[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 148 (Tuesday, October 2, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H11099-H11103]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ETHIOPIA DEMOCRACY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2007
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 2003) to encourage and facilitate the consolidation of peace and
security, respect for human rights, democracy, and economic freedom in
Ethiopia, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2003
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Ethiopia Democracy and
Accountability Act of 2007''.
SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States to--
(1) support the advancement of human rights, democracy,
independence of the judiciary, freedom of the press,
peacekeeping capacity building, and economic development in
the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia;
(2) seek the unconditional release of all political
prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Ethiopia;
(3) foster stability, democracy, and economic development
in the region;
(4) support humanitarian assistance efforts, especially in
the Ogaden region;
(5) collaborate with Ethiopia in the Global War on Terror;
and
(6) strengthen United States-Ethiopian relations based on
the policy objectives specified in paragraphs (1) through
(5).
SEC. 3. SUPPORT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN ETHIOPIA.
The Secretary of State shall--
(1) provide financial support to local and national human
rights groups and other relevant civil society organizations
to help strengthen human rights monitoring and regular
reporting on human rights conditions in Ethiopia;
(2) provide legal support, as needed, for political
prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Ethiopia and assist
local, national, and international groups that are active in
monitoring the status of political prisoners and prisoners of
conscience in Ethiopia;
(3) seek to promote and bolster the independence of the
Ethiopian judiciary through--
(A) facilitation of joint discussions between court
personnel, officials from the Ethiopian Ministry of Justice,
relevant members of the legislature, and civil society
representatives on international human rights standards; and
(B) encouraging exchanges between Ethiopian and United
States jurists, law schools, law professors, and law
students, especially in legal fields such as constitutional
law, role of the judiciary, due process, political and voting
rights, criminal law and procedure, and discrimination;
(4) establish a program, in consultation with Ethiopian
civil society, to provide for a judicial monitoring process,
consisting of indigenous organizations, international
organizations, or both, to monitor judicial proceedings
throughout Ethiopia, with special focus on unwarranted
government intervention on matters that are strictly judicial
in nature, and to report on actions needed to strengthen an
independent judiciary;
(5) establish a program, in consultation with Ethiopian
civil society, and provide support to other programs, to
strengthen independent media in Ethiopia, including training,
and technical support;
(6) expand the Voice of America's Ethiopia program;
(7) support efforts of the international community to gain
full and unfettered access to the Ogaden region for--
(A) humanitarian assistance organizations; and
(B) independent human rights experts; and
(8) work with appropriate departments and agencies of the
Government of the United States and appropriate officials of
foreign governments--
(A) to identify members of the Mengistu Haile Mariam regime
and officials of the current Government of Ethiopia who were
engaged in gross human rights violations, including those
individuals who may be residing in the United States; and
[[Page H11100]]
(B) to support and encourage the prosecution of individuals
identified under subparagraph (A) in the United States or
Ethiopia.
SEC. 4. SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRATIZATION IN ETHIOPIA.
(a) Strengthening Local, Regional, and National Democratic
Processes.--The Secretary of State shall--
(1) provide assistance to strengthen local, regional, and
national parliaments and governments in Ethiopia, as needed;
(2) establish a program focused on reconciliation efforts
between the Government of Ethiopia and political parties,
including in minority communities, in preparation for
negotiation and for participation in the political process;
and
(3) provide training for civil society groups in election
monitoring in Ethiopia.
(b) Democracy Enhancement.--
(1) Assistance.--United States technical assistance for
democracy promotion in Ethiopia should be made available to
all political parties and civil society groups in Ethiopia.
(2) Restriction.--
(A) In general.--Nonessential United States assistance
shall not be made available to the Government of Ethiopia if
the Government of Ethiopia acts to obstruct United States
technical assistance to advance human rights, democracy,
independence of the judiciary, freedom of the press, economic
development, and economic freedom in Ethiopia.
(B) Definition.--In this paragraph, the term ``nonessential
United States assistance'' means assistance authorized under
any provision of law, other than humanitarian assistance,
food aid programs, assistance to combat HIV/AIDS and other
health care assistance, peacekeeping assistance, and counter-
terrorism assistance.
SEC. 5. ENSURING GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS,
DEMOCRACY, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN
ETHIOPIA.
