The U.S. lawmaker tables a resolution condemning rights violations in Ethiopia, calls for global Magnitsky sanctions
A United States lawmaker has introduced a new congressional resolution condemning what it describes as widespread human rights violations by the Ethiopian government, with a particular focus on abuses against Christians and other religious communities.
The measure, introduced by Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA), urges the U.S. Secretary of State to deploy all available diplomatic tools, including targeted sanctions, to protect civilians and hold Ethiopian officials accountable.
The resolution sharply criticizes the Ethiopian government for actions it says “threaten regional stability, violate fundamental human rights, and undermine the strategic interests of the United States in the Horn of Africa.”
It cites allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, as well as what it describes as violence, intimidation, and persecution targeting members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and other religious institutions.
In introducing the measure, Rep. Carter said the resolution was intended to respond to patterns of abuse documented in recent years. “Practicing your Christian faith is not a crime,” he said, accusing the Ethiopian government of enabling conditions in which “terrorists are running Ethiopia into the ground.”
He added that allegations ranging from intimidation to famine and genocide leave the United States “no option but to limit their power by using every tool available to hold them accountable.”
At the center of the resolution is a call for the U.S. administration to consider applying the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which enables targeted sanctions such as travel bans, asset freezes, and diplomatic restrictions against individuals implicated in grave abuses. The text asserts that such measures are necessary to address what it describes as the government’s failure to protect civilians and its alleged role in atrocities committed across several regions.
The resolution has received backing from two U.S.-based advocacy groups, the Amhara Association in Georgia and the American Ethiopian Public Affairs Committee (AEPAC), both of which have long called for increased U.S. pressure on Ethiopian authorities.
Source: Ethio Beteseb media
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