Honorable Cynthia McKinney
United States House of Representatives
320 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-1004

Re: Please vote “Yes” to HR 5680, a bill supporting human rights in Ethiopia!

Dear Congresswoman McKinney,

As an American residing in your constituency, I have observed and admired your unwavering commitment to democracy, freedom, and human rights, at home and abroad. It is for this reason that I am writing to urge you to Vote “Yes” on HR 5680. This bill, called ‘The Ethiopia Freedom, Democracy and Human Rights Advancement Act of 2006’, is expected to go to the floor of the House of Representatives this month. HR 5680, which passed the House International Relations Committee with unanimous and bi-partisan support, is a strong and powerful expression of true American values: If passed, it would promote human rights and democracy in Ethiopia.

As an American of Ethiopian descent, I am deeply disturbed by the overt brutality and open disdain of basic human rights which the regime controlled by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has displayed, most bluntly since May 2005. Furthermore, I am noticing how the repression within Ethiopia is starting to destabilize the entire Horn of Africa. In order to pose as an “ally on the war on terror”, Meles Zenawi has overzealously invaded Somalia, ostensibly to support the secular transitional government there. This has given the Islamic militants in Somalia a tool to recruit new supporters, pointing to the threat of a foreign takeover. I have seen videos of the Ethiopian flag being burnt. Moderate Somali Muslims are now radicalized to hate Ethiopia and consider it a an enemy greater than the United States. Due to the Ethiopian dictatorship’s zeal to garner favor with the US administration, to make up for the fact that it has no support at home, we may soon see an open war between Somalia and Ethiopia, in which it is likely that Somali Islamic militants will be supported by Iran, Eritrea and possibly Libya.

I strongly urge you to vote “Yes” for HR 5680 because it supports democracy in Ethiopia and, with that, stability and security internationally. Please find enclosed documentation on this issue which members of the Ethiopian-American community compiled from international sources.

Sincerely,
Hewan Zerfu