(a) Limitation on Security Assistance; Travel
Restrictions.--
(1) Limitation on security assistance.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B),
security assistance shall not be provided to Ethiopia until
such time as the certification described in paragraph (3) is
made in accordance with such paragraph.
(B) Exception.--Subparagraph (A) shall not apply with
respect to peacekeeping assistance, counter-terrorism
assistance, or international military education and training
for civilian personnel under section 541 of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961 (commonly referred to as ``Expanded
IMET''). Peacekeeping or counter-terrorism assistance
provided to Ethiopia shall not be used for any other
security-related purpose or to provide training to security
personnel or units against whom there is credible evidence of
gross human rights abuses or violations.
(2) Travel restrictions.--Beginning on the date that is 60
days after the date of the enactment of this Act and until
such time as the certification described in paragraph (3) is
made in accordance with such paragraph, the President shall
deny a visa and entry into the United States to--
(A) any official of the Government of Ethiopia--
(i) who has been involved in giving orders to use lethal
force against peaceful demonstrators or police officers in
Ethiopia; or
(ii) against whom there is credible evidence of gross human
rights abuses or violations;
(B) security personnel of the Government of Ethiopia who
were involved in the June or November 2005 shootings of
demonstrators;
(C) security personnel responsible for murdering Etenesh
Yemam; and
(D) security personnel responsible for murdering prisoners
at Kaliti prison in the aftermath of the election violence in
2005.
(3) Certification.--The certification described in this
paragraph is a certification by the President to Congress
that the Government of Ethiopia is making credible,
quantifiable efforts to ensure that--
(A) all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in
Ethiopia have been released, their civil and political rights
restored, and their property returned;
(B) prisoners held without charge or kept in detention
without fair trial in violation of the Constitution of
Ethiopia are released or receive a fair and speedy trial, and
prisoners whose charges have been dismissed or acquitted and
are still being held are released without delay;
(C) the Ethiopian judiciary is able to function
independently and allowed to uphold the Ethiopian
Constitution and international human rights standards;
(D) security personnel involved in the unlawful killings of
demonstrators and others, including Etenesh Yemam, and Kaliti
prisoners are held accountable;
(E) family members, friends, legal counsel, medical
personnel, human rights advocates, and others have access,
consistent with international law, to visit detainees in
Ethiopian prisons;
(F) print and broadcast media in Ethiopia are able to
operate free from undue interference and laws restricting
media freedom, including sections of the Ethiopian Federal
Criminal Code, are revised;
(G) licensing of independent radio and television in
Ethiopia is open and transparent;
(H) Internet access is not restricted by the government and
the ability of citizens to freely send and receive electronic
mail and otherwise obtain information is guaranteed;
(I) the National Election Board (NEB) includes
representatives of political parties with seats in the
Ethiopian Parliament and the NEB functions independently in
its decision-making;
(J) representatives of international human rights
organizations engaged in human rights monitoring work,
humanitarian aid work, or investigations into human rights
abuses in Ethiopia are admitted to Ethiopia and allowed to
undertake their work in all regions of the country without
undue restriction; and
(K) Ethiopian human rights organizations are able to
operate in an environment free of harassment, intimidation,
and persecution.
(4) Waiver.--
(A) In general.--The President may waive the application of
paragraph (1) or (2) on a case-by-case basis if the President
determines that such a waiver is in the national security
interests of the United States.
(B) Notification.--Prior to granting a waiver under the
authority of subparagraph (A), the President shall transmit
to Congress a notification that includes the reasons for the
waiver.
(b) Treatment of Political Prisoners and Prisoners of
Conscience.--
(1) In general.--The President, the Secretary of State, and
other relevant officials of the Government of the United
States shall call upon the Government of Ethiopia to
immediately--
(A) release any and all remaining political prisoners and
prisoners of conscience, especially prisoners held without
charge; and
(B) allow full and unfettered access to the Ogaden region
by humanitarian aid organizations and international human
rights investigators.
(2) Torture victim relief.--While it is the responsibility
of the Government of Ethiopia to compensate the victims of
unlawful imprisonment and torture and their families for
their suffering and losses, the President shall provide
assistance for the rehabilitation of victims of torture in
Ethiopia at centers established for such purposes pursuant to
section 130 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C.
