kef Atadrgu Endatwaredu.Bethitna Hizbun Ageglu.Ene ebetalehu,ene ebeltalehu atbelu.
It is a great day for Ethiopia (KNIJIT) Great job professor Alemayehu. It will pass the next time to.
It is a great pleasure. Many thanks to members of the congress who supported the bill and the Ethiopian members of the HR. 2003 coalition.
God is with ETHIOPIA I’M very happy to hear markup H.R 2003 is passed.All peace loving ethiopians must rejoyce today.
This is realy very awesome and Breathtaking. peoples right shoud not be compromised because of some kind of calculation.
Thank you Prof. Al mariam and those of you who were laberd very hard around to get this Bill passed and dream will come true.
Thank you all
Wonderful. Our talented intellectuals have defeated Woyanne’s very expensive lobbists. Where are the so called “uedf” eprp? where our power monger gudu taye? where is w/ro almaz’s cousin shaleqa yosef? It is GOOD START that OLF high ranked officials joined HR 2003 group to do thier share in the peacefull struggle. This is the only way to solve our deep rooted political, economical and scial problems.
This is a very good news to the peace loving people and a blow to those who belive in etnicity. I wonder what will they say about Gizachew,they label him as if he was against HR 2003.
Long live CUD
This is great news, we hope the floor also approves it unanimosly!
congragulation all of u guys whatever u did to pass this bill still you ‘ve got to do alot
Ato Elias,
Thanks for the good news. But I think you should give credit to EACA, Tegbar League, Kinijit Chapters and all
Ethiopian-Americans who lobbied hard to have their elected
Reps co-sponsor the bill. The members of the House Foreign
Relations Committee come from different States, so Ethiopians in those States played a key role in advocating
for the passage of HR-2003. Therefore, credit goes to ALL Ethiopian-Americans and friends of Ethiopia who supported our cause.
It is a good news! My fear, however, is that Zenawi may start another war as usual to divert the attention of Ethiopians and the American Government. Last year, Somalia was the victim of this evel drama on this same Bill. Who knows? The latest threat to pull out from the infamous Algers Agreement might be a case in point.
We should therefore remain focused on this issue until we see it converted to a law. We should not be tricked this time. Anticipate how things are evolving and take apprpriate steps.
Great job done by the HR2003 Coalition. You are indeed our heroes!!!
We have bee looking for passage of this bill for years it look like It is taking a generation.The reason is the TPLF government and the state deperatement is againist it.
The struggle to bring significant policy change towards TPLF is a long shot but we have to struggle.
My advice is please bring and join hands with people who have good reputation to fight TPLF to the fore front.Do not bring Ledetu,gudina,Berhanu or Andargachew to the fore front.
It is a big blow for the aborted and riffraff EPRPites.
Thanks to God!!Not for you Elias.
wonderful! now the door is open to do more for ethiopia, so all of who said we are commited for democracy and unity should stand up and unite ourselves and do good for our countries. in my opinion the mark up of this bill is tellls us that there is no time to blame one another rather it is time to give it our best to bring a change to our country.
Guys, we need everybody who are against TPLF on our side to take it to the final lap. stop your childish bickering.
While we rejoice on its clearing of the committee, we should not forget that the professional hired guns TPLF has unleashed to kill this bill would do everything until the last moment. Let us hold our celebration until the final lap. Actually you can see their influence on Chairman Tom Lantos by watering down the bill such as taking out the punitive measures. The lobbyists may work with some members of the full house to introduce further ammemndments making the final bill more of a gift to TPLF run institutions such as the courts. I think we should strive for a stronger bill to be introduced on the Senate side so that when the House & Senate versions of the bill are reconciled in a procedure called The Conference, we would be able to rescue some of the measures whic calls for accountability.
Well done to all of you who did all in your part and more to make this bill get the attention of all the concerned to pass. The battle is not over yet but the war.
Please continue your struggle and let us see the final result.
May God help Ethiopia and her people.
La lutta continua!!!!!!!!