[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 211 (Tuesday, December 7, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1317-E1319]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    INITIATING A POSITIVE AND PRODUCTIVE DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE OROMO 
          COMMUNITY OF MINNESOTA AND THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 7, 2021

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, the ongoing civil conflict in Ethiopia 
is inflicting terrible suffering on the Ethiopian people of all ethnic 
groups. The mass killing of civilians, the violence against women, 
blatant human rights abuses, and displacement of nearly 2 million 
people are all the consequences of the Ethiopian government's brutal 
use of military force earlier this year. Now a civil war is raging 
among armed groups organized along ethnic lines that threatens the 
lives of millions of innocent civilians and has the potential to 
destabilize all of East Africa.
  In Minnesota, we are fortunate to be home to the largest community of 
Oromo-Americans in the U.S. and quite possibly the largest Oromo 
community outside of Ethiopia. I am honored to represent many Oromo-
American constituents, but I can say they are suffering because their 
family and friends in Ethiopia have for years been enduring violence, 
repression, and human rights abuses by the current government, and 
preceding Ethiopian governments as well.
  Yesterday, my office hosted a direct dialogue between the leaders of 
the Oromo Community of Minnesota and representatives of the U.S. State 
Department's Africa Bureau led by Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary 
(PDAS) Ervin Massinga. The dialogue was an opportunity for the 
President of the Oromo Community of Minnesota, Ms. Leyla Abawari, and 
her colleagues to directly share their perspectives, concerns, and 
recommendations for U.S. diplomatic engagement in Ethiopia, as well as 
elevate the political and humanitarian issues facing the people of 
Oromia.
  The Oromo-American representatives voiced their strong desire for 
ongoing U.S. diplomatic action with the goals of achieving peace, 
respect for human rights, democratic political freedoms, the release of 
political prisoners, and a humanitarian response that alleviates the 
horrible human suffering faced by the Oromo and all innocent Ethiopians 
caught in this conflict.
  I applaud the State Department's diplomatic efforts in Ethiopia 
despite facing a very challenging situation and I know the Biden 
Administration is committed to continuing to work

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tirelessly to achieve peace. I am deeply appreciative of PDAS 
Massinga's willingness to hear the concerns of the Minnesota Oromo 
community and respond with direct, respectful, and honest answers.
  My long relationship with the Oromo community of Minnesota is built 
on respect for their many contributions the success of our state and 
country. l will continue to work closely with the community to ensure 
that their relatives and friends in Oromia, and all of Ethiopia, can 
live in peace with the hope and opportunity for the future.
  I include in the Record the following letter from the Oromo Community 
of Minnesota outlining their views on the situation in Ethiopia and the 
conditions faced by the Oromo people.

                Commentary on the Civil War in Ethiopia

                     (Oromo Community of Minnesota)