2152).
(c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the Government of the United States should--
(1) encourage the Government of Ethiopia to enter into
discussions with opposition political groups interested in
reconciliation in order to bring such groups into full
participation in the political and economic affairs of
Ethiopia, including their legalization as political parties,
and provide such assistance as is warranted and necessary to
help achieve the goal described in this paragraph; and
(2) provide assistance to promote the privatization of
government owned or controlled industries and properties in
Ethiopia.
SEC. 6. SUPPORT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ETHIOPIA.
(a) Resource Policy Assistance.--The President, acting
through the Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development and in cooperation with the World
Bank and other donors, shall provide assistance, as needed,
for sustainable development of Ethiopia's Nile and Awash
River resources, including assistance to help Ethiopia with
the technology necessary for the construction of irrigation
systems and hydroelectric power that might prevent future
famine.
(b) Health Care Assistance.--The President, acting through
the Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development, shall provide material support to
hospitals, clinics, and health care centers in Ethiopia,
especially hospitals, clinics, and health care centers in
rural areas.
SEC. 7. REPORT.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the President shall transmit to Congress a report
on the implementation of this Act, including a description of
a comprehensive plan to address issues of security, human
rights, including in the Ogaden region, democratization, and
economic freedom that potentially threaten the stability of
Ethiopia.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this Act $20,000,000 for each of the fiscal years
2008 and 2009.
(b) Availability.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the
authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) are
authorized to remain available until expended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Payne) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne).
General Leave
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill and
yield myself such time as I may consume.
[[Page H11101]]
Mr. Speaker, first let me thank Chairman Lantos for his leadership in
bringing this bill up and the ranking member, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, and the
ranking member of the Africa and Global Health Subcommittee, Mr. Smith,
for H.R. 2003, the Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007.
Ethiopia is one of our most reliable allies as one of Africa's most
capable peacekeeping forces and is making positive steps towards a
prosperous economy and functioning democracy. However, Ethiopia
continues to be a country riven with conflict that threatens to tear
the country apart. Ethiopia took a major step backwards in the
immediate aftermath of the 2005 general elections when the Prime
Minister declared a state of emergency, outlawed any public gatherings,
and placed all security forces under his direct command. While the
government performed commendably in negotiations with opposition
parties before the election, the response after the election set off a
violent confrontation between the opposition and the government. The
opposition accused the government of vote rigging and fraud and called
for a public demonstration and civil disorder.
The government responded by ordering the security forces to fire live
ammunition at demonstrators, killing some and detaining opposition
leaders and their followers. In spite of continued negotiations between
the government and the opposition, the political environment continued
to deteriorate, resulting in regrettable death of civilians and police.
An estimated 112 political leaders, human rights activists, community
leaders and journalists, including the founder of the Ethiopian Human
Rights Council, were imprisoned and charged with treason and genocide.
In spite of international pleas for more measured responses by the
government towards its civilians, the Government of Ethiopia has
continued to stifle and criminalize opposition activities and to
intimidate and silence civil society and independent journalists.
The legislation before the House will withhold nonhumanitarian funds
from the Ethiopian Government until democracy and respect for human
rights are fully restored. It will send a strong signal of
dissatisfaction toward the Ethiopian Government and increase pressure
on the Ethiopian leaders to change. As I indicated, in leading up to
the election, the government made debates available, opened up
journalism and had the opposition candidates on equal footing. However,
after the results, 193 people were killed, shot and murdered by
sharpshooters.
So we are very disturbed. We urge our colleagues to support this
important legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise in very, very strong
support of the Ethiopian Democracy and Accountability Act. I am very
happy that it has finally been brought to the floor. It is legislation
that will limit and condition U.S. Government assistance on the
Ethiopian Government provided that the government meets a very modest
list of human rights benchmarks and provides financial support to human
rights promoters in Ethiopia.
Mr. Speaker, the Ethiopian Democracy and Accountability Act is as
timely now as it was last year, maybe even more so after the failure of
so many attempts to promote human rights reform through dialogue and
persuasion. It is clear that stronger measures are necessary, and they
must come now. Human rights abuses have to be penalized.
