74th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY–2007 Regular Session

Senate Joint Memorial 3

Sponsored by Senator DECKERT; Senator GORDLY, Representative HUNT (at the request of Ethiopian-American Association of Portland)

To the President of the United States, the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled:

We, your memorialists, the Senate and the House of Representatives of the State of Oregon, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent as follows:

 Whereas the noble people of Ethiopia have developed and nourished a proud and distinguished culture that has endured for three millennia; and

 Whereas Ethiopia has had a long and productive friendship with the United States of America; and

 Whereas over the past three decades, the brave and gentle people of Ethiopia have been devastated by famine and wars; and

 Whereas the people of the United States have responded generously to the plight of the Ethiopian famine victims through the provision of humanitarian aid; and

 Whereas Ethiopia, poised at a crucial juncture in its history, is making a dramatic effort to replace tyranny with democracy; and

 Whereas the people of Ethiopia are aspiring to resolve their political problems through the formation and utilization of democratic institutions; and

 Whereas the basic underpinnings of democratic institutions in the new Ethiopia should be the supremacy of the will of the people and the guarantee of the rule of law; and

 Whereas the Ethiopian government should adhere to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights that encourages freedom of speech, assembly, religion and press, guarantees all basic human rights, and discourages ethnocentric politics; and

 Whereas it is crucial that the diverse voices, opinions and philosophies of the Ethiopian people be expressed in the promotion of political, economic and social progress and justice in Ethiopia; and

 Whereas a democratic, multiparty government may be the most egalitarian, feasible and productive political arrangement in providing universal suffrage and overcoming monumental obstacles; and

 Whereas the President of the United States and Congress will play a crucial role in promoting the peaceful resolution of the immense problems of war-ravaged Ethiopia; and

 Whereas the implementation of a democratic, multiparty government in Ethiopia should be a long-range foreign policy goal of the United States government; now, therefore,

 Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon:

(1) The Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Oregon:
  a) Encourage the formation of democratic institutions, multiparty participation, progressive social change and respect for human rights in Ethiopia.
  (b) Condemn the ongoing, state-sponsored violence against the opposition in Ethiopia and are outraged that the ruling party’s security forces killed 199 unarmed and defenseless protesters on June 6 to 8, 2005, and that to this date an investigation into those killings has not been conducted.
  (c) Respectfully urge the President of the United States and Congress to reexamine the foreign policy toward Ethiopia and to promote an active foreign policy that declares that the United States does not tolerate dictators that oppress and abuse their citizens.
  (d) Respectfully urge the President of the United States to encourage the Prime Minister of Ethiopia to guarantee the safety and security of elected opposition leaders, to release from prison all students, journalists and members and supporters of the opposition parties, and to respect the democratic opposition’s right to public assembly and access to publicly owned media.
  (e) Respectfully urge the President of the United States and Congress to help avert the potentially explosive situation in Ethiopia by supporting a peaceful transitional arrangement.
  (2) A copy of this memorial shall be forwarded to President George W. Bush, the leadership of the United States Congress, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and His Excellency the
Ethiopian Ambassador Samuel Assefa.

Adopted by Senate February 28, 2007

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Secretary of Senate

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President of Senate

Adopted by House May 18, 2007

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Speaker of House