July 9, 2007 ( Coalition for H.R. 2003)-- On June 26, 2007, supporters of H.R. 2003 (Ethiopia Freedom and Accountability Act) were told that the House Foreign Affairs Committee will delay mark-up of H.R. 2003 by two weeks because of threats to prolong the detention of the Kaliti prisoners of conscience if the mark-up had proceeded on that date. The two-week delay expires in the next day, and we must demand the immediate scheduling of H.R. 2003 for committee mark-up.

We must demand for the immediate scheduling of H.R. 2003 for Committee Mark-up. Reasons:

1. Zenawi Wins Each Day Mark-Up of H.R. 2003 is Delayed.

   Zenawi’s strategy to defeat H.R. 2003 is simple: Delay action on the bill. Delay! Delay! Delay! Delay until Congress goes on Summer recess. Delay… That is exactly what he did with H.R. 5680. Since we know his strategy, our counter-strategy should be: ACTION NOW! MARK-UP ACTION NOW! FLOOR ACTION BEFORE SUMMER RECESS! WE MUST DEMAND MARK-UP ACTION IMMEDIATELY.

2. Zenawi and his regime avoid accountability for each day mark-up of H.R. 2003 is delayed.

   H.R. 2003 is fundamentally about accountability. For each day mark-up is delayed, Zenawi and his regime are given an opportunity to avoid and evade accountability for the massive human rights abuses they have committed over the past sixteen years, and continue to this very day. Reliable reports over the past few days indicate that Zenawi has gone berserk, and is on the rampage imprisoning suspected opponents throughout the country. H.R. 2003 is intended to prevent arbitrary mass arrests and detentions. Recently released prisoners of conscience are being harassed and intimidated, and targeted for further persecution and prosecution. If we want our brothers and sisters to be spared arbitrary arrests and detentions, WE MUST DEMAND MARK-UP IMMEDIATELY.

3. H.R. 2003 is all about changing the foundation of U.S. forign policy in Ethiopia, not just about the release of the Kality prisoners.

   Zenawi is currently rounding-up and imprisoning thousands of suspected political opponents. His jails and prisons are filled with innocent people who have committed no crimes, or are charged with crimes for exercising their basic democratic liberties. The massive violation of human rights continues today with the intensity that is often shown by dying regimes in their last throes. We want to strengthen and reinforce the human rights pillar of U.S. foreign policy in Ethiopia by enacting H.R. 2003, and immediately stopping the use of our tax dollars to support a regime described by international human rights organizations as “one of the worst violators of human rights in the world today”. WE MUST DEMAND MARK-UP ACTION IMMEDIATELY.

4. Zenawi’s strategy is to reduce H.R. 2003 to a simple question of the release of the Kaliti prionsers. That’s what his lobbyists are telling Congress.

   H.R. 2003 can not be reduced to the release of the Kality prisoners. We must mount a massive campaign to educate members of congress that H.R. 2003 is about instituting democratic reform and accountability in Ethiopia, restoration of the democratic rights of the people, strengthening human rights and civic society organizations, increasing the independence of the judiciary, arresting and prosecuting human rights abusers, torturers and murderers, and bringing to justice the killers of 193 innocent men, women and children and wounding of 763 others, insuring fraud free elections, and removing press censorship and full freedom of the press, among others. Zenawi has been playing games with political prisoners, and continues to play games. Game over, It is mark-up time! We must demand mark-up of HR 2003 immediately. (Note: Zenawi says the Kality prisoners have agreed to take some responsibility for the post-2005 elections, but his own Inquiry Commission ruled that his government is solely and exclusively responsible for the deaths and injuries of hundreds of people. Any agreement they made in jail for their release is made by force and coercion. It has NO legal value, even under Zenawi’s constitution.) )

5. Zenawi is getting stronger every day with his mercenary lobbyists pounding the halls of Congress, and is likely to use highly influential American groups to lobby against H.R. 2003:

   Zenawi’s lobbyists, his local representatives and emissaries are lobbying hard to defeat H.R. 2003. We believe efforts are being made by particular individuals in Zenawi’s service who have ties to groups with considerable influence on Middle Eastern issues to line up against H.R. 2003. We must remain vigilant and undertake a massive increase in our grassroots activities.

6. Zenawi has already declared victory and publicly proclaimed with a picture of a corpse that “H.R. 2003 is Dead on Arrival”.

   Zenawi through his mouthpieces has already declared victory, proclaiming that “H.R. 2003 is dead on arrival.”

• We can not sleep while Zenawi's agents and operatives are working double overtime prowling the halls of Congress.
• Members of Congress want to hear from us!
• Immediate massive telephone calls and fax campaign!
• Remember our successful campaign when Speaker Hastert stonewalled H.R. 5680.

The Coalition for H.R. 2003 is calling every Ethiopian to make a telephone call and fax a letter to the members of House International Affairs Committee during the week of July 9-13 and 16-20.

We ask all Ethiopians, Ethiopian Americans and all other supporters of human rights to make telephone calls, and fax letters requesting immediate mark-up of H.R. 2003 (sample letter and telephone statement provided below) to the following members (Please FAX. Do NOT Mail. It takes up to 2 weeks to deliver.)

For details (addresses of members of congress, sample letters etc, click here. )

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Coalition for HR 2003
Web: www.hr2003.org
E-mail: passhr2003@hr2003.org
Phone: 323-988-5688 Fax: 323-924-5563