Congressional Ethiopian American Caucus Celebrates the Ethiopian Millennium upon release of Political Prisoners
Washington, DC – Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA), Members of the Congressional Ethiopian American Caucus celebrate the release today of 38 Ethiopian political opposition leaders, most recently sentenced to life in prison, and now fully pardoned. This news comes after H.R.2003 the Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act (Payne) House mark up on Wednesday, July 18th. Caucus Members have traditionally supported legislation that reaffirms Ethiopia’s role on the world stage. From H.R.935 Free and Fair Elections in Ethiopia Act (Honda), to monitoring negotiations between Starbucks and the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office (EIPO), the Ethiopia Caucus is based on the principle that if given the necessary tools, Ethiopia can truly be a lighthouse for Africa. Rep. Honda, Founder and Chair of the Ethiopia Caucus stated that, “It is important, now more than ever, to celebrate Ethiopia with vigilance and genuine partnership.”
On the decision to pardon prominent political opposition leaders, Rep. Honda stated, “In the spirit of new beginnings, it is my hope that the Ethiopian Government and members of the political opposition take every necessary step toward true reconciliation.” This week, Rep. Honda (CA-15) introduced H.Res.550 congratulating the people of Ethiopia on the second Millennium of Ethiopia, co-authored by Rep. Payne (NJ-10). Ethiopia’s calendar is based on the Orthodox Tewahedo Calendar which is derived from the Julian calendar – the west follows the Gregorian calendar. H.RES. demonstrates Congress support for the Ethiopian American community, and Congressman Honda plans to use the attention surrounding the Millennium to highlight priority issues including reconciliation. He stated that, “True reconciliation includes the speedy release of political prisoners, and granting them the right to participate in a democratic society. The Ethiopian Government has taken an important step forward today that will set the tone for celebrations of the Millennium. ”
Members of the Congressional Ethiopian American Caucus are eager to use the Millennium as an opportunity to bring national attention to Ethiopia, the original home of hundreds of thousands of Ethiopian Americans. Mr. Honda stated that, “In the wake of a tumultuous period in Ethiopian history, it was important for us to do more to increase visibility around this country that has meant so much to an important, but largely overlooked, minority constituency. We want to do more to show our appreciation to the Ethiopian American community for all that they continue to contribute to our society, and more importantly, to support their efforts to bring national attention to the issues that matter to them.” Ethiopian Americans make up the second largest African immigrant community in the United States, with US-Ethiopia relations initiated in 1903. Recognizing Ethiopia’s role in the formation of a Pan-African movement, and defeating colonial rule are key points in the resolution, and a significant aspect of Ethiopian identity. The Resolution also recognizes the efforts of all those who are organizing Millennium celebrations. The African Union has already declared the Ethiopia Millennium as the African Millennium, and acknowledges the critical role Ethiopia plays in keeping peace on the Continent.
s/ Rep. Michael Honda
s/ Rep. Donald Payne
s/ Rep. Diane Watson
s/ Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee
s/ Rep. Jim Clyburn
s/ Rep. Robert C. Scott
s/ Rep. Thelma D. Drake
s/ Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson
s/ Rep. Julia Carson
s/ Rep. Vic Snyder
s/ Rep. Zoe Lofgren
s/ Rep. Michael E. Capuano
s/ Rep. Jim Moran
s/ Rep. Barbara Lee
s/ Rep. Chris Van Hollen
s/ Rep. William Lacy Clay
s/ Rep. Gregory W. Meeks
s/ Rep. Elijah Cummings
s/ Rep. Albert Russell Wynn
s/ Rep. Carolyn Maloney
s/ Rep. Joe Wilson
U.S. Department of State Press Statement
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
July 20, 2007
The United States appreciates the efforts of Ethiopian elders and civil society leaders that resulted in today’s pardon by the Ethiopian Government of 38 opposition leaders and journalists detained in the wake of political violence in 2005. We hope they will remain engaged in the promotion of national reconciliation and political reform.
