Time Ethiopian Immigrants Reconsider Their Natural Alliance with the Democratic Party

By Meron Ahadu

March 8, 2006

"Diaspora Ethiopians maintain close ties with their native land Ethiopia and are a backbone to the Ethiopian economy by their continuous and consistent financial support of their families and friends in their native homeland and as such are directly impacted by the turbulence in Ethiopia. Ethiopian immigrants throughout the Unites States have made considerable effort to educate the Democrats on the Subcommittee on Africa on the current situation in Ethiopia and the concerns of the Ethiopian Diaspora. Despite this, and the natural alliance of the Ethiopian immigrant community to the Democratic Party, the response from Democratic members of the Subcommittee on Africa has been disappointing."

The result of the efforts to convince U.S. policy makers to reexamine their policy towards Ethiopia has been mixed. The White House as well as the State Department have largely ignored the plea from the Ethiopian immigrant community. On the other hand, many Republican legislatures have responded positively, or at the minimum, have been willing to listen to the concerns of their constituents. In line with his constituents’ concern and his moral obligation as Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights, and International Operation (here on referred to as the Subcommittee on Africa), Republican Congressman Chris Smith, has authored a bill known as “Ethiopia Consolidation Act” (HR4423). The Bill if it passes, will hold the government of Ethiopia accountable to the billions of aid money it receives from the U.S. because the Bill ties aid to the Ethiopian Government based on the Addis Ababa Government’s commitment to democracy and the rule of law. Basically saying, “No Democracy, No Aid.”

The Bill focuses on building democratic institutions in Ethiopia and presses for the release of the opposition leaders/members, free press journalists, civic leaders as well as thousands of others jailed/detained after the aftermath of the May 2005 Elections. It also demands the government of Ethiopia facilitate the independent investigation of the killings of civilian protesters. The Bill is co-sponsored by many Republicans including Congressman Ed Royce and has the support of all the Republicans in the Subcommittee on Africa. The Bill has also garnered the support of thousands of Ethiopian immigrants across the United States.

Diaspora Ethiopians maintain close ties with their native land Ethiopia and are a backbone to the Ethiopian economy by their continuous and consistent financial support of their families and friends in their native homeland and as such are directly impacted by the turbulence in Ethiopia. Ethiopian immigrants throughout the Unites States have made considerable effort to educate the Democrats on the Subcommittee on Africa on the current situation in Ethiopia and the concerns of the Ethiopian Diaspora. Despite this, and the natural alliance of the Ethiopian immigrant community to the Democratic Party, the response from Democratic members of the Subcommittee on Africa has been disappointing. Some like Congressman Donald Payne, the Ranking Democrat on the Subcommittee on Africa have shown outright hostility towards the Bill. HR4423, which as aforementioned enjoys the wide support of the Ethiopian immigrant community was withdrawn at the last minute from its February 28 markup date because of lack of support from the Democrats on the Subcommittee on Africa. Congressman Donald Payne claimed at the last minute “Ethiopia Consolidation Act” required more discussion and the Bill was withdrawn.

Congressman Payne, who is considered to be an expert on Sub-Sahara Africa, has been reluctant to even discuss HR4423 and the current situation in Ethiopia with his Ethiopian-American constituents in the New Jersey area. His constituents have repeatedly requested an appointment with the Congressman to no avail. His office has received hundreds of phone calls and over 5000 petition signatures requesting that he support HR4423. Congresswoman Diane Watson, another Democratic member of the Subcommittee on Africa was presented a petition with over a thousand signatures requesting her support of HR4423 as well. Moreover, Congresswoman Watson has been briefed by her constituents on the importance of the Bill and on the current situation in Ethiopia. Repeated attempts have been made to meet with Congresswoman Barbara Lee, (another Democrat on the Subcommittee on Africa) by her constituents, again to no avail. But, the Congresswoman’s legislative assistants have been thoroughly briefed on the Bill and the current situation in Ethiopia.

It is perplexing that Congressman Donald Payne would feel more discussion is required for a Bill that encourages the respect for human rights and democracy in Ethiopia. The one sure thing the Bill would do if it clears the maze in Congress and gets the signature of President Bush is hold a brutal regime accountable to the aid it receives. How can anyone not support a Bill that asks accountability from a regime that has killed countless of unarmed civilians; detained tens of thousands; been responsible for the disappearance of unknown numbers of people; continues to harass and terrorize its citizens; has sent the nations civic leaders and civil servants including free press journalists to prison on fabricated charges as has been reported extensively by various international media as well as human right watch dogs such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Committee to Protect Journalists and other similar organizations.

