By Kebede D Gashaw

April 6, 2006 is one of those days that will long be remembered as the day the tide has finally shifted against the Meles government by Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia. HR 4423 the bill drafted by Congressman Chris Smith, Republican from New Jersey’s 4th District and chairman of the House Sub-Committee on International Relations, has passed in a party line vote with a 6 to 4 margin on its way to be considered by the full Committee and the House. Just the fact that this bill made it through the sub-committee is a victory to the people of Ethiopia and to democratic struggles all over Africa. Our admirations and thanks go to Congressman Smith and the cosponsors Rep. John Barrow [D-GA], Rep. F. Allen Boyd [D-FL], Rep. Zoe Lofgren [D-CA], Rep. Cynthia McKinney [D-GA], Rep. James Moran [D-VA], Rep. Charles Rangel [D-NY], Rep. Dana Rohrabacher [R-CA], Rep. Edward Royce [R-CA], Rep. Martin Sabo [D-MN], Rep. Loretta Sanchez [D-CA], Rep. Thomas Tancredo [R-CO], Rep. Edolphus Towns [D-NY], Rep. Diane Watson [D-CA], Rep. Frank Wolf [R-VA], and the sub-committee members that voted for it. Although the objective is still not fully attained until Congress as a body approves it. After which the bill goes to the president for signature and the president signs it, it doesn’t become the law of the land and become part and parcel of US Foreign Policy. So, the hard work of continuing to get the support it needs from all members, first of the House and then the Senate is still ahead of us and our efforts should intensify to get that accomplished. Ethiopian in the Diaspora and especially Ethiopian Americans should make every effort to contact their Congressmen/women and Senators and ask for their support to ratify or pass HR 4423.

Another milestone that April 6, has given us is the statement from Ambassador Vicky Huddleston, the charge d’ affaires at the US embassy in Addis Ababa. The Ambassador who has been less than candid in dealing with the Meles government openly and at times seemed to tow the line of the ruling party has made a startling and honest assessment of the situation in Ethiopia and has openly called on the Meles government to release all political prisoners and to start negotiating with the opposition. As an Ethiopian American, I am finally pleased of the fact that two major events will transform the political landscape in short order. HR 4423 and the statement by Ambassador Huddleston calling for the release of all political prisoners and for a negotiated settlement of the crisis in Ethiopia. These two events have reaffirmed my faith in the American traditions of fairness and justice. This was what we expected to see from the US administration and what was lacking until now. We welcome that change and hope that it is sincere and fully backed by not only by the State Department but by the Department of Defense to be meaningful and result in averting the escalation of the crisis in Ethiopia. The moral high ground that the EU had taken on matters about the crisis in Ethiopia is exemplary and more nations should follow that route, as there is no other alternative to diffuse the crisis and avert further bloodshed and chaos.

Along the same lines, another major milestone coming from our side (the Ethiopian Diaspora and from within Ethiopia) is the Memorandum that was published by a group of Ethiopians from the Tigrai region. The Memorandum calls specifically for the prime minister to step down, for a negotiated settlement of the crisis and for the formation of a National Unity Government, followed by a national election. It seems to me, for the first time in along time, several factors are aligning or coming together at about the same time. If we are all believers in peace, justice, equality and democracy for Ethiopia, this is an opportunity that should not be missed. And if the prime minister and his party are not willing to listen to reason, they should be taken to task and the whole world should condemn them for choosing further chaos over peace and stability, the two major factors for economic growth and development.

Thank You to Congressman Smith, Ambassador Huddleston, and the Ethiopians that are signatories of the Memorandum. Most of all, Thank you is in order to those individuals (Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia), that have been working hard to get the bill passed. Thank you to those untiring Ethiopians in the Diaspora that have been continuously participating in rally’s, demonstrations, sit-ins, hunger strikes, have written letters, faxed and made phone calls to political figures, government agencies, the UN, and the World Bank. And to those that got involved in numerous activities to represent and give voice-to-the- voiceless, thank you and continue the struggle until our people have their victory and democracy reigns in Ethiopia.