We commend the government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi for its statesmanship in resolving this issue. The detainees also should be commended for their commitment to advancing democracy in Ethiopia.
The United States calls on all parties to use this breakthrough as the basis to advance dialogue on peace and democratic progress for the benefit of the people of Ethiopia.
OPEN LETTER TO MS BEYONCE KNOWLES – DO NOT COLLIDE WITH MURDERERS
MS Beyonce Knowles,
Music World Entertainment,
1505 Hadley Street
Houston,TX 77002
tel: 713 772 5175 fax: 713 772 5175
Dear Ms Knowles,
SOCEPP is a non political human rights organization that has been struggling for human rights since 1995. We have come to know that you are going to Addis Ababa,Ethiopia, to sing at the regime’s so called Millennium festivities. We guess your agreement to do so must have been motivated by your lack of awareness of the nature of the Meles Zenawi regime in power in Ethiopia. SOCEPP calls upon you not to go to Addis Ababa to sing for a regime that has been internationally condemned as one of the worst human rights violator.
The Meles Zenawi regime has committed atrocities and murder, engaged in genocide and is, even as we write this, committing massacres in the Ogaden and other places. World press bodies have condemned it as the worst predator of the free press.The regime that invited you,directly or otherwise,holds more than 35,000 political prisoners. Millions of Ethiopians are facing a famine situation and most of the inhabitants of Addis Ababa cannot even afford a decent meal while the officials of the regime, with the Prime Minister in the lead, have stolen millions from the national treasury and are lving a life of debauchery. In other words, for most Ethiopians, the millions being spent on the so called Millennium is a very cruel joke on the suffering people of Ethiopia.
Ms Knowles, we are sure many Ethiopians in the Diaspora and in Ethiopia admire your talent and love your songs. They, and most Ethiopians, would not appreciate your singing at a cruel regime’s cynical bash. You should stay away from the feast of killers and human rights violators. Please do not sing for murderers.
Hoping you would listen to the voice of the suffering and the repressed, we thank you and remain,
Declaration of the Presidency on behalf of the EU on the release of the members of opposition and others in Ethiopia
The EU welcomes the release of the members of the opposition following the pardon granted to those sentenced in relation to the events following the May 2005 elections. The EU congratulates all that have worked to achieve this outcome.
The release represents a significant gesture of reconciliation and should mark a new beginning for the country. The EU remains confident that all sides will work together for the future good of Ethiopia and confirms its strong belief that the only manner to resolve differences is through continuous and constructive dialogue.
The EU hopes that all those who have been charged with similar offences and who have chosen to defend themselves will likewise be released or acquitted soon.
The EU stands ready to continue lending any support deemed necessary to the efforts to promote national reconciliation.
Kinijt International Leadership (K.I.L.) expresses our earnest delight and enquan des alen to our gallant and towering elected leaders, their families and all Ethiopians.
The release of our leaders after 20 months of illegal incarceration is a result of their unwavering stance to uphold Kinijit’s peaceful ideals for Ethiopia’s renewal. The protracted negotiations and the terms of their release also reflect our leaders’ tenacity, magnanimity, vision and undaunted spirit in the march towards true democracy and the rule of law for our long suffering country.
Our leaders fully understood and accepted the potential risks and tribulations they individually, as a group and indeed all our people faced when they launched Kinijit and set it on the difficult journey towards unity, freedom and democracy. The unjust suffering they endured over the past 20 months has abundantly demonstrated the need for even more resoluteness in once and for all firmly establishing the rule of law in our country.
The rule of law is the paramount pillar upon which freedoms and human rights are protected, democracy is anchored and a society and all the individuals within it develop economically, socially, politically and indeed spiritually. That is why the firm and transparent establishment of the rule of law were paramount in the negotiating positions put forward by our leaders during the fateful months prior to their incarceration in November 2005.
