FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RE: Human Rights Dilemmas in Ethiopia
Friday November 14, 2014 at 1:30PM
2360 Rayburn House Office Building
The Global Alliance for the Rights of Ethiopians (GARE) is pleased to announce that the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission has invited a distinguished group of panelist from independent and highly respected rights groups with intimate knowledge about the egregious human rights abuses taking place in the country.
The panelists will examine the state of human rights in Ethiopia and discuss ways that the United States might be able to leverage its diplomatic and financial support in order to help improve the dire human rights situation in the country.
Ethiopia, a founding member of the United Nations that ratified the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is ruled by one of the most repressive regimes in Africa has continuously been censured by respected rights groups for its lack of adherence to international human rights standards.
The general climate in the country is one filled with severe government crackdowns on basic rights, particularly freedom of expression and association, as well as increased police monitoring of peaceful and lawful activities, and arbitrary arrest of journalists, bloggers and opposition party members. In addition, with the passage of the draconian Charities and Societies Proclamation in 2009, independent civil society and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), both domestic and international, have been forced to cease their operations due to these restrictive laws, effectively criminalizing internationally recognized rights.
We hope that U.S. policy makers take a hard look at the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in Ethiopia and take corrective measures to alleviate the suffering of the Ethiopian people. Peace, stability and the protection of US interests in the Horn of Africa is only possible in a democratic Ethiopia where human rights and the rule of law are respected.
GARE encourages all who are concerned about the human right situation in Ethiopia to attend the hearing.
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