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Four retired US ambassadors to Ethiopia write an open letter to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) expressing concern about recent political developments in the country.
The letter sent exclusively to The Reporter is signed by Ambassadors David Shinn, Aurelia Brazeal, Vicki Huddleston and Patricia Haslach.
The full content of the letter is presented below.
Open Letter to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed from Retired U.S. Ambassadors to Ethiopia
January 21, 2021
Dear Prime Minister:
We are former ambassadors who have served Ethiopia through various political crossroads, and each of us is forever inspired by the resistance and principles of the Ethiopian people. At present, we are deeply concerned about the stability and future of Ethiopia, so we have taken the liberty of writing to you about our concerns.
We have watched the conflict in Tigray with great concern as, according to the United Nations, nearly 60,000 refugees have fled to Sudan, 2.2 million people have been displaced and 4.5 million people are in need of emergency assistance, many of them which lack adequate food. We are also concerned about the alleged presence of Eritrean troops in Tigray, which could endanger the territorial integrity of Ethiopia.
We are concerned about the worsening ethnic tensions across the country, reflected in the proliferation of hate speech and the increase in ethnic and religious violence. Based on our time in your country, this growing violence seems to us contrary to Ethiopia’s long tradition of tolerance towards various religions and ethnicities.
We hope, Mr. Prime Minister, that your government will ensure the protection of civilians, independent investigation of human rights violations and unrestricted access by the United Nations and other aid agencies. We would like to repeat the advice that we hear often during each of our terms in your country: Ethiopia needs a national dialogue designed to bring together all sectors of society. We wish you and all Ethiopians the best.
Sincerely,
Hon. David H. Shinn
Ambassador: July 1996 to August 1999
Hon. Aurelia E. Brazeal
Ambassador: November 2002 to September 2005
Hon. Vicki J. Huddleston
Charge d’Affaires: September 2005 to November 2006
Hon. Patricia M. Haslach
Ambassador: September 2013-August 2016
