To Hon. Sen James Inhofe
fax: 202-228- 0380
 
 From Ewnetu Tessema
 
Your Excellency,
 
My assumed name is Ewnetu Tessema. I am writing you this letter under an assumed name just because I fear for my life. It is not a pleasant thing to take an assumed name, but I have no choice. I am a Chairperson of a clandestine anti corruption group with branch offices in Europe and America. My email address is: gce_etc@yahoo.com I am a Communication Technology Expert with varied and long experience in the area. I did some of my studies at MIT. I was inspired by the technological advancement in Europe and America and came back home some 15 /ten/ years back with a reasonable and a honest assumption that I may contribute something to my country. I had a great hope that my country would be in a better shape after the brutal military regime. In a cruel twist of fate, it  simply became a transition from one form of brutality to another one. It was just a transition from Derg I to Derg II. I kindly urge you to read the well documented reports by human right groups like Amnesty International, Ethiopian Human Right Council and Human right Watch. I understand you have a great concern for children. You are absolutely right that we have to show great and unreserved concern for children. Children are absolutely innocent. Children cannot defend themselves. Children are vulnerable to abuse and attack. Your concern is appropriate. As one who lived in America, to see or hear any abuse against children makes me sick to the pit of my stomach. In Ethiopia, children are not in a great shape. It is very true but may sound paradoxical that we are a God fearing, humble and highly cultured people, and yet I agree with you Children are in a bad shape in Ethiopia due to partly poverty, partly lack of education. But, I assure you that compared to what is happening in Europe and America, the situation in Ethiopia, apart from what is being caused by poverty and/or lack of appropriate education, is far better and I have not so far heard of a story of a mother who killed her five children. I have not heard of a story of a father who sexually molested his son or daughter who is months or days old. I have not heard of a story of a mother who drowned her two children just to get married and start a new life. No, absolutely no. Such things can never ever happen in Ethiopia where the over 98% of the people are God fearing and with high moral standard. I am certain you know material civilization is not a cultural superiority, rather the opposite and  the moral decadence, which your government(s) is/are wrestling with 7/24, in the materially civilized West is attributed by many to the material civilization itself.  Ethiopia is a highly a traditional society and such outrageous crimes are unthinkable. Children, to the extent possible, are kept out of harms way in Ethiopia.
 
Your Excellency,
 
On the more serious note, it was a great joy for me to learn that you have an Ethiopian grand daughter. It means you are emotionally connected to Ethiopia and Ethiopians. I am convinced the recent misunderstanding between you and we Ethiopians won't color your decision on HR 2003. What you said is a result of some misinterpretation of what you have observed during your brief stay in Ethiopia and also the fact you were possibly misinformed by possibly anti Ethiopia individuals and groups. I am quite certain there is unbreakable bond between you and we Ethiopians. Any misunderstanding or misinformation will eventually be dispelled in due course. We are asking you to oppose a regime that has hyped Ethiopia up to a purposeless pitch. This repressive regime portrays itself as an ally of the war on terror. The regime itself is a terrorist that is killing its people like dogs and flies. I hope you have heard what this terrorist regime did in May-June 2005. To the dismay of the American government, it even used the military vehicles /APCs/ and others sophisticated assault weapons and snipers given to it by USA assuming it would fight the terrorists in the horn of Africa. The entire weapons bought and/or donated were meant to defend the country as a nation and the people as citizens. Unfortunately, they are increasingly being used against the people of Ethiopia.
 
Your Excellency,
 
In present day Ethiopia, while the millions are starving to death, few politically connected to this repressive regime are benefiting. All aid money and loans taken in the name of the Ethiopian people are stashed in foreign banks. For authentic information regarding corruption in the telecom sector alone, I kindly urge you to visit http://gce-etc.tripod.com Please help us to stop all these injustices. To this end, please support HR 2003.
 
Thank you!
Yours respectfully,
Ewnetu Tessema