On Wednesday, Mr Michael Posner, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, held a live discussion on Facebook about Human Rights Agenda for the 21st Century (see here). Participants of the discussion submitted a number of questions pertaining to global human rights issues, including the abhorrent human rights conditions in Ethiopia. Ethiopian Review Editor Elias Kifle submitted this question to Mr. Posner:
Dear Secretary Posner,
The tribal junta in Ethiopia led by Meles Zenawi is a close ally of the U.S. Government. Meles is being accused of crimes against humanity by all international human rights organizations. He is currently carrying out genocide in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia. Meanwhile, the U.S. Gov’t continues to give hundreds of millions of dollars in assistance to this genocidal regime. When the U.S. Congress tried to pass a bill restricting U.S. aid to Ethiopia’s regime unless human rights conditions are improved, the U.S. Department of State fought hard to kill the bill, and it succeeded. So my question is, why does the State Department continue to fuel the Meles regime’s violence and repression against the people of Ethiopia with hundreds of millions of dollars, most of which go to buy weapons? – Elias Kifle
Unfortunately, Mr. Posner chose not to address any of the questions regarding Ethiopia.
We want to hear from Ethiopian-Americans and friends of Ethiopia who campaigned for President Obama in the last presidential campaign regarding his administration’s deafening silence on human rights issues in Ethiopia. You worked hard to elect him; urge him to fulfill his campaign promise by putting human rights issue on the forefront. We will submit your comments to the White House and State Department. Please be concise and courteous!