We are witnessing HR 6600 (Ethiopia Stabilization, Peace, and Democracy Act) bill was introduced on Feb 04, 2022, co-sponsored by US Congressmen Michael McCaul and Gregory Meeks calling for suspending security and financial assistance to the Ethiopian government until humanitarian and human rights conditions are met not the TPLF.
Though the two congressmen claim that the two bills are developed and prescribed to promote peace and stability in Ethiopia they are rather full of contents that could damage the unity and territorial integrity of Ethiopia.
When we go through the contents the draft bills do not measure up to the longstanding relationship between Ethiopia and the U.S. rather they undermine the ongoing peace efforts in the country and put socio economic situation at stake.
In their recent remarks, Ethiopian Ambassador to the U.S Fitsum Arega and Ethiopian Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Taye Atskeselassie have spoken out the damages of the bills through a virtual meeting with representatives of various Ethiopian Diaspora associations in the U.S. regarding HR.6600 and S.3199 and the role of Ethiopians in the Diaspora in protesting the bills.
Both underlined “The bills contained extremely dangerous contents that would compromise the sovereignty of the country and bend political and economic choices to the will of external actors”
In my view the bills are targeting the very existence of Ethiopia and that they will harm Ethio-US relations. If passed HR 6600 and S: 3199 could harm the relations between the two countries.
Though TPLF gave its word for its responsibility of starting the war by attacking Ethiopian National Defense Force killing and torturing many senior combatants, displacing many and conducting genocide in various parts of the nation , US and West media are still fondling with TPLF.
The bills are trying imposing sanction on Ethiopia and making the incumbent accountable rather than the blood thirsty Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
According to Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) the HR 6600 and S 3199 bills to have a negative impact on the ongoing investigation conducted by the UN Human Rights Office and the EHRC into alleged violations of human rights, humanitarian and refugee law committed by all parties to the conflict in Tigray.
EHRC Commissioner Daniel Bekele (Ph.D.), told the Ethiopian News Agency that the introduction of the HR 6600 bill, by a few members of the US congress, which is supposedly harmful to Ethiopia’s interests, will have a serious negative impact on the joint investigation EHRC & UN are undertaking and should be highly reevaluated.
“The joint investigation team has conducted and is still carrying out robust investigations into alleged human rights abuses in the conflict in Tigray. Proposing such a bill during this time, when the investigation initiative is striving to ensure accountability from all the belligerent parties, will be a hindrance in obtaining the appropriate information from the people,” he said.
He noted that the bill aimed at imposing political, military, and economic sanctions under the cover of human rights violations especially harms women and children severely. And it wouldn’t bring a positive solution to the country.
In March, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) established a joint investigation partnering with the EHRC to undertake investigations into alleged violations of human rights committed during the conflict in Tigray.
The report published on Nov 3, 2021, by the team concluded that all parties in the conflict in Tigray committed violation of international human rights, humanitarian, and refugee law, some of which may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“H.R. 6600 has all the hallmarks of providing last-minute support to TPLF by targeting Ethiopia as a nation committing “Genocide”, a claim not supported by UN High Commission for Human Right Report of Nov. 13, 2021.”
“Concurrently on Feb. 16, 2022, Sarah Jackson, Deputy Regional Director for East Africa, at Amnesty International reported “Tigrayan forces have shown utter disregard for fundamental rules of international humanitarian law which all warring parties must follow. This includes repeated incidents of widespread rape, summary killings, and looting, including from hospitals.” H.R. 6600 further sidesteps critical Human Right abuses perpetrated by TPLF as reported by UNHCR and Ethiopian Human Right Council.”
Furthermore, H.R. 6600, a biased resolution clearly ignores the root cause of the conflict and the following steps the government has taken while TPLF failed to cease its offensive operations:
• Halted Ethiopia’s Defense Force from entering Tigray
• Provide Humanitarian aid into Tigray
• Allows full unfettered access except in Tigray controlled by TPLF
• Lifted wartime state of emergency three months early
• Release prisoners including individuals suspected in the insurgency
• Established reconciliation commission to begin a national dialogue
It should be well noted that the Humanitarian aid in Tigray is primarily caused by TPLF’s continued incursion in the neighboring Afar and Amhara region. This is confirmed by the United Nation where the fighting in Afar region is still the main reason for aid blockage. Combined with the Amnesty report, it is regrettable US congress has provided political cover for TPLF for never calling out its crime, instead of advanced H.R. 6600.
Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald
BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 31 MARCH 2022
