Millennial Challenges: Lessons from past bills on Ethiopia by foreign powers and its implication to HR2003

Global Strategic Enterprises, Inc for Peace and Prosperity- www.globalbelai4u.blogspot.com; www.SolomonicCrown.org

Dear Patriotic Global Citizens and Friends of Ethiopia:

The recent marked up bill of HR2003 that was recently dropped from the Agenda for the US Congressional Foreign Affairs and International Sub-Committee is worth exploring in detail for its contents, context and most importantly for its present and future implications in the US-Ethiopia relatinships.

Here are some fundamental questions to answer.

Who is propposing HR2003?

Why is it being presented in the current format?

Who are the beneficiaries and the losers in this bill?

Why is there so critical debate among Diaspora populations?


First and foremost it is critical to appreciate this bill was proposed in its initial format by enemies of the Ethiopian nation state posing as agrieved parties in the recent Ethiopian and Eritrean fiasco of 1998-2000 where Eritrea was defeated miserably in its attempt to invade Badme and its environs- well known Ethiopian territories.

The initial draft was very crude and rather pretentious and it never made it to the floor.

Subsequently, lots of revisions were made to include the interests of not only Eritrean separatists but the left overs of the Military Junta (Derg) supporters and then the new political outfit called CUD and began to include issues around democratisations, judiciary, press and national security relationships with the United States on the Global War on Terror.

Fundamentally, this is a well meaning in that it addresses good governaance related issues; but dangerous bill that sacrifices Ethiopia's independence and sovereignity and historical identity. This opens a new door for other nations to begin imposing their will on independent Ethiopia on the pretext of democracy, globalization and other new values that evolves with time, without the consent of the Ethiopian people.

Ethiopians as a nation and people have been people of the covenant that begins from time immomerial, adjusting to new developments around them over time, but never loosing their own identity and ability to make choices and decisions for themselves. This unique Ethiopian identifity has been referred to in many local and international scriptures, historical and legal documents.

Europeans over the last 100 years after the 1885 Berlin Conference had tried to dominate the world political and economic arena and Africa was no exception, except Ethiopia who defeated the Italian group in 1896- at Adwa. Almost all the current and past nation states have been dominated and subjugated by others including the British, French, German, Japanese, Chinese and the United States of America. They all celebrate their independence days once a year to recall their respective experiences towards acquiring their independence.

Ethiopia has maintained her independence from time immomerial, not just by behaving like a sitting duck, but by pre-emptive diplomatic, political and economic engagements of her friends and potential foes. The present generation needs to wake to the realities of how and when the current series of HR2003 evolved and what its potential repurcurssions are for world history and Ethiopians in particular and the Great African Continent in general.

It is with this grave and critical historical importance that we begin to review historical records where such attempts were defeated in the past and how the current series are following this trend.

Here is a very ineresting document from the Arhives of US Historical record for your review.


Please find below a similar bill that was signed in London, between French, Italian and British operatives against the interests of Ethiopia for your review.

History is repeating itself in a different format but essentially trying to encroach on Ethiopia's freedom, territorial integrity and most importantly its independence.

Please read on and make your own judgements by comparing the impact of globalization, then and now with the different players.

with regards

Dr Belai of Global Strategic Enterprises, Inc for Peace and Prosperity



Lessons from past bills and covenants by foreign poweAgreement between the United Kingdom, France, and Italy, Respecting the
Importation of Arms and Ammunition into Abyssinia, signed at London, December 13, 1906

The American Journal of International Law, Vol. 1, No. 2, Supplement: Official Documents. (Apr., 1907), pp. 230-231.


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230 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL LAW- the subject of negotiations with the Abyssinian Government, it is not possible to include them in the list contained in Article 1,but the Italian Government reserves to itself the right to communicate them to Great Britain and France after the termination of the negotiations.

His Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and the French
Ambassador to take note of the declaration made by the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs. London, December 13,1906.

[Signed] E. GREY.
[Signed] PAUL CAMBON.
[Signed] A. DE SAN GIULIANO.