Recently, Human Rights Watch reported that the Ethiopian Government,
fighting an insurgency in Ogaden region, had forcibly displaced
thousands of civilians in that region, burned villages and food stocks
and imposed a trade blockade on the region. Just a few minutes ago in
the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, we heard from a number of
witnesses who told us very chilling tales. People who were there on the
ground, human rights reporters on the ground were documenting the abuse
that is being committed against people: rape, and a whole host of other
gross indignities being committed, crimes against humanity by
government forces.
Mr. Speaker, even the U.S. Department of State in its ``Country
Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2006'' points out that there were
numerous credible reports that security officials often beat or
mistreated detainees. Massive arrests and detentions are common, the
reports went on to say. Although the Ethiopian Constitution and law
prohibit arbitrary arrest and detention, the government frequently did
not observe these provisions in practice. Authorities regularly
detained persons without warrants and denied access to counsel and
family members, particularly in the outlying regions. The Independent
Commission of Inquiry found that security officials held over 30,000
civilians incommunicado for up to 3 months in detention centers located
in remote areas. Other estimates place the number of such detainees as
high as 50,000.
This is only part of a long series of human rights outrages, Mr.
Speaker, committed by Prime Minister Meles. On June 20, 2005, after an
election that displeased the Prime Minister, almost 200 pro-democracy
demonstrators in Addis were slaughtered when they demanded that there
be a true accurate accounting of how people voted. It was a magnificent
outpouring of Ethiopians. They voted. Eighty-five percent of the
eligible voters poured out to vote despite much intimidation and
despite the fact that many of the election observers all of a sudden
were thrown out of the country by the Meles government, including NDI
and the International Republican Institute. So they weren't there.
But despite all that, people voted, only to have, in many cases,
their votes discounted by the government. Then, as people took to the
streets to protest, like I said, almost 200 pro-democracy demonstrators
were gunned down.
When I visited Ethiopia in August of that year and met with Prime
Minister Meles, I urged him to investigate that atrocity, to punish
those who were responsible and to release the political prisoners.
Meles told me, I have a file on all of them, that is to say, all of the
opposition leaders. He said, They are all guilty of treason. It is hard
to put faith in the reformist intentions of a government official who
says those kind of things.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that neither we nor the international
community has pushed Meles hard enough on human rights and democracy
issues because we have been satisfied perhaps that they cooperate with
us to some extent in the war on terror. I would point out to my
colleagues that the war on terror is very important, but no regime that
terrorizes its own citizens can be a reliable ally in the war on
terror. Terrorism isn't just a military issue. It is also a human
rights issue. Terrorists come from countries where their governments
fail to respect their human rights. In promoting human rights in
Ethiopia, we are attacking terrorism at its root.
Mr. Speaker, I have come to know and admire many people from
Ethiopia's great and ancient civilization. I ensure my colleagues that
democracy, human rights, and rule of law are things that they
desperately want for their country. It should be our country's policy
to promote these important things which correspond with our own long-
term interests.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill; and, again, I
congratulate my good friend and colleague from New Jersey (Mr. Payne)
for his leadership on this very important issue.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, let me once again thank the gentleman from
New Jersey (Mr. Smith) who has worked so hard on this issue of
Ethiopia. We are very pleased that today the proof it is coming to
fruition is the fact that this bill is here on the floor. I, too, met
with Prime Minister Meles in the summer of 2006 and asked if he would
consider releasing the prisoners. He once again said that it is up to
the judiciary. It is not in his hands. I then went to the Kality prison
and met with two of the witnesses who just testified this morning Dr.
Nega and Ms. Mideska, who appreciated the pressure and the insistence
that we had through the years and because perhaps they would still be
in prison. But they are here as free citizens testifying before
[[Page H11102]]
the Africa and Global Health Subcommittee this morning.
So, once again, we have also in this bill made provisions to assist
the Government of Ethiopia. We are saying that you need help in your
judicial system, and there are funds in it for that, that we hope to
get appropriated. We say the health system is in disrepair, and there
are funds in it to help the health system. We say that there is a need
for water projects, and in this bill there is financial assistance to
help in the economic development.
So this is a bill that we are saying that Ethiopia is an ally of the
United States. We need a strong Ethiopia. But we need a democratic
Ethiopia, not an Ethiopia that is run by a dictatorial regime. So we
are hoping that this bill will move forward and effect change in that
great country with such a long and rich history.
Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Ethiopia
Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007. As an original cosponsor of
this legislation, I commend the majority and minority managers and urge
strong support for this measure to support human rights, democracy,
independence of the judiciary, freedom of the press, peacekeeping
capacity building, and economic development in the Federal Democratic
Republic of Ethiopia; to collaborate with Ethiopia in the Global War on
Terror; to seek the release of all political prisoners and prisoners of
conscience in Ethiopia; to foster stability, democracy, and economic
development in the region; and, finally, to strengthen U.S.-Ethiopian
relations. This is a message not just to the leadership in Ethiopia,
but also to the Secretary of State to take specified actions to support
human rights and democratization in Ethiopia.
This important legislation expresses the sense of Congress that we
should encourage the government of Ethiopia to enter into discussions
with peaceful political groups to bring them into full participation in
Ethiopia's political and economic affairs. We need to provide the
necessary assistance to help achieve such a goal, so this legislation
directs the President to provide Ethiopia with resource policy
assistance and health care assistance. This legislation is crafted to
seek a balance and return democracy to one of the African continent's
oldest democracies.
Northern Virginia is home to one of the largest African immigrant
populations in America, with significant numbers of Nigerians,
Ethiopians, Eritreans, Somalians, and Ghanaians. They both enrich our
culture, and enrich our appreciation of what a return to democracy in
Ethiopia could mean. Ethiopia's peoples--in my District, in our
country, and in Africa are the proud representatives of a great and
ancient civilization. I believe we have an opportunity and
responsibility to them to help restore democracy, human rights, and the
rule of law--goals they want desperately for their own country. It
should be our country's policy as well to promote these objectives
which correspond to our long-term interests.
What it ought not to mean was last summer's sentencing of 35
opposition politicians and activists to life in prison--in a case where
the prosecution had asked for the death penalty against the defendants,
who included Ethiopia's top opposition leaders. Those sentenced to life
imprisonment include the leader of the Coalition for Unity and
Democracy, Hailu Shawel; Berhanu Nega, who was elected mayor of Addis
Ababa; former Harvard scholar Mesfin Woldemariam; and former U.N.
special envoy and former Norfolk State University professor, Yacob
Hailemariam.
Thus, this is an important step for the Congress to take to foster
accountability for the actions the Ethiopian government has taken that
undermine rule of law and fundamental political freedoms. It is an
important act to restrict security assistance for Ethiopia until such
time as the President certifies that, among other things, the
government of Ethiopia has taken steps to release political prisoners,
hold security forces accountable for human rights abuses related to the
demonstrations of 2005, and the Meles regime is respecting freedom of
speech and information and allowing human rights groups to operate
without being harassed.
For, as our colleague Chris Smith said, ``Terrorism is not just a
military issue; it is also a human rights issue. Terrorists come from
countries whose governments failed to respect their human rights. In
promoting human rights in Ethiopia, we are attacking terrorism at its
roots.'' It is for this reason that the bill also contains provisions
for economic assistance and health care assistance for victims of
torture, and it authorizes $20 million in 2008 and $20 million in 2009
to carry out these provisions.
Equally important, this legislation is intended to promote
accountability for the killing of innocent civilians by government
security forces, to build the institutions of democracy, and to provide
meaningful support for human rights and those who defend them in
Ethiopia. It requires our Secretary of State to support human rights by
establishing a mechanism to provide funds to local human rights
organizations and victims' support networks to provide legal support
for political prisoners and prisoners of conscience. In this
legislation, we require the Secretary of State to put in place a means
to identify and extradite members of the Mengistu regime currently
residing in the United States. We are trying, through this effort
today, to balance this demand for accountability by supporting
democratization through directing the State Department to provide
assistance to strengthen local, regional, and national democratic
processes through training authorities, political parties, and civil
society groups in negotiation skills, campaign management, and election
monitoring. The legislation bars non-humanitarian assistance to
Ethiopia if the ruling party obstructs U.S. efforts to provide human
rights and democracy assistance and training within Ethiopia. It makes
it illegal for members of the security forces who have committed human
rights violations against civilians to receive U.S. security assistance
training.
