Smith bill stands firm for Ethiopian rights

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Dear Sgt. Shaft:

I am writing this note to thank you for everything you did to help us find our way through these dark hours in the history of Ethiopia. Sir, you will always be remembered for being one of our heroes who stands for the Ethiopian people in time of crisis. Thank you again for helping us. Please keep writing the truth.

Thanks,

Tefera M.

Arlington

Dear Tefera:

The true American champion of the Ethiopian people is Rep. Christopher H. Smith, former chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, who spearheaded H.R. 4423. I received the following from one of your fellow countrymen, Mesfin M., who observed the hearing and noted that major progress has been made in the effort to enact legislation committing the U.S. government to supporting democracy and human rights in Ethiopia.

The House International Relations subcommittee on Africa, global human rights and international operations voted April 6 to send H.R. 4423, the Ethiopian Freedom, Human Rights and Democracy Act, to the House floor for a vote. The bill has been renamed and improved since it was introduced and includes stronger demands for the immediate release of political prisoners. It condemns in particular two incidents in which peaceful demonstrators were shot by government forces, and prohibits travel to the United States by government officials and forces involved in the shootings.

Mr. Smith summarized the bill by adding that it provides support for the work of both international and domestic human rights agencies and urges the dispatch of the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture.