Ethiopian Embassy Reacts to Congressional Action on HR 4423


The Embassy of Ethiopia in Washington today reacted to a subcommittee vote on a bill designed to interfere in Ethiopia’s internal politics and to adversely affect Ethiopian-U.S. relations.

The bill, called the Ethiopian Freedom, Human Rights and Democracy Act (HR 4423), was introduced by Representative Christopher Smith (R-N.J.), chairman of the subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights, and International Operations of the House International Relations Committee.

Representative Donald M. Payne (D-N.J.), the ranking minority member of the subcommittee, offered a substitute bill as an amendment. We felt that Congressman Payne’s substitute was more balanced and more attentive to the genuine needs of the Ethiopian people, said Ambassador Fesseha Asghedom Tessema, charge d’affaires of the Ethiopian Embassy. The original bill does not build on the progress made by the Ethiopian people to further our democratization process.

In remarks during the subcommittee’s mark-up session, Congressman Payne said that it was important that funds authorized by the bill should go directly into programs that would assist the Ethiopian people, arguing that the original bill was disjointed and had no clear direction.

Congressman Payne’s substitute failed on a straight party-line vote of 4 Democrats voting yes and the 6 Republicans voting no. The bill presented by Chairman Smith was then approved to move forward to the full International Relations Committee.

It is unfortunate that Chairman Smith has been unduly influenced by rogue elements of the opposition who do not have the best interests of the Ethiopian people at heart, said Ambassador Fesseha. For some reason, the bill he supports is one that appeases the most destructive elements in Ethiopian politics.

For his part, Congressman Payne referred to opposition groups in Ethiopia that have not been saints, citing their techniques for creating chaos  following last year’s parliamentary elections. 

This is a point we have tried to convey to Members of Congress in the months since the very successful parliamentary elections of May 15, 2005, said Ambassador Fesseha. Unfortunately, a small group of opposition leaders, unlike the majority of opposition parliamentarians who took their seats in the legislature, chose to attempt to subvert the democratic process using violence.


We are convinced, said Ambassador Fesseha, that this bill, narrowly supported by only the Republican members of the subcommittee, will generate the kind of constructive discussion by the full committee needed to get to the truth about Ethiopia’s democratization process.

In any event, said the Ambassador, Ethiopia’s democratization process will
 

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