This bill does provide flexibility for the administration by
providing a waiver the President can exercise to continue security
assistance to programs with Ethiopia that support U.S. efforts on the
Global War on Terror and the Ethiopians' efforts in United Nations
peacekeeping and whatever is deemed necessary for the U.S. national
interests.
Mr. Speaker, we cannot and must not remain silent, but rather we have
an obligation to do much more in order to promote the rule of law and
respect for fundamental freedoms in Ethiopia--a very proud country with
a tremendous heritage and history. We want to see Ethiopia move back,
as it has in the past, to being our good ally. We can no longer allow
this situation to fester.
Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2003, the
Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007. This important
legislation authorizes $20 million for both FY 2008 and FY 2009 to
provide economic support for Ethiopia, the oldest independent nation in
Africa.
H.R. 2003 provides a framework for support programs designed to
impact all aspects of Ethiopian society. The bill would provide
financial support to human rights groups to continue their efforts in
Ethiopia, as well as expand the Voice of America's Ethiopia program.
The legislation would also provide economic development assistance,
with a focus on meeting the healthcare needs of the Ethiopian people.
The legislation also requires the President to submit a report to the
Congress outlining a comprehensive plan to address Ethiopia's many
economic, security, and human rights issues.
Perhaps most importantly, H.R. 2003 places a number of limitations on
our country's dealings with the Ethiopian government, requiring that a
number of benchmarks be met before the full support of the United
States is realized. The Ethiopian Government must allow the media to
operate freely; the judiciary must operate independent of government
influence; all political prisoners must be released; internet access
cannot be restricted; and human rights and democratization groups must
be allowed to operate free of government interference.
I believe our country can be a positive and powerful influence to the
Ethiopians, and I am thankful that this Congress has turned its
attention to a people that struggle to achieve the basic human freedoms
that we enjoy. I urge adoption of the resolution.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support
of H.R. 2003, the Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007,
which I, together with over 80 of my colleagues, have co-sponsored.
This important legislation reaffirms the United States commitment to
supporting human rights, democracy, independence of the judiciary,
freedom of the press, and economic development in the Federal
Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
I would like thank Chairman Payne for introducing this important
legislation, and Chairman Lantos for his leadership on this important
issue. I was pleased to work with both Chairmen within the Committee on
Foreign Affairs to incorporate important language into the bill at the
committee markup. As amended, to reflect my language, I believe that
this bill is an important and firm diplomatic step toward addressing
our serious concerns with Ethiopia.
My language will work to bolster an independent judiciary in Ethiopia
by encouraging exchanges between Ethiopian and United States jurists,
law schools, law professors, and law students, especially in legal
fields such as constitutional law, role of the judiciary, due process,
habeas corpus, political and voting rights, criminal law and procedure,
and discrimination. Mr. Speaker, Ethiopia's judicial system is making
important strides forward, but it still requires our support and
ongoing engagement. Such exchanges would be mutually beneficially to
both American and Ethiopian legal students and professionals.
[[Page H11103]]
In addition, I am pleased to have successfully offered language that
added exemptions for international military education and training for
civilian personnel under section 541 of the Foreign Assistance Act of
1961, commonly referred to as ``Expanded IMET,'' from the restrictions
on security assistance until the Government of Ethiopia can certify it
has met certain standards of human rights, democracy, and economic
development. While I certainly believe these standards are crucial
goals, and that we should be using our aid programs as an incentive for
the government to meet these objectives, I also strongly believe that
we must continue to fund crucial programs. IMET ensures that the
military and related civilian personnel receive a range of necessary
training, in important areas including human rights and military
justice. I do not believe these crucial programs should be suspended,
pending certification. Making sure that the military receives proper
training, including in international standards and norms, is a crucial
component to helping Ethiopia meet human rights specifications.
Finally, I offered language to provide assistance to promote the
privatization of government industries and property. As Ethiopia
transitions from a socialist structure to an open-market, I believe it
is mutually beneficial for us to assist in this groundbreaking
transformation. My language authorizes the President, acting through
USAID, to provide assistance to promote the privatization of government
owned or controlled industries and property in Ethiopia.
Mr. Speaker, though Ethiopia is currently on the road to democracy, I
do not believe we should be treating the country with kid gloves. This
is a path that should be paved with civil and political discourse,
peaceful transitions of power, and respect for human rights. By
necessity, the achievement of a modem democracy requires the
implementation of electoral reforms, the separation of powers in the
government, and the establishment of a truly independent judiciary.