  Ethiopia is fast approaching state collapse. The civil wars raging in 
the north, south and western parts of the country leaving hundreds and 
thousands of dead, injured, and displaced. The war has featured 
gruesome human rights abuses, massacre, sexual assault, and substantial 
humanitarian crisis. The media and international diplomacy have been 
preoccupied by the war in the northern that involves Ethiopian federal 
government and allied forces from Amhara, Eritrean forces one side and 
TPLF/TDF on the other side, the preceding and equally damaging civil 
war in Oromia has not been spotlighted.
  For the last three years western Oromia and southern Oromia have been 
under military command post by supplanting civil administration. 
Ethiopian government tried to justify the imposition of military as 
counter insurgency measures against OLA. As Amnesty and other human 
rights organizations have documented Ethiopian securities have 
committed egregious human rights abuses, extrajudicial killings, rape, 
torture, mass arrests, burning village and displacement under the guise 
law enforcement measures. Most of the victims have been students, 
farmers, members of opposition parties, families of opposition parties 
and government employees. So far government have neither investigated 
nor prosecuted the perpetrators of crimes.
  Although the situation in Ethiopia continues to be exceedingly 
volatile, we would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to the 
United States government for taking important steps in pressuring the 
Ethiopian government and fighting parties to hold a national dialogue. 
We support the administration's decision to impose sanctions on those 
responsible for human rights violations. It is imperative that the 
warring parties, including the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, the 
Tigray People's Liberation Front, and Amhara regional forces, and other 
armed groups cease all hostilities, protect human rights, allow 
unfettered humanitarian access, and cooperate with independent 
investigations of human right abuses being perpetrated against 
civilians. Oromos represent over 40 percent of the population, 
therefore, play a significant role in bringing lasting peace to 
Ethiopia's problems. It is becoming more evident that the country 
continues to face a complete destabilization, and the opportunity to 
take decisive action is closing rapidly. We feel addressing the 
following significant factors in the context of the entire country is 
essential to address the crisis.
  The Oromia region is being devastated by the conflict, just this 
week, the nation is mourning the loss of Members of Karrayyu Gadaa 
leadership (the council of an Oromo sacred Instititution who were 
massacred during a prayer ceremony `Waaq Kadhaa' by government forces 
on December 1st, 2021.
  State-sanctioned violence in Western Oromia: Under the pretext of 
fighting armed groups, government security forces themselves have been 
the perpetrators carrying out extrajudicial killings, rape, and human 
rights abuses (see: 2020 Amnesty Report).
  Drone attacks are continuously being carried out in Wollo and 
Wollega, claiming thousands of lives. These drones are being supplied 
by the Turkish, UAE, and Iran governments.
  Lack of humanitarian access to areas of Guji, Borana, Bale, Wollega, 
and Wollo that continue to be affected by the conflict in the Oromia 
region.
  The detention of the prominent Oromo Political opposition leaders--
Following the assassination of beloved Oromo singer and activist 
Haacaaluu Hundeessaa, key political leaders and government opposition 
figures such as Jawar Mohammed, a former Minnesotan resident, and 
Bekele Gerba was imprisoned in the capital, Addis Ababa. Currently, 
more than 100,000 Oromo youth prisoners across the country are held 
without due process of law.
  An ongoing communications blackout in Oromia
  Mass imprisonment and ethnic profiling of the Oromo people
  Lack of freedom of expression (media) and association
  The profiling and detention of American citizens of Oromo origin in 
Ethiopia. Recently, Mr. Yonas Gudata, a Minnesotan resident, has been 
unlawfully detained by the Ethiopian government after traveling there 
to visit his sick father.
  The Forced recruitment of child soldiers in the Ethiopian army--
Children as young as eight are being forced into conscription. They are 
being placed on the frontlines to be shielded from ENDF soldiers.
  The Rhetoric by regime supporter diasporas despite being pro-regime 
voices, they continue to undermine the pressure by the U.S. and 
advocate for the Ethiopian regime to continue their brutality against 
civilians across the country unchecked. There is clear hate speech by 
encouraging the regime for mass arrests and violence against civilians.
  The unnoticed act of those who hold U.S. citizenship, but are 
involved in the act of armed conflict, and the promotion of a complete 
annihilation of other nationalities, mainly Oromos and Tigrayans.
  With communications blackouts throughout the country and the lack of 
independent press, the regime is using disinformation and propaganda to 
fuel violence, hide what is happening, and create confusion. Pro-regime 
forces online are going after international journalists and academics 
discussing or covering the ongoing crises.
  Conflict in Benishangul-Gumuz Region: Violence in the Metekkel Zone 
in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region in western Ethiopia has intensified 
over possession and control of its fertile and resource-filled land. 
This conflict has led to incidents of intercommunal violence--between 
historically marginalized indigenous populations of the region and 
others who have settled there. As the Amhara Regional State tries to 
expand its domain, claim the land, and displace the indigenous peoples, 
the conflict has escalated. PM Abiy Ahmed is repeating a call for 
Amhara security forces and militias to be involved, raising concerns 
that even more civilians will be killed and harmed. A report by the 
UNHCR indicates that thousands of people from Metekkel fled to South 
Sudan to escape the conflict (see: Voice of America--English and 
Foreign Policy).
  War in Tigray: The war in Tigray that began November 4, 2020, 
continues. Establishing accountability for mass atrocities and war 
crimes committed at the hands of Ethiopian National Defense Forces, 
Eritrean soldiers, and Amhara militias and unimpeded humanitarian 
access to all affected by these hostilities.
  Sudan-Ethiopia border conflict: Ethiopia and Sudan are currently 
escalating disputes over the control of the ``al-fashqa triangle'', an 
area of fertile farming land. According to the UN, Sudanese Armed 
Forces, Ethiopian National Defense Forces, including Amhara militia, 
and Eritrean forces are deployed around the Barkhat settlement in 
Greater Fashaga. Clashes have been reported since early March (see: 
Bloomberg).
  Dam dispute between Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan: The Grand Ethiopian 
Renaissance Dam (GERD), located in the Benishangul-Gumuz Regional 
State, has been under construction since 2011. It remains a contentious 
project among the three countries because of competing interests to 
provide cheap electricity and protect the fresh water supply from the 
Nile. Despite negotiations that have lasted years and include the U.S., 
Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia, they have failed to reach an agreement. In 
July 2020, Ethiopia began filling the dam's reservoir without a deal, 
adding to the growing animosity among the three countries. Ethiopia has 
rejected Sudan's call for outside help in mediating (see: U.S. News).

[[Page E1319]]

  Crisis of refugees and forcibly displaced persons from Oromia and 
southern nations of SNNPR and Sidama regional states: On March 7, 2021, 
hundreds of fleeing migrants who had been forcibly detained in Yemen 
were killed and injured in deliberate fire at a detention center in 
Yemen. (See: Human Rights Watch).
  It appears that Abiy Ahmed's promises made in 2018 to transition 
Ethiopia into a democracy has slid back to authoritarianism, causing an 
influx of people from Oromia, SNNPR, and Sidama regional states to 
countries in the Middle East seeking refuge, many of which have found 
themselves stuck in war-torn countries like Yemen. Increasing state 
brutality against local dissenting populations from special police, 
local police, army, and Republican guard is mounting dramatically. 
These circumstances are causing a massive outflow of migrants seeking 
safety and work. Ethiopia is on the brink of entirely destabilizing. It 
is critical for a national dialogue, which includes opposition leaders, 
parties, and stakeholders, to be convened by an independent third party 
to address and resolve the complex crises ravaging the country. As 
stated above, the window of time is rapidly closing for the United 
States to leverage its influence in a way that salvages prospects for 
democracy in this vitally important country and region.

                          ____________________