To that end we call on our members, supporters and our people at large, to renew their commitment to liberty and justice, so that none of our citizens unjustly suffer the loss of their personal and societal freedoms and indeed inalienable human rights.
We firmly believe that the freedom of our leaders is a triumph not just for them, their families and Kinijit, but a true victory for our country. A victory that we earnestly hope will pave the way towards true peace & reconciliation. Peace and reconciliation upon which we can together build the legal, social, political and economic infrastructure that will once and for all pull our country from the grips of socio-political malaise and abject poverty.
We say it IS POSSIBLE to move forward and move quickly towards achieving these goals. We have seen many around us empower millions of their citizens economically, socially and politically by working together and by upholding fundamental freedoms. We again call upon the ruling regime to embrace true national reconciliation. Together, let us say never again to denying our people their freedoms, never again to denying them opportunities on the basis of their political beliefs, NEVER EVER AGAIN to arbitrarily take away their legal and fundamental human rights.
We sincerely thank the individuals and groups who partook in the testing negotiations to secure the release of our leaders and all democratic forces in the international community who stood and worked on the side of liberty.
We again call for a sustained effort by all Ethiopians and all forces freedom and democracy everywhere to stand hand in hand with us in the continuing struggle to firmly set our country on the path to unity, liberty, democracy and prosperity for all.
Kinijit for Unity and Democracy Party
Kinijit International Political Leadership Secretariat
P.O.Box 14701 Silver Spring MD, 20911 USA
Fax Voice Mail. 1 206 203 3974
www.kinijitethiopia.org
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi announced Friday that 38 of his country’s top opposition leaders were being released from prison after being convicted on sedition charges in a trial that critics labeled a sham and that sparked an international outcry.
At a news conference, Meles said the prisoners would be pardoned. He said their letter to the government requesting a pardon was equivalent to them taking some responsibility for violent protests that followed the country’s 2005 elections.
“I hope this conveys the message that people are given a second chance as long as they seek it,” the prime minister said.
Moments later, three minibuses left Kaliti Prison with the newly freed on board, the Associated Press reported. Dozens of family members and supporters outside the facility shouted in joy and whistled. Some of the politicians in the buses made the victory sign, which is also the symbol of Ethiopia’s opposition.
The prisoners were among an estimated 30,000 people arrested in a widespread crackdown on opposition supporters following Ethiopia’s 2005 elections, when the opposition made major gains despite accusations that the vote was flawed.
Most of those arrested were quickly released but the top leadership of the country’s main opposition party, along with journalists, an elderly professor and the Addis Ababa mayor remained jailed.
While Meles accused the opposition leaders of inciting violent protests following the elections, a government report later found that the protesters were unarmed and that Ethiopian security authorities had used excessive force, spraying crowds with bullets, targeting protesters with sharpshooters and hunting others down in their homes.
At least 193 people were killed during the crackdown–some shot once in the head, execution style.
Charges of attempted genocide were thrown out during the 14-month trial, but the prisoners were convicted last month of charges including “outrage against the constitution” and “inciting armed opposition.”
The prosecution recommended the death penalty. On Monday, a judge instead sentenced 30 of the defendants to life in prison and gave eight other prisoners terms of one to 18 years. The defendants were also stripped of their right to vote and to run for office.
But Meles said at Friday’s news conference that, as part of the pardon, the defendants will not be stripped of those rights.
U.S. officials — urged on by the Ethiopian immigrant community — had negotiated behind the scenes for the prisoners’ release. Rep. Donald M. Payne (D-N.J.) sponsored a bill in Congress calling for the unconditional release of all Ethiopian political prisoners
But some of the prisoners’ relatives said U.S. government efforts were compromised because of the Bush administration’s reliance on Ethiopia in fighting terrorism in the Horn of Africa.
Special correspondent Kassahun Addis contributed to this report from Addis Ababa, and staff writer Debbi Wilgoren contributed to this report from Washington.
“I hope this conveys the message that people are given a second chance as long as they seek it,” the prime minister said.