These are the founding principles of our American Republic, and I have
seen firsthand the progress on the path to democracy Ethiopia has made
since the brutal dictatorship of Mengistu Haile Mariam was brought down
in 1991. I strongly believe that the United States should do all it can
to support this transition, including bolstering civil society and
speaking out when fundamental human rights are violated.
Mr. Speaker, Ethiopia is a leader in its region, and in the African
continent, and has the potential to be a great global leader. However,
years of fighting and alleged abuses are standing in the way of
Ethiopia's progress. We need a roadmap toward establishing peace,
stability, protection of human rights, and democracy in Ethiopia, and
in the entire Horn of Africa region. This will necessitate addressing
the ongoing lawlessness in neighboring Somalia, which continues to
destabilize and threaten the entire region.
Ethiopia has a long and proud history. It is the cradle of mankind,
as illustrated by ``Lucy,'' also known as Dinkinesh (Amharic for ``you
are wonderful''), which is the nearly complete hominid skeleton
discovered by archaeologists in the Awash Valley of Ethiopia on
November 30, 1974. Lucy is estimated to have lived 3.2 million years
ago and has redefined science's understanding of human evolution. I was
happy to work with Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis, Ethiopian
Ambassador Samuel Assefa, and the Houston Museum of Natural Science to
bring Lucy to Houston, which is one of only 9 American cities and the
only city in Texas to host the exhibit. The bones are currently on
display in Houston, and will be until April 2008.
Ethiopia is also the oldest independent nation in Africa, has never
been colonized, and is home to the African Union. Despite Ethiopia's
rich history, however, this bill recognizes that recent decades have
brought hardship and suffering to Ethiopia's people, through military
conflict, natural disasters, and a military dictatorship.
For over a decade in the House of Representatives, and prior to that
in the Houston city council, I have been an outspoken and unwavering
advocate for the country of Ethiopia and its people, both in Ethiopia
and in the diaspora. Following in the legendary footsteps of my
predecessor, Mickey Leland, who died attempting to alleviate the
starvation faced by Ethiopia's innocent populace, I have been a
champion of increasing foreign aid to, political, economic, and social
cooperation with, and improving human rights in Ethiopia.
While I continue to advocate close interaction and constructive
dialogue with Ethiopia and its leaders, I believe the human rights
situation there must be addressed. Of particular recent concern was the
detention of elected parliamentarians, human rights advocates, and
independent journalists and the harsh response to protesters after
Ethiopia's recent unprecedented elections in 2005. In response to
reports that thousands of prisoners languished in prisons throughout
Ethiopia, I was proud to join a number of my colleagues in sending a
letter to Secretary Rice, expressing our strong concern about the
treatment of detainees.
In July, an Ethiopian court harshly sentenced 35 opposition leaders
and activists to life in prison and denied them the right to vote or
run for public office on charges of inciting violence. Although I was
pleased to see the Court rebuff the prosecution's call for the death
sentence against these defendants, I believe that the sentence of life
imprisonment is still too severe a punishment.
However, I am heartened by the active role that elders such as
Professor Ephraim Isaac played in the negotiations for these prisoners'
release, and I was extremely pleased that these negotiations led to the
release of these prisoners. Only through amnesty will the Ethiopian
government and opposition leaders be able to secure a path to
reconciliation rather than assuring a future of political divisiveness.
This legislation reaffirms the United States commitment to supporting
Ethiopia as it builds the necessary institutions and civil society
framework for a successful democracy. It contains a number of important
provisions directing the Department of State to provide mechanisms for
supporting and monitoring the promotion of human rights and democracy
within Ethiopia.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that we in Congress should focus on the
pursuit of truth. It is extremely important that we seek truthful
accounts of what is going on in Ethiopia, and in the entire Horn of
Africa region, and that we use these reports to develop a roadmap that
will guide Ethiopia along the path to democracy and greater guarantees
for human rights. This roadmap must be characterized, above all, by
firm diplomacy.
I would like to conclude by reiterating my firm belief in the extreme
importance of supporting the strengthening of democracy and human
rights in Ethiopia.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 2003, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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