Dear Representative [INSERT NAME OF CONGRESSMAN]:

My name is [SENDER’S NAME] and I am a resident of your district. I am writing to express my concern regarding H.R. 5680, “The Ethiopia Freedom, Democracy and Human Rights Advancement Act of 2006,” which is fundamentally flawed and extremely controversial in Ethiopia and among the Ethiopian community in the U.S. Consideration of this legislation by the House of Representatives would have a detrimental impact on progress towards human rights, democracy, and economic freedom in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is an emerging democracy and a close friend and ally of the U.S. In 2005, elections that were generally viewed as free and fair were marred by post-election violence. H.R. 5680 was drafted in response to this turmoil, and presents a one-sided picture of the situation based primarily on the views of opposition groups in the U.S.

The bill contains numerous inaccuracies and factual errors and does not recognize the significant progress made in Ethiopia since the bill was introduced. World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, for example, called the bank's resumption of aid to Ethiopia a sign of improved confidence in the country and said that, “I think there is more reason to feel confident that people are learning the right lessons from the experiences of last year…My impression is that in the last few months there have been compromises made by both the government and the opposition and I would encourage people to continue to do that.”

More importantly, the legislation may jeopardize the security relationship between the United States and Ethiopia at this crucial time. The volatility in Somalia and the instability in the entire Horn of Africa region demand that the U.S. make full use of all its intelligence and defense capabilities in the area. Joint security activities with Ethiopia – the only democratic ally of the U.S. in the region – are a critical part of the U.S. assets in the region and in the Global War on Terror.

Ethiopia continues to emerge from years of an oppressive communist regime and is striving to strengthen its institutions through the rule of law and with due respect and consideration for individual rights of its people. To harmonize its efforts, the Government is working closely with the Congress, the State Department and other U.S. government agencies to receive appropriate economic and financial assistance to advance its progress to democracy. Consideration of H.R. 5680 by the House of Representatives would be a significant setback to these bilateral efforts and compromise Ethiopia’s close working relationship with the U.S. in the Horn of Africa.

Thank you for your attention to this request.

Sincerely,