PRESS RELEASE
The Coalition for HR 2003 has learned that Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI), Chairman of the Subcommittee on African Affairs, introduced a bill entitled “Support for Democracy and Human Rights in Ethiopia Act of 2008”. We are grateful to Senator Feingold and his staff for introducing this legislation in the Senate.
On October 2, 2007, H.R. 2003, “Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007” passed the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously. On October 3, 2007, the Senate received the bill and referred it to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
The Feingold bill is substantially similar in legislative intent and appraisal of the poor human rights conditions in Ethiopia. The “findings” in the bill document a slew of human rights violations committed by the “Government of Ethiopia” in the aftermath of the 2005 elections, including the injury of “763 civilians,” the murder of 193 persons and detention of “thousands more opposition party leaders and their followers, “widespread violations of human rights and international law by the Ethiopian military in Mogadishu and other areas of Somalia, as well as in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia.” The bill describes the use of “unjustifiably brutal tactics [by the government of Ethiopia] against its own citizens in Oromiya, Amhara and Gambella regions.” The bill finds the recent civil society law has the effect of “creat[ing] a complex web of onerous bureaucratic hurdles, draconian criminal penalties and intrusive powers of surveillance that would further decrease the political space available for civil society institutions.”
Section 5 of the bill requires the President to take “additional steps to support the implementation of democracy and governance institutions and organizations in Ethiopia,” including support for civil society organizations, fundamental freedoms, bolstering the independence of the judiciary and full international access to the Ogaden, among other things. The bill provides $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 to carry out its purposes.
In contrast to the Feingold bill, H.R. 2003 imposes stricter limitations on security assistance and travel restrictions on any official of the Government of Ethiopia involved in human rights violations. It also requires certification by the president that “quantifiable” efforts are being made in the human rights area, including release of political prisoners, independent operation of the judiciary, free operation of the print and broadcast media and restructuring of the national elections board to reflect the political diversity ion the country. H.R. 2003 also provides support for economic development.
The Coalition for H.R. 20003 will provide further analysis of the Feingold bill and possibilities for reconciling the House and Senate version in the coming day. For now, we ask all supporters of human rights in Ethiopia to express their gratitude and appreciation to Senator Feingold.
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 323-988-5688 Fax: 323-924-5563
http://www.hr2003.org
9 thoughts on “Senator Feingold introduces a bill similar to HR 2003”
Elias, you brought us a Good News on the eve of the New Ethiopian Year!We are grateful to the senator. We hope the bill will be endorsed.Happy New Year Elias and the cyberspace community!
This is a Great news for peace Loving people of Ethiopia.
We all Ethiopians have to come and support the senator to pass the bill immediately.
Let’s Continue working.
Dear Senator Feingold,
Thanks so much for your entire effort to bring back the HR2003, which is the back bone of Ethiopians. Yes, it was exactly the same time back in October 2007, when the congress has unanimously passed the bill. And at the same time it was the same time the wey ane criminal groups were slammed by the passing of the bill. Weyane criminal groups were so sad for a while after the passing of the bill.
The weyaen criminal group even started to diveret the ground facts of HR2003 and started their endless poor false propaganda in Ethiopia as well. However, the Ethiopian people particularly the farmers and the people in rural area had no clue about the HR2003, but realized that HR2003 has to be a good one since weayene opposed it.
In Ethiopia since the people has no access to media to find the true facts of weyane, but see the daily damages of the weyane. The Ethiopians would do is that when ever weyane reads or shows them news they interpreted the other way round to find the truth.
For instance if weyane talks Ethiopia is growing in 10% last year, the Ethiopian people would realized that ethiopia’s economy is failing down by atleast 10% from last year. If weyane says terrorist groups blasts some public areas with bomb. The people would say oh it was weyane’s set-up to blast the bomb in public areas to get the attention of the international community. And so on….
Anyway thanks so much Senator Feingold…and continue to do the best, and we all will be on your side. Lets all again start contributing our part for the passing of HR2003 in senate.
Death to all members and supporters of weyane!!!!!!!!!
I have a great admire and appreciation to Senator Feingold who really concerned to the East Africa especially to Ethiopia and ethiopian people.
Sen Feingold repetdlly expressed his worry for ethiopia and the direction the woyanne is heading on the shoulder of the Ethiopian people.
I hope this new bill will pass
Thank You Feingold.
God Bless you ! God Bless America !
It is good to hear this positive bill.It wiil have some impact on the dictators.But let us not forget to enhance also HR-2003 which give us a more strick tool which is to our advatage.
I can finally go home to Ogaden if this becomes reality.Senotor we will always be greatfull.
May the God of love and the God of mercey bless senator Feingold and his family as well as the two congress men who has made a great effort to make HR 2003 working. May this new year is a final year of TPLF and its predecessors. Amen
People,
As usuall, Ethiopia first and Agia editors are preparing to launch their assaults against the Honorable Senator for introducing the Bill. These losers are backed up by the oppressor regime of Ethiopia to do their best to ensure the bill ignored by the other Senators.
Ethiopians in the Diaspora must do something against these HODAM Ethiopia first and Agia editors for they are only up to their own benefits and advantages.
The bill is the most important issue in Ethiopian politics,I/we are very gratefull to the senator. Ibelieve with atmost hope that the bill will pass this year.