Or is the Ethiopian immigrant community missing a crucial factor in its efforts to make U.S. policy makers aware of the plight of the Ethiopian people? The repeated trips made to Ethiopia by Congressman Payne and the red carpet being rolled out for him by the Ethiopian government begs the question: why is he resisting to meet with his constituents who have been pleading for an audience for months? It is also necessary to recall that around March/April 2005 a Bill (HR935) that was aimed at ensuring “Free and Fair Election in Ethiopia for the May 2005 Elections” died an early death because of the lack of support from Congressman Donald Payne as the ranking Democrat in the Subcommittee on Africa.

Does the fact that the Ethiopian Government is spending millions of dollars on five large K-Street lobby firms and public relations firms, (which is public record), play a role in the foot dragging of the Democrats in the subcommittee on Africa? The spending of millions of dollars for high powered K Street lobbyists by a poverty stricken country like Ethiopia whose national Budget is supplemented by Western nations is in itself astonishing. Maybe all these arguments for continued U.S. aid to Ethiopia without accountability are advanced by policy makers that are influenced by lobbyists who are paid by the Ethiopian Regime, who in turn gets the money to pay the lobbyists from the U.S. government completing a neat circle. Sounds far fetched, but then otherwise, one will have to believe that the policy makers for Ethiopia sympathize with the brutal suppression of the democratic movement in Ethiopia, and are not looking at the long-term interest of the United States by making a choice to side with an autocratic regime.

The performance of the Ethiopian Caucus (all Democrats) needs to be scrutinized as well. What is the position of the Ethiopian Caucus on the atrocities that have been committed in Ethiopia after the aftermath of the May 2005 election in general, and their stand on “Ethiopia Consolidation Act”? Why is their silence deafening? What about members of the Black Caucus? Why were the Democrats in general, and members of the Subcommittee as well as member of the Ethiopian Caucus, and members of the Black Caucus not present at any of the demonstrations staged in Washington D.C. and all over the United States? Democrats, who claims to be the party of the people, and speak for the down trodden and oppressed should have stood alongside their constituents. Renowned civil right leaders in the likes of Dr. Joseph Lowery of the People’s Agenda were present and condemned the injustice being perpetrated against the people of Ethiopia. Republican Legislatures in the likes of Congressman Chris Smith, the author of ‘Ethiopia Consolidation Act” and others were present, condemned the killings, listened to their constituents, and stood in solidarity with the people of Ethiopia.

Governments come and go, but maintaining strong ties with the people is sound judgment, and legislators such as Congressman Smith understand this concept very well. Does the situation in Ethiopia have to deteriorate to the point where millions of people are massacred and displaced as in Darfur to get the attention of Congresswoman Barbra Lee, who after her recent trip to Darfur made the statement, “urgent action is needed to prevent more killings” How many people have to be killed for Congresswoman Lee and Congressman Payne to listen to their constituents? In the hundreds, in the thousands or is the threshold millions for them to consider the issue of Ethiopia “urgent.”

How can the Ethiopian Diaspora combat the above challenges? The Ethiopian immigrant community has to show its strength during the upcoming mid-term and 2008 elections. The estimated half a million or so Ethiopian immigrants have been increasingly naturalized as U.S. citizens in the last decade. Every remaining eligible Ethiopian immigrant has to consider naturalizing so as to vote in the upcoming elections. Naturalized Ethiopian immigrants have to seriously reconsider their natural alliance with the Democratic Party and register as independents, and ensure that they vote for those, be it Republican or Democrat, who have shown a track record of listening to their constituents. In addition to voting, the Ethiopian immigrant community has to be active participant in the upcoming midterm and 2008 elections by working in the campaigns of candidates that are willing to listen to their constituents. The community has to participate in “Get Out The Vote” drives, volunteer to work on phone banks, etc. The Ethiopian community has to aggressively promote on the various mediums across the United States candidates that are sympathetic to the issues that are close to the hearts of the Ethiopian immigrant community.

It is time that the Ethiopian immigrant community is taken seriously by the political establishment in the United States. The only way it will be taken into account as a viable community is when it gets RESPECT as a community. As is known, respect is earned. The Ethiopian immigrant community has to be involved in the U.S. political process in such a way that its voice will have an impact.

Meron Ahadu is a community activist in Los Angeles, and is a 2005-2006 Delegate for the California Democratic Party from the 47th AD. This article is the personal opinion of the author and does not in anyway reflect the position of the organizations the author is affiliated with. To contact send e-mail to: etopiyawit@yahoo.com