SAMPLE PROTEST LETTER
To be sent to: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee/White House/State Department
• Washington Policy think tanks: Politic/Cato/Enterprise/Brookings/Kennedy/Woodrow Wilson/
• Institute of Strategic Studies, etc.
Dear Sir/Madam:
Re: Improved US-Ethiopia Relations based on Common Shared Value and Interest
We are writing to encourage you to support the long standing excellent US-Ethiopia relations, and oppose the Senate Bill S-3457.
This new Senate Bill as currently drafted will undermine the ongoing historical and current excellent relationship of US-Ethiopia that is based on common shared value and interest that has lasted for over a century.
As Ethiopia is celebrating its Millennial Renaissance period with increased commitment to human rights, democracy and good governance, this Senate Bill does not take into account of current developments. It is based on information that is either out of date and/or is based on erroneous information or assumption that is out of sink with current positive and improving developments in the Ethiopia.
This drafted Senate Bill definitely does not reflect current excellent US-Ethiopia relations.
The tone, context and assumption of the bill has caused many in the Ethiopian-American community in the USA to express our strong opposition to the bill as it will undermine our short and long term interests by blaming Ethiopia without taking into consideration the increasing security threatening climate and region under which Ethiopia is forced to protect the security, ecology and economic development of its people.
Ethiopia is at present surrounded by highly vulnerable and rather hostile security region of the Horn. Ethiopia is the strongest US Ally in the region in its efforts against totalitarianism and terrorism protecting the freedom and liberty of millions of vulnerable populations of the Horn.
As the seat of African Union and Economic Commission for Africa, Ethiopia has additional international responsibility to protect the security and peace of the international community it hosts. The Senate Bill appears to be callous and highly irresponsible in its negative characterization of a friendly and peaceful nation at the heart of African diplomatic and economic community.
This bill is arrogant and has no understanding of international relations and specially the strong Ethio-US relations. It needs to be aborted and abandoned immediately.
The bill as drafted does not support Democracy and Human Rights in Ethiopia but rather undermine it.
We would like you to review the attached detailed information by corroborating it with published bilateral and international information as well as the US State Department reports.
We believe the Ethio-US relations is at a very critical point where remarkable progress that has been made over the past century will be undermined.
We strongly believe this bill is not a reflection of the reality on the ground and need to be abandoned or modified significantly taking into account the recent speech by Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas to promote the excellent relationship between the peoples of Ethiopia and the United States of America.
Thanking you for your consideration in this matter, please find attached a more detailed response on the bill for your additional information.
We look forward to your considered attention in this matter
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Yours sincerely
Signed
Name
Address
NB: Please see a Fact Sheet on Ethiopia that addresses challenges of the Bill
Fact Sheet and Talking Point
Demanding transparency and accountability from Senate Bill S 3457
1. The Bill undermines democracy and human rights in Ethiopia. The bill espouses to promote and support Democracy and Human Rights in Ethiopia, yet by its context and content it just exactly the opposite. Friends do not undermine friends and this bill expected to be taken from Space Science budget does exactly the opposite of what it intends to do by not respecting the common modicum of diplomacy and existing several channels of close communication that exists between these two nations who have strong historical and current common value and interests.
2. Unwarranted intrusion in internal affairs instead of promoting bilateral relations. As currently drafted, this bill represents an unwarranted intrusion into the internal affairs of one of the oldest sovereign nation in the world and seriously compromises the relationship between the United States and Ethiopia –a key U.S. partner in the global war against terrorism and home to the African Union and Economic Commission for Africa, the strongest diplomatic and economic institution in the continent..
3. Introduction of new constitution and multi-party system. In the bill, the Senators have acknowledged that the Ethiopian Government has overseen the introduction of a multiparty system and the drafting of a new constitution that guarantees economic, social and cultural rights and states that human and democratic rights of peoples and citizens shall be protected.
4. Acknowledging the economical and security challenges. The Senators have also noted Ethiopia ’s extraordinary economic growth rate—an average of ten percent for the last four years. As you are well aware, these significant accomplishments in the country’s efforts to advance democracy and strengthen its economy have been made in spite of the current volatility in a high unstable region.
5. Robust relationship based on common shared value and interests. The Senators own words contradict the sense of the very bill that they are introducing. You have said:
“Ethiopia sits on the Horn of Africa—perhaps one of the roughest neighborhoods in the world, with Somalia a failed state and safe haven for terrorists, Eritrea an inaccessible authoritarian government that meddles across national borders, Sudan a genocidal regime, and Kenya still emerging from a profound electoral crisis.
One look at the deteriorating situation across the Horn and the importance of a robust relationship with Ethiopia is obvious. And, by contrast with some of its neighbors, Ethiopia appears relatively stable with a growing economy.
6. Factual errors in the bill. Most egregious is the inaccurate characterization of Ethiopia ’s position on the demarcation of the border with Eritrea . The bill states, “the Government of Ethiopia has refused to comply with the final physical demarcation of the border.” This is patently untrue.
7. The threat from terrorism promoting regimes in the region. Ethiopia has long accepted the delimitations decision without conditions. Sir Elihu Lauterpacht, President of the Ethiopia/Eritrea Boundary Commission, publicly stated in March 2006, “We have taken note of the fact that Ethiopia has accepted the delimitation decision…a complete and unconditional acceptance, so there is no doubt that Ethiopia is willing to move on to the complete demarcation of the boundary”. However the regime in Eritrea is actively promoting terrorism in the region without regard to regional and international laws.
8. Proactive and Aggressive measures need to implement peace and security. The difficulty in moving this process forward has been the extensive and material breaches of the Algiers Agreement by Eritrea, including fully occupying the Temporary Security Zone, restricting UNMEE helicopter flights and blockading food and fuel from UNMEE forces, and refusing to enter into a dialogue with Ethiopia in order to begin normalizing relations. We should not be seen to be encouraging terrorist promoting nations by not paying appropriate proactive attention.
9. The UN should be empowered in its function. UNMEE was ultimately forced to abandon the Temporary Security Zone and take positions on Ethiopian soil. These indefensible actions against UNMEE resulted in Eritrea virtually expelling UNMEE forces and, in the words of Sir Elihu, “humiliating UNMEE.”
10. The 2005 elections were marred by insurrections. The bill states that “following the 2005 elections] widespread charges of violations in the final tallying and inadequate response to opposition complaints resulted in observer findings that the election failed to satisfy international standards. The Ethiopian government had to contain insurrections as criminal elements were trying to hijack the election process. No other sovereign country would allow insurrections to take place under the guise of national elections. Ethiopia should be commended for preventing mayhem like what transpired in Kenya and Zimbabwe.
11. The US State Department testimony on the election. According to the U.S. State Department, “[t]he elections stand out as a milestone in creating a new, more competitive multiparty political system in one of Africa’s largest and most important countries.” Opposition party candidates won more than 1/3 of all seats in parliament, increasing the strength of the opposition from less than 3%.
12. Opposition parties gained substantial seats. Despite calls for boycott by extremists in the opposition, eighty-seven percent (150 out of 172) of the elected opposition representatives have joined the Parliament; ninety-six percent of all elected representatives are now in Parliament.
13. New parliamentary code of conduct and procedures have been established. he majority party and the two main opposition parties in Parliament have agreed to a new working procedure and code of conduct, providing legislative rights to the opposition similar to the U.K. , thereby resolving opposition objections and paving the way for a functioning multi-party legislative branch of government.
14. Amnesty following apology was granted to opposition leaders. On July 20, 2007, following convictions and sentencing, 38 opposition leaders were granted full pardons after signing a formal apology to the government. All remaining members of the opposition were pardoned and released on August 18, 2007.
15. Ethiopia’s strategic location and history demands better treatment. As the Senators stated in your remarks introducing the bill, “the U.S.-Ethiopian partnership is very important—one critical to U.S. interests given not only our historic relationship but also Ethiopia ’s location in an increasingly strategic region.” This unique relationship is sacred and should not be tampered with lightly as there has been a heavy investment in life and resources to maintain it.
16. Compromising the existing Strategic partnerships. This bill seriously compromises the strategic US –Ethiopia partnership. This bill not only lacks merit in view of the facts but seriously compromises the strategic partnership between the United States and Ethiopia in an increasingly dangerous and volatile region.
17. Encourage the bills withdrawal/rejection. We respectfully request that the Senators consider withdrawing this proposed legislation, if not the Senate Foreign Relations Committee revises it to promote the current strong Ethio-US relations based on facts on the ground and our shared common interests and values
18. Strengthening our bilateral relations. Instead of seeking to interfere with Ethiopia’s internal affairs, Congress should continue to work in partnership with this key U.S. ally to promote democracy, peace and stability in the Horn of Africa. Our unique relationship needs to be strengthened and not undermined as this bill proposes.
Regards,
Name: _________________ Signature: _____________________
Address: ____________________________________________________
City: ___________________ State : ___________________ Zip Code: __________________
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