US Senate Foreign Affairs Committee approves draft S 3199 bill for Ethiopia The committee approved the S 3199 Act, promulgated by The Ethi...
US Senate Foreign Affairs Committee approves draft S 3199 bill for Ethiopia
The committee approved the S 3199 Act, promulgated by The Ethiopian Peace and Democracy Promotion Act, on March 20, 2014, and referred it to the House of Representatives.
The bill, passed by a landslide on Tuesday, March 20, 2014, will not only block US support for the Ethiopian government but also impede financial and direct sanctions on those involved in resolving the conflict in Ethiopia.
Senate Foreign Minister Jim Rish said in a statement that the war in northern Ethiopia had changed in the months leading up to the draft law, but that the basic issues were the same.
He also said that the draft law would make it possible for warring parties to be held accountable for widespread abuses and serious humanitarian crises.
He also noted the importance of the role of foreign powers in this war.
He said the unilateral ceasefire announced by the Ethiopian government last week was a positive step but that no progress had been made in providing humanitarian assistance.
"The road to national reconciliation is long," he said, noting that the parties had not reached a ceasefire and had not agreed to negotiate.
"This draft law conveys a strong message that Congress has a strong position on the issues to be addressed and the resolution of the conflict," the statement said.
Committee Chairman Robert Mendes, for his part, said he was proud that the bill had passed so loudly.
"Today we are not only talking about extrajudicial killings, mass sexual assaults, forced evictions and the use of humanitarian aid as weapons, but we also take steps to stop these atrocities," he said.
"This is an important milestone in the development of a policy framework that requires the Minister of Foreign Affairs to make a decision," he said.
Councilman Chris Kun, who arrived in Ethiopia on behalf of US President Joe Biden, met with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. Following the visit, he said, they introduced the draft law, which strengthens the US diplomatic and humanitarian response to the conflict in northern Ethiopia.
He praised the recent ceasefire and improved humanitarian access, but said that "participants in the conflict need to take action to bring lasting peace to Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Peace and Stabilization Act is an important tool for this effort."
The bill, introduced in late October this year, calls for a diplomatic, developmental, and legal response from the United States to support democracy, human rights, peace, and stability in Ethiopia, and to establish a framework for imposing sanctions on those who obstruct the process.
The bill was introduced to the Senate by New Jersey Senator Robert Mendes. S 3199 Draft Law October 25, 2014 It was presented to the Senate and referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for discussion and moved on to the next step.
The bill will be presented to the Legislature for another round of deliberations and, if approved by the Senate, will be presented to the House of Representatives.
Similarly, another draft law on Ethiopia and Eritrea was introduced in the US House of Representatives.
The bill, called HR 6600, allows for sanctions against individuals responsible for abuses in Ethiopia, Eritrea, and conflict-related areas.
If the draft law is strongly opposed by the Ethiopian government, if approved by President Biden, the United States will impose sanctions on Ethiopia over security, finance, and immigration issues.
HR 6600 Bill passed by the US House of Representatives on February 1, 2014. When it was approached: The bill is directed at the House's foreign affairs, justice, financial services, and military services.
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