| July 14, 2006
Knowing of your commitment to preserving and promoting stability throughout the Horn of Africa - - a region vital to U.S. security interests - - I am writing to you to urge that the International Relations Committee take no further action on HR 5680, the Ethiopia Freedom, Democracy and Human Rights Advancement Act of 2006. This is particularly so because of other far more critical priorities of the Committee and the fundamentally counter-productive message sent by the measure to the people of Ethiopia, a friend and ally of the United States. Relationships between Ethiopia and the U.S. should be guided by a spirit of mutual respect, as reflected in the many facets of cooperation in the war against terror and in support of U.S. policies against Islamic fundamentalism, particularly in the sensitive and volatile neighboring areas of Somalia and the Sudan. Just recently, for example, the National Bank of Ethiopia sponsored a two-day regional workshop in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in support of the global program against the financing of terrorism and money laundering. To be sure, the path to democracy does not always proceed evenly, and in a nation undergoing economic and social transition, issues of human rights and individual liberties often arise, some instigated by declared opponents of the elected government with particular agendas and some by well-meaning, but misguided advocates. As Prime Minister Meles recently observed, however, his government is committed to achieving success in the ongoing tasks of consolidating economic development, peace, democracy and good governance for the benefit of the people. Most importantly, the Prime Minister, in addressing an open group of international journalists, stated that to strengthen the democratic order, the government has decided to take measures based on the lessons learned during the recent electoral process as a priority area of focus. The current agenda of the Ethiopian government is to bring about improvements in media openness and to foster individual liberties. This process should be encouraged not through unworkable legislation as exemplified by HR 5680 but through a close engagement with those U.S. government agencies dedicated to fostering regional development. Because of its structure and language, HR 5680 would inhibit the execution of these policies and remove needed flexibility in the conduct of the longstanding U.S. bilateral relationship with Ethiopia. Sincerely, |