[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 67 (Wednesday, May 16, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H2251-H2252]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN ETHIOPIA

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, just a few minutes ago on this 
floor I attempted to rise and speak out about the outrage of human 
rights violations in the country of Ethiopia. Unfortunately, it was 
objected to.
  Mr. Speaker, what I cannot understand is how this House can ignore 
the fact that police forces use excessive force to prevent students 
from vocalizing their discontent in an academic setting. I understand 
that 41 brave individuals were killed on or near the campus in Addis 
Ababa. Two thousand students were detained.
  It is imperative that as we talk about human rights around the world, 
that we are ultimately concerned that people who are our brothers and 
sisters are treated fairly. I am glad to know that the 2,000 students 
have been released, but this is not enough. There are dozens of persons 
arrested without warrant, and they remain detained.
  It is extremely important that we say to Ethiopia that freedom cannot 
be denied, and it is extremely important that this floor and this House 
and Members of this House allow those of us who are concerned about 
human rights violations in Ethiopia to get on the floor of the House 
and debate it and ask that, in fact, we support human rights around 
this Nation. Mr. Speaker, I ask this Congress to act on the human 
rights violations in Ethiopia.
  Mr. Speaker, as we consider the authorization bills for our foreign 
policy agenda, it is necessary to recognize the continuing human rights 
abuses practiced by governments in the Horn of Africa, particularly in 
Ethiopia. The United States Department of State must carefully 
investigate the continuing human rights abuses in Ethiopia.
  Just recently, I am outraged by the recent violence in Addis Ababa, 
Ethiopia, especially the loss of life in the face of peaceful 
demonstrations on the campus at Addis Ababa University on April 11th.

[[Page H2252]]

  I am deeply disturbed that police forces used excessive force to 
prevent students from vocalizing their discontent in an academic 
setting. I understand that as many as 41 brave individuals were killed 
on or near the campus at Addis Ababa University, while another 250 
persons were injured in an indiscriminate attack by the police forces. 
The recent action taken by police forces can never be justified.
  Although I have strongly spoken out against human rights abuses in 
Ethiopia before, I wholeheartedly join the Ethiopian community in the 
United States in denouncing the indiscriminate killings that recently 
occurred in Ethiopia. Justice must be served swiftly and fairly even 
though the brutal attack has already exacted an unimaginable toll.
  Further, I am somewhat relieved that approximately 2,000 students who 
were detained by police have now been released. That is not enough, 
however. As some of you may know, the U.S. Department of State is 
concerned that dozens of persons who were arrested without warrant 
remain detained. The United States Government must vigorously call upon 
the Government of Ethiopia to promptly and unconditionally release all 
the students that remain in detention. Their freedom cannot be denied.
  In the past, I successfully fought for a legislative measure that 
would prohibit the Government of Ethiopia from receiving aid until 
human rights abuses are eliminated. We must do more. The people of 
Ethiopia deserve to be treated humanely by their government.
  Mr. Speaker, in the words of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, ``We believe 
that the only whole man is a free man.'' I hope we can support efforts 
to bring human rights abuses by government actors in Ethiopia to a 
halt.

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