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ዓለምአቀፍ ትብብር ለኢትዮጵያውያን መብት
Global Alliance for the Rights of Ethiopians (GARE)
Telephone: (877)746 -4384
www.DefendEthiopians.org
All Lives Have Equal Value Info@DefendEthiopians.org
July 25, 2014
The Honorable Mayor Annise Parker
Mayor, City of Houston
P.O. Box 1562 Houston, TX 77251
Via email: annise.parker@houstontx.gov
Dear Mayor Parker:
Global Alliance for the Rights of Ethiopians (GARE), whose mission is to ensure that the rights
of Ethiopians are recognized and respected worldwide in accordance with United Nations
Human Rights Laws, Agreements and Protocols is deeply concerned and profoundly
disappointed that the City of Houston has sponsored an event that will be presided by the Prime
Minister of Ethiopia, Mr. Hailemariam Desalegn. In addition, we are disturbed that you have
scheduled a private meeting with the Prime Minister. Our organization whose membership
comprises of Ethiopian-Americans fleeing from persecution is shocked to hear that our
persecutors are following us to our new home and are using our tax dollars to hold events.
The reason we strongly oppose the use of City tax dollars to host the Prime Minister of Ethiopia
is because, Ethiopia under Mr. Hailemariam Desalegn is a country where there is no rule of law
and dissent is criminalized. It is a country where egregious human rights violations occur on a
daily basis. Thousands of Ethiopians are arbitrarily arrested and tortured for simply being critical
of the government. Journalists, bloggers, rights activists are hunted down and imprisoned.
Ethiopia under Mr Hailemariam Desalegn is one of the ten worst jailers of journalists in the
world. The displacement of millions of indigenous people from their homelands in the name of
development is a phenomenon that has been reported widely by Human Rights Watch and other
rights based organizations. Ethiopia under Mr. Hailemariam Desalegn and his predecessor is a
country where the majority of its citizens live in abject poverty while corrupt government
officials stash millions of dollars in foreign banks.
The human rights violations in Ethiopia are well documented by the US State Department
Human Rights Report year after year. The 2013 report which details the atrocities that are
committed by Mr. Desalegn’s government states, “The most significant human rights problems
included: restrictions on freedom of expression and association, including through arrests; ዓለምአቀፍ ትብብር ለኢትዮጵያውያን መብት
Global Alliance for the Rights of Ethiopians (GARE)
Telephone: (877)746 -4384
www.DefendEthiopians.org
All Lives Have Equal Value Info@DefendEthiopians.org
detention; politically motivated trials; harassment; and intimidation of opposition members and
journalists, as well as continued restrictions on print media.
Other human rights problems included arbitrary killings; allegations of torture, beating, abuse,
and mistreatment of detainees by security forces; reports of harsh and, at times, life-threatening
prison conditions; arbitrary arrest and detention; detention without charge and lengthy pretrial
detention; a weak, overburdened judiciary subject to political influence; infringement on
citizens’ privacy rights, including illegal searches; allegations of abuses in the implementation
of the government’s “villagization” program; restrictions on academic freedom; restrictions on
freedom of assembly, association, and movement; alleged interference in religious affairs; limits
on citizens’ ability to change their government; police, administrative, and judicial
corruption…”
Taking all of the issues that have been highlighted into consideration, we urge the City of
Houston to take a principled stand and withdraw from sponsoring the event. In addition, we,
respectfully request that you personally cancel the private meeting with Prime Minister
Hailemariam Desalegn. To give you more understanding of the issues in Ethiopia, below are
links to various reports that have come out recently regarding Ethiopia.
Thank you for your prompt reply to this urgent matter. We look forward to hearing from you.
Respectfully,
Betru G. Egziabher
Betru G. Egziabher
Community Organizer
Global Alliance for the Rights of Ethiopians, Texas Chapter
(469)853-6285
REFERENCE
U.S. State Department Human Rights Report on Ethiopia
http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2013/af/220113.htm
They want a confession (Human Rights Watch)
http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/ethiopia1013_ForUpload.pdf
Dismantling Dissent
http://www.amnestyusa.org/sites/default/files/afr250112011en.pdf
“They know everything we do”
http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/ethiopia0314_ForUpload_1.pdf
http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/07/19/ethiopia-drop-case-against-bloggers-journalists
Zone9 Bloggers charges with Terrorism – State Department Statement
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2014/07/229476.htm
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