H.R. 2003 - Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007
H.R.2003, the Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007, was introduced by Representative Donald Payne. It was passed in the House of Representatives on October 2, 2007 under the rules of suspension. It is now before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. H.R.2003 will do the following:
• Demands release of all political prisoners and a fair and speedy trial for those held in detention;
• Strengthens human rights monitoring in Ethiopia to protect individuals and organizations engaged in human rights work in Ethiopia, and establishes a mechanism to identify and prosecute all persons who have engaged in gross human rights violations;
• Facilitates the establishment of an independent national election board to expedite voter, candidate and political party registration, adjudicate disputed elections and enhance the credibility of the electoral process in Ethiopia.
• Re-establishes freedom of the press by repealing unconstitutional censorship laws;
• Seeks to increase the independence of the Ethiopian judiciary and enforce provisions of the Ethiopian Constitution and international human rights conventions;
• Strengthens local, regional, and national parliaments and governments in Ethiopia through training in consultation with government authorities, political parties, and civil society groups, and promotes reconciliation between the ruling regime in Ethiopia and political and civil society groups, including in minority communities.
H.R. 2003 encourages a stable, secure and economically viable future for this jeopardized region.
News announcing the passage of H.R.2003 in the House
- Dismissive Ethiopia tests US indulgence by Barney Jopson in the Financial Times on October 10 2007 20:12
- US targets Ethiopia for sanctions in the BBC on October 4, 2007
- Ethiopia Angry At Proposed U.S. Aid Sanction in the New York Times on October 4, 2007
- House Seeks Reform in Ethiopia by Desmond Butler in the Associated Press on October 2, 2007
- US legislators tell Ethiopia to reform or lose aid in Reuters on October 3, 2007
- Ethiopia bill faces Bush backlash by Barney Jopson and Daniel Dombey in the Financial Times on October 3, 2007
- Ethiopian Envoy Furious Over Bill to Limit U.S. Aid By Nora Boustany in the Washington Post on October 4, 2007
- Ethiopia angry at proposed U.S. aid sanction by C. Bryson Hull in Reuters on October 3, 2007
- Ethiopia: U.S. Congress Acts on Human Rights by Brian Kennedy in allAfrica.com on October 3, 2007
- Merkel starts Africa tour with plea to Ethiopia by Tsegaye Tadesse in Reuters on October 4, 2007
- US House of Representatives Passes Ethiopia Human Rights Bill by Dan Robinson in Voice of America on October 2, 2007
- Ethiopia: UN Warns of Humanitarian Crisis in Somali Region in UN Integrated Regional Information Networks on October 5, 2007
- Germany's Merkel kicks off Africa tour with plea for democracy in Agence France-Presse on October 5, 2007
