Title: Supporting respect for human rights and encouraging continued democratic progress in Ethiopia, and for other purposes.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution supports efforts to advance democratic reforms in Ethiopia, condemns actions to destroy and repress minority and protesting voices, and calls for specific measures to restore peace and foster democracy in Ethiopia.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1183 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1183

     Supporting respect for human rights and encouraging continued 
        democratic progress in Ethiopia, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 9, 2020

  Ms. Bass (for herself, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Wilson of South 
   Carolina, Mr. Garamendi, and Mr. Wright) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Supporting respect for human rights and encouraging continued 
        democratic progress in Ethiopia, and for other purposes.

Whereas the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has been a key ally of the 
        United States and an important economic and security partner, as well as 
        a major troop contributor to international peacekeeping;
Whereas, in January 2018, the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic 
        Front declared that it would pursue reforms in response to intensifying 
        antigovernment protests that began in late 2015;
Whereas Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed spearheaded significant and commendable reform 
        measures following his selection in April 2018, including releasing 
        thousands of political prisoners, inviting exiled political opposition 
        back to Ethiopia, negotiating a peace agreement with Eritrea, lifting 
        bans on over 200 websites and improving media freedom, closing the 
        notorious Maikelawi prison, repealing the draconian Charities and 
        Societies Proclamation and the Antiterrorism Proclamation, appointing a 
        gender-balanced cabinet, reforming electoral laws and the National 
        Electoral Board of Ethiopia, taking steps to privatize the economy, and 
        promoting private sector investment;
Whereas key challenges, including recurring ethnic and intercommunal clashes and 
        increasingly polarized political views that have spurred violence, 
        threaten to impede Ethiopia's democratic progress;
Whereas ethnic, intercommunal, and intracommunal violence since 2017 caused the 
        death of hundreds and displaced more than 3,000,000 Ethiopians, 
        including over a million people displaced by conflict and violence in 
        2019 alone, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center;
Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic led the Government of Ethiopia to declare a state 
        of emergency and indefinitely postpone elections originally scheduled 
        for August 2020;
Whereas the killing of prominent Oromo musician Haacaaluu Hundeessaa on June 29, 
        2020, sparked more than a week of violence and arrests, contributing to 
        growing concerns about instability;
Whereas ethnic and religious minorities were targeted in violent attacks, and 
        homes, businesses, and religious institutions were looted or destroyed;
Whereas hundreds of people have been killed in the recent ethnic violence and 
        unrest, some of them by Ethiopian security forces;
Whereas Ethiopian security forces have arrested more than 7,000 people since the 
        unrest began, including several journalists and prominent opposition 
        politicians, and their continued detention has spurred further protests 
        and violence;
Whereas the Government of Ethiopia has employed tactics, such as mass arrests, 
        internet shutdowns, and prolonged detention without charge, that echo 
        practices used before the opening of political space in 2018, 
        threatening the democratic progress made over the last 2 years;
Whereas polarizing narratives and threats of violence endorsed by some members 
        of the opposition and parts of the diaspora also jeopardize Ethiopia's 
        transition to democracy by raising tensions and increasing the prospects 
        for interethnic and interreligious violence;
Whereas dialogue among the ruling and opposition parties on elections and the 
        democratic transition appears to have stalled;
Whereas transitional justice processes and mechanisms can help address 
        legitimate grievances, and strengthen security, development, 
        reconciliation, and good governance;
Whereas the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is nearing completion, and is 
        expected to significantly increase Ethiopia's electricity generation 
        capacity and generate billions of dollars from energy exports;
Whereas negotiations surrounding Nile River water rights have a long, complex 
        history involving regional and domestic considerations by Egypt, 
        Ethiopia, and Sudan; and
Whereas a mutually acceptable agreement is critical for future regional 
        stability and economic growth: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) stands by the people of Ethiopia and supports their 
        peaceful efforts to advance democratic reforms and to exercise 
        the rights guaranteed by the Constitution of Ethiopia;
            (2) strongly supports the historic reform measures 
        undertaken by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed since 2018, including 
        efforts to promote human rights, privatize the economy, repeal 
        restrictions on freedoms of expression, organize the first ever 
        multi-party Presidential elections, and resolve regional 
        conflicts;
            (3) condemns--
                    (A) the targeted violence and destruction of 
                property directed against ethnic and religious 
                minorities;
                    (B) the excessive use of force by Ethiopian 
                security forces against peaceful protesters;
                    (C) the arrest and detention of journalists and 
                peaceful protesters who exercised their constitutional 
                rights to freedom of assembly and expression; and
                    (D) hate speech and disinformation that fuel ethnic 
                and political violence, propagated by individuals and 
                organized groups based in Ethiopia and in the diaspora;
            (4) urges protesters in Ethiopia to refrain from violence 
        and to refrain from incitement or acceptance of violence in 
        demonstrations;
            (5) urges all political, religious, and community leaders 
        to call for calm and encourage their supporters to reject 
        violence;
            (6) urges all armed factions to cease their conflict with 
        the Government of Ethiopia and engage in peaceful negotiations 
        directly or through intermediaries;
            (7) welcomes efforts by reformed national institutions such 
        as the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission to foster respect for 
        human rights and the rule of law;
            (8) calls on the Government of Ethiopia to--
                    (A) conduct full, credible, and transparent 
                investigations into the killings that took place in 
                Oromia, Addis Ababa, and the Southern Nations, 
                Nationalities, and People's Region amid the recent 
                protests and unrest, including an investigation into 
                the assassination of Haacaaluu Hundeessaa;
                    (B) take immediate steps to prevent the use of 
                excessive force by security forces and ensure 
                accountability for security forces found responsible;
                    (C) demonstrate respect for due process and ensure 
                fair, transparent, and expeditious trials of 
                journalists, activists, and opposition politicians 
                arrested during the recent unrest;
                    (D) respect the right to freedom of peaceful 
                assembly and guarantee the freedom of the press and 
                mass media, in keeping with Articles 29 and 30 of the 
                Constitution of Ethiopia;
                    (E) resume dialogue with opposition parties on 
                outstanding issues regarding democratic transformation, 
                including determining a timeline for national 
                elections; and
                    (F) consider employing transitional justice 
                approaches, mechanisms, and measures to address 
                grievances in order to contribute to a democratic, 
                peaceful, and prosperous future for Ethiopia;
            (9) calls on the United States Government to--
                    (A) play a more active and vocal role in 
                encouraging and supporting an inclusive, intra-
                Ethiopian dialogue on democratic reforms, elections, 
                ethnic violence, and accountability for serious human 
                rights abuses;
                    (B) immediately allow all obligated and planned 
                bilateral foreign assistance to Ethiopia to continue, 
                including critical funding for global health security, 
                civil society and election preparedness, economic 
                growth, food security, and counterterrorism; and
                    (C) consider application of existing United States 
                sanctions authority, including as provided for in the 
                Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, for 
                gross violations of internationally recognized human 
                rights;
            (10) supports the African Union-led GERD negotiations among 
        Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan, and support an equitable outcome 
        fair to all parties; and
            (11) supports increased United States private sector 
        investment in Ethiopia, including in key sectors such as 
        telecommunications, energy, and agriculture, and encourages 
        continued efforts to spur economic growth and privatize the 
        economy.
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