Saturday, September 8th 2007 Washington update
1. Congress has returned from its summer break and faces the usual crush of activity. Although support for HR 2003 is growing – there are currently 85 cosponsors – it will take a great deal of work to get a vote on the legislation prior to the winter recess. It is essential that Ethiopian-Americans contact their representatives, and that they also contact Rep. Tom Lantos (tel. 202-225-3531) to request a vote. Rep. Lantos needs to hear your views about the regime, particularly about human rights abuses, and he needs to understand that enacting HR 2003 will send a strong signal of American support for human rights. Lantos has been a strong champion of human rights and has consistently stood up for the oppressed. Ethiopian- Americans call on him to uphold his principles and not to bend to the whims of a dictator.
3. In addition, it is important to inform the House leadership, Reps. Hoyer (tel 202-225-4131) and Pelosi (202-225-4965), as well as the presidential candidates from both parties, about the dire human rights situation in Ethiopia and the importance of HR 2003.
Our advocacy efforts this summer have had some impact. The U.S. State Department initially declined to grant a visa to Engineer Hailu Shawel, president of the Coalition for Unity & Democracy (CUD), to visit the United States. Friends of Ethiopia in Congress helped persuade the State Department to issue the visa today. Engineer Hailu Shawel is expected to meet with senior administration and congressional officials when he visits the U.S. later this month.
Mesfin Mekonen, CUD International Council Foreign Relations | 
