A Misguided Congressman
This summer gang members executed three college students in a Newark schoolyard. The brutality of the killings sent shock waves across the city and the nation. Newark's violent crime rate is nearly double the national average. Newark's murder rate is roughly 6 times the national average. Newark's unemployment rate stands at 8.5 percent, double the statewide average and nearly double the national average. Yet, while our city faces monumental problems, our Congressman, Don Payne, is busying himself attacking one of our nation's only allies in the fight against terrorism in the volatile Horn of Africa region.
Over the last few months Congressman Payne has spent considerable time, effort and political chits shepherding the passage of HR. 2003. HR. 2003 does not address unemployment issues. Nor does it increase law enforcement resources. Nor does it provide economic development assistance to the blighted areas of Newark. Nor will it provide increased health insurance coverage for New Jersey children. In fact, this bill will do absolutely nothing to improve the conditions of the people who sent Congressman Payne to Congress, his constituents.
Instead, HR. 2003 seeks to significantly curtail aid to Ethiopia—yes, Congressman Payne is championing cutting aid to one of the most impoverished nations in Africa. The Congressman's bill would cut this aid unless Ethiopia meets a series of conditions on human rights that are so lofty that even many of America's best allies around the world could not achieve these benchmarks. The Congressman wants to shut off this aid to send a message to the Ethiopian government that it needs to improve its human rights record. However, the vast majority of the aid in question does not even go to the Ethiopian government, instead it is provided through a host of nongovernmental groups to help the Ethiopian people. And, at a hearing before Congressman Payne himself last week, the Assistant Secretary of State of State for African Affairs told the Congressman that Ethiopia has recently taken "unprecedented" steps to strengthen human rights, which "represent a monumental advancement in the political environment." This legislation will only make it harder for America to work with Ethiopia to continue this progress.
But perhaps most importantly, Congressman's Payne's efforts here actually put his constituents at risk. New Jersey alone lost 705 people on 9-11. We in this region continue to face a serious threat from al Qaeda and other terrorists. However, in attacking Ethiopia, Congressman Payne has gone out of his way to praise and defend Eritrea. In fact, the Congressman has been clear that one of his goals in passing this bill is to undermine Ethiopia's role in the region, which will strengthen the hand of Eritrea. However, the Department of State has publicly stated that it is considering designating Eritrea as a state sponsor of terrorism. The United Nations has recently reported that Eritrea is providing weapons, including suicide belts and surface to air missiles, to jihadist terrorists in Somalia. Eritrea is also arming and supporting jihadist rebels in Darfur, fueling the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. Amazingly, Congressman Payne has repeatedly and aggressively defended Eritrea despite their support for our enemies.
In contrast, Ethiopia is a steadfast ally of the United States. National security experts overwhelmingly fear that the Horn of Africa, in particular Somalia, is fast becoming the single most dangerous terrorist threat to our nation. At this very moment Ethiopian troops are fighting jihadists and other terrorists in Somalia who want to again make that nation a terrorist haven. These terrorists have ties to al Qaeda. They are part of the al Qaeda network who attacked us on 9-11 and they remain determined enemies of the United States. The threat here is so significant that Ethiopia's military quietly received significant American air support when it recently attacked these jihadists at the request of the nascent Somali Transitional Federal Government. In short, Congressman Payne's efforts to undermine Ethiopia are not just misguided; in this post 9-11 era they are dangerous for Americans in general and his constituents in specific.
Just days ago a 16 year old boy was senselessly shot dead as he stood outside the Lincoln School. He was the 75th homicide in Newark this year alone. The White House is moving ahead with a plan that will cut federal insurance funds for 10,820 New Jersey children. Rather than attack one of our most critical allies, these are the types of issues that Congressman Payne should be focusing on—things that can actually help the people of his District and this State.
W.Asa
Oct 17,2007