World Bank: Address Ethiopia Findings (Human Rights Watch)

February 23, 2015

Response to Inquiry Dismissive of Abuses

(Washington, DC) – The World Bank should fully address serious human rights issues raised by the bank’s internal investigation into a project in Ethiopia, Human Rights Watch said in a letter to the bank’s vice president for Africa. The bank’s response to the investigation findings attempts to distance the bank from the many problems confirmed by the investigation and should be revised. The World Bank board of directors is to consider the investigation report and management’s response, which includes an Action Plan, on February 26, 2015.

The Inspection Panel, the World Bank’s independent accountability mechanism, found that the bank violated its own policies in Ethiopia. The investigation was prompted by a formal complaint brought by refugees from Ethiopia’s Gambella region concerning the Promoting Basic Services (PBS) projects funded by the World Bank, the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), the African Development Bank, and several other donors.

“The Inspection Panel’s report shows that the World Bank has largely ignored human rights risks evident in its projects in Ethiopia,” said Jessica Evans, senior international financial institutions researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The bank has the opportunity and responsibility to adjust course on its Ethiopia programming and provide redress to those who were harmed. But management’s Action Plan achieves neither of these goals.”

The Upcoming May 2015 Ethiopian General Election and Ethiopian-American Action

February 6, 2015

by Dallol Kiros

Two years ago I participated in the “Ethiopian American Convention” that was held in Washington Middle School in Alexandria, Virginia. Throughout the 2012 November election, Loudon County which is not far from where most Ethiopia American reside in northern Virginia was a battle ground. More than any time Ethiopia-American voters in swing states like Virginia has mattered and candidates should put into consideration the demand Ethiopian American constituents are making.

On 2014 mid-term election, the democratic candidate Senator Mark Warner won by small margin 49 percent versus 48 percent for the republican candidate Ed Gillespie. Historically there is a low voters turnout in mid-term election and let’s assume that most Ethiopian American did not cast their vote. But that would not be the case in upcoming 2016 presidential elections.

Therefore, Ethiopian American should follow suit on what they have started two years ago in November. The ‘Ethiopian American Convention’ that was held on Sunday October 14, 2012 “Vote Free Ethiopia’ and other civic organizations was the beginning of that process. Ethiopian community need to articulate.