Washington Update -by Mesfin Mekonen
January 10, 2025
1, Ethiopians continue to demonstrate in Ethiopia, Washington, DC, London and around the world to condemn the Abiy government’s human rights abuses, especially drone attacks on civilian Amhara Ethiopians. In Washington, Ethiopian-Americans have rallied outside the White House and in front of the Ethiopian embassy protesting the indiscriminate use of military weapons, including drones and artillery, to kill and terrorize civilians in the Amhara region. Similar demonstrations have been held in Canada, South Africa, Israel and Europe.
2, This week, Mesfin Mekonen delivered an open letter to Senator Marco Rubio, President-elect Trump’s nominee to lead the State Department, in the letter included recommendation that the White House and State Department should condemn the abuses the Abiy government is undertaking and condoning, and take steps to improve the situation. These steps include imposing targeted sanctions on government officials who are responsible for abuses or who fail to protect the lives of innocent civilians; and met with Senator Michael Bennett of Colorado and his staff to discuss the situation in Ethiopia.
3, Ethiopia is facing a severe food insecurity crisis, with approximately 15.8 million people in need of food assistance in 2024, according to the World Food Program. The situation is driven by a complex combination of factors, including conflict, climate shocks, economic challenges, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The northern regions, particularly Tigray, Amhara, and Afar, continue to grapple with the aftermath of the 2020-2022 conflict, while southern and southeastern areas are dealing with the impacts of prolonged drought. The situation is critical in some regions. Famine conditions causing tragic large-scale loss of life is inevitable unless the assistance is provided rapidly. The situation is further exacerbated by high food prices, which have doubled since 2021, limiting access to food for vulnerable families.
4, Christian Tadele, a prominent Ethiopian opposition figures and member of the House of People’s Representatives, is being illegally and unjustly jailed and tortured by the Abiy regime. He was arrested on August 3, 2023, detained on vague and unsubstantiated charges. Tadele has been subjected to violence and physical abuse. On March 14, 2024, the Ethiopian House of People’s Representatives officially revoked Christian Tadele’s parliamentary immunity, removing his last legal protection and potentially allowing the government to pursue charges against him without legal constraints. His health has significantly deteriorated while in prison. He and Yohannes Buayalew must be released form prison.
5. As described in previous editions of Washington Update, the Ethiopian-American community continues to work with Ethiopian Constitutional lawyers to draft a new constitution that can be presented to the Ethiopian people. The Ethiopian people must decide on constitutional reforms that can create the foundation for a peaceful, stable and prosperous nation.
A new constitution is needed to address the root causes of Ethiopia’s most serious problems. To secure democracy, human rights, and economic prosperity, Ethiopia needs a new constitution that places power in the hands of its people, and that turns the page on ethnic division, corruption, and abuse of human rights.
A fundamental change in the government’s structure is essential to prevent Ethiopia from sinking deeper into the abyss. By failing to observe even the most basic human rights of its own people, including the right to life itself, the Abiy regime could turn Ethiopia into a failed state. The result would be unbearable hardship for Ethiopians, destabilization of the entire Horn of Africa, and the creation of safe havens for terrorists.
