Ethiopia: Human Rights, Democracy Key to Ethiopia's Prosperity, U.S. Says
By Phillip Kurata, 13 October 2012
Washington - "The U.S. government is committed to working with Ethiopia --
both the government and the people -- to strengthen respect for democracy
and human rights," Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human
Rights and Labor Karen J. Hanrahan said October 9.
Speaking in Washington, Hanrahan said that as part of that process, the U.S.
government is using an array of diplomatic tools to further those ends
during Ethiopia's political transition from recently deceased Prime Minister
Meles Zenawi to his successor, Hailemariam Desalegn.
"This is Ethiopia's best chance for long-term stability and prosperity," she
said.
Hanrahan said Ethiopia will hold local elections in 2013 and elections for
the House of People's Representatives in 2015. "These are opportunities for
different political parties to discuss ideas regarding Ethiopia's future,"
she said. "More open dialogue would provide opportunities for persons to
channel their needs through peaceful political process, thus reducing the
possibility of violence."
In addition to elections, Hanrahan said, democracy "requires an independent
and effective judiciary, civilian-controlled and responsible security forces
and transparent and accountable government institutions."
She added that marginalized populations -- including women, youth, lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender communities and disabled persons -- must be
able to participate equally in society and to benefit equally from economic
growth.
The U.S. government, Hanrahan said, is concerned about the Ethiopian
government's restrictions on civil society organizations, the curtailment of
media freedom and the jailing of journalists and members of the political
opposition.
Ethiopia's civil society law prohibits charities and associations that
receive more than 10 percent of their funding from foreign sources from
engaging in a wide range of activities that advance human and democratic
rights, Hanrahan said. "We're particularly concerned about the Charities and
Societies Proclamation and the Anti-terrorism Proclamation," she said.
Lifting such restrictions "would open space for political opposition and
civil society development. Not only would doing so help Ethiopia's citizens
fully realize their rights, but it also supports the U.S. and Ethiopian
governments' shared goals of stability and development," she said.
She said the U.S. government is speaking out privately and publicly on
behalf of human rights and democracy in Ethiopia. She pointed out that the
State Department highlights Ethiopia's violations and abuses in its annual
human rights report. And, she added, the U.S. ambassador and his staff meet
with civil society regularly and attend the trials of activists and members
of the media.
Security, democracy and human rights are not competing priorities for the
U.S. government, but rather "equally important policy objectives that must
be advanced simultaneously whenever possible," she said.