Agreement between the United Kingdom, France, and Italy, Respecting
the Importation of Arms and Ammunition into Abyssinia, signed at
London, December 18, 1906

France, Great Britain, and Italy, having a common interest in the prevention of all disturbances in their respective territories in Ethiopia and on the Red Sea littoral, the Gulf of Aden, and the Indian Ocean, have agreed as follows:-

1. The Contracting Governments, having regard to the provisions of
Articles VIII to XI11 of the General Act of Brussels of the 2nd of July, 1890, bind themselves to exercise a rigorous supervision over the importation of arms and ammunition:

The French Government at Jibuti and Obok, in the territories of
French Somaliland;

The British Government in British Somaliland and the ports and territories of Zelia, Berbera, Aden, and Perim; and

The Italian Government in Erythraea, Italian Somaliland, and more
especially in the ports of Massawah and Assab.

2. Transit permits for arms and ammunition destined for the Ethiopian Government, recognized Ethiopian Chiefs, and private persons in Ethiopia, will only be granted on a request to that effect formulated by the said Government, indicating by name the persons authorized, the nature and quantity of arms and ammunition, and certifying that the said arms and ammunition are not' intended for sale.

3. The three Governments engage to make joint representations to
the Negus with a view to the prohibition, in accordance with the provisions of the General Act of Brussels, of the traffic in arms and ammunition in Abyssinian territory.

4. As regards the supervision of dhows trading for arms from Jibuti, OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS 231

Aden, Perim, Zeila, Massawah, Assab, and other ports of those regions to points outside the zone of protection defined by the Act of Brussels, measures will be taken to prevent them from smuggling.

5. While expressly maintaining the principles of French legislation
in regard to the right of visit, and it being agreed that the British and Italian Governments maintain their principles in regard to this question, the French Government agrees that the measures of control exercised by the local authorities in British and Italian territorial waters over small British and Italian native merchant craft (dhows) shall also be applicable
in Italian and British territorial waters to dhows flying the French flag.

The British and Italian Governments also agree that the measures of
control exercised by the local authorities in French territorial waters over small French native merchant craft (dhows) shall also be applicable to dhows flying the British or Italian flags.

These measures shall be enforced without necessitating recourse to
the formalities laid down by the Consular Conventions in force between the three Governments.

6. In order to facilitate the supervision of native craft, and in order to prevent any wrongful use of the flag, the three Governments engage to communicate to each other every year a list of the dhows authorized to fly their respective flags.

7. The three Governments mill further see that the dhow owners
authorized to fly the French, British, or Italian flag shall such show such plain marks on their craft as will permit of easy recognition at a distance.

8. The British, French, and Italian Governments agree to instruct
their respective local authorities to concert amongst themselves as to the best means of carrying out the measures to be taken as the result of this Agreement.

9. The present Agreement shall hold good for a period of twelve years from the date of signature, and shall then remain in force for periods of three years, unless it is denounced six months before.

Done at London, December 13, 1906.

[Signed] E. GREY.
[Signed] PAUL CAMBON.
[Signed] A. DE SAN GUILIANO.

The Recent US Senate hearing on US-Ethiopia and Somalia Fiasco

U.S. senator, next head of Africa subcommittee in Senate, slams Bush policy on Somalia
The Associated PressPublished: December 5, 2006



WASHINGTON: Returning from a trip to Africa, Sen. Russ Feingold faulted the Bush administration for what he called a failure to develop a policy on embattled Somalia but praised President George W. Bush's efforts to combat AIDS on the continent.

Feingold, a Wisconsin Democrat who will chair the Senate Foreign Relations African affairs subcommittee next year, visited Ethiopia and Kenya, neighboring countries to Somalia, during his weeklong trip. An Islamic militia has taken over much of Somalia, including the capital, Mogadishu, and the weak transitional government's prime minister said this week his troops were bracing for war.

"The stakes are very high for us," Feingold said in a telephone interview Tuesday, warning that the militants could have an impact not just in Somalia, but throughout the region. The United States says the Islamic movement has links to al-Qaida, which the Islamic leaders deny.

"So this is just the kind of situation that we should be paying real attention to, instead of only obsessing about Iraq," he said. "Our failure to have a policy in this area is a threat to the American people, and our government has a very serious responsibility to turn this