Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
Washington, DC — U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy, issued the following statement:
“I remain very concerned by the grave humanitarian situation in Ethiopia and the continuing violence and tragic deaths, including those of dozens of civilians from reported air strikes in Tigray and Oromia. Reports that more than 90 percent of the population in Tigray is in need of urgent humanitarian assistance, as are people in other parts of the country, are extremely troubling.
“It is imperative that all parties cease hostilities and human rights abuses and engage in a political dialogue that is representative of all Ethiopians. Towards this goal, I welcome the creation of the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission and its work towards an inclusive dialogue and reconciliation process, one that needs to bring together representatives of all the major ethnic and political groups to ensure a continued democratic path forward for the country. I am hopeful that all parties will engage in good faith in the upcoming National Dialogue. I am encouraged by the Ethiopian government’s recent announcement that it will release several political prisoners, including prominent Oromo and Tigrayan political prisoners, among others.
“Despite these positive developments, much work remains to be done, and I strongly urge the Ethiopian government to make good on its commitment to allow unfettered access for humanitarian efforts. More must be done to ensure that human rights are protected throughout Ethiopia; thousands of political prisoners remain imprisoned and must be released.
“I also warmly welcome the appointment of veteran diplomat Ambassador David Satterfield as the new U.S. Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa. He is the right person for the job, and I urge all parties to welcome and work with him to find a lasting solution to the political problems in Ethiopia.”