Falls Church, Virginia (5/20/2021) – Senate Resolution 97, often referred to as S. Res 97 bipartisan, was introduced on March 9th. This date marked the height of the Tigray conflict, when the world finally began to understand the magnitude of this humanitarian crisis. World media and international leaders spoke in unison about this crisis, openly criticizing the Ethiopian government for the first time after blocking the war early on. It took about five months for the US government to get to that level, where a Congressional resolution was not only the right thing to say, but the minimal necessary action.
Not surprisingly, the Ethiopian government started a frantic push to stop this resolution. They hired their second group of lobbyists and used embassies and mission offices in their push to stop it.
OLLAA, several Oromo community leaders, and other advocacy organizations pushed to make sure this new Senate resolution contained certain key points. On behalf of Oromo communities, OLLAA privately met with over a dozen Senate Foreign Affairs Committee staffers to make the case why certain key languages were important for our people.
OLLAA used its relationship to assure at least three key points were included. These points were;
- Oromo political prisoners
- A countrywide independent investigation,
- and National dialogue.
Two weeks later, on March 24th, the Foreign Relations Committee passed this resolution with a unanimous vote.
It is important to note that while OLLAA is far from being content on the contents of S. Res 97, we are extremely pleased the updated resolution makes sure important key parts such as political prisoners, countrywide independent investigation, and national dialogue are included. As originally written, the resolution would have failed to be mindful of political prisoners like Jawar Mohammed and many others charged with terrorism and other activities who were not part of the political party.
OLLAA hopes everyone who pushed for this resolution is happy with its passage. This is a historic moment, as it becomes the first time in the US-Ethiopia relationship where the United State legislative branch has passed a resolution nearly condemning the Ethiopian government for its gross human rights violations.
Human rights violations are part of Ethiopian history, including under the TPLF. In addition to this historic resolution, we are seeing a shift in US-Ethiopia policy. The US and other international communities are finally understanding that the Oromo question and Ethiopian democratization are intertwined.
OLLAA thanks all Oromo community and organizational leaders for pushing for this language change. Above all, OLLAA thanks the staffers who pushed for these language changes on our behalf.
Finally, for those wondering where this inclusive language is included in the resolution’s text, the below parts were copied from the final S. Res 97:
Whereas, since mid-2020, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Amnesty International, and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission have reported atrocities and a rise in ethnic and intercommunal violence in other parts of Ethiopia, including in the Amhara, Benishangul-Gumuz, Somali, Afar, and Oromia regions;
Whereas Ethiopia is undergoing a fragile political transition, with the postponed 2020 general elections rescheduled for June 2021, except in the Tigray Region, where elections have not yet been scheduled;
Whereas the Government of Ethiopia has restricted the right of several opposition political parties to peacefully assemble and organize, and a number of opposition leaders have been jailed since the summer of 2020, with varying degrees of due process violations and procedural delays in their trials, leading some major opposition parties to threaten to withdraw from the forthcoming general elections;
Whereas the conflict in the Tigray Region, intercommunal violence in other parts of Ethiopia, and the erosion of political and civic space calls into the question whether the general elections in June 2021 can meet the aspirations and expectations of the Ethiopian people and internationally accepted standards for free and fair elections; and
That the Senate
(5) calls for the swift and complete restoration of electricity, banking, telephone, and internet services throughout the Tigray Region and other parts of Ethiopia where communications have been restricted;
(8) calls on the Government of Ethiopia to—
(C) release all opposition leaders, supporters, and activists detained on the basis of their political activity and views as well as journalists detained on the basis of their reporting, and respect the rights of all Ethiopians to free expression and political participation, without discrimination based on ethnicity, ideology, or political affiliation; and;
(D) convene a credible and countrywide process of national dialogue and reconciliation inclusive of all nonviolent political parties, ethnic communities, religious groups, and civil society organizations in Ethiopia to work toward the sustainable resolution of grievances and chart a democratic and peaceful path forward for the country;
(9) urges all parties to the conflict to—
(A) cease all hostilities, commit to a political solution for resolving existing differences, fully comply with international humanitarian law, and refrain from actions that could continue, spread, or escalate the conflict, particularly attacks on civilian targets;
(C) allow for, and cooperate with, independent and transparent investigations of any alleged human rights abuses committed in the course of the conflict in the Tigray Region and other conflicts across Ethiopia, and hold perpetrators to account in a credible process; and
10) urges the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, in coordination with the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies, to—
(E) maintain close coordination with international allies and multilateral organizations regarding efforts to address the conflict in the Tigray Region and other regions of Ethiopia and bring attention to the conflict in international fora, including the United Nations Security Council.
Amend the title so as to read: “A resolution calling on the Government of Ethiopia, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, and other belligerents in the conflict in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia to cease all hostilities, protect human rights, allow unfettered humanitarian access, and cooperate with independent investigations of credible atrocity allegations.”
To read the whole text, lick here: www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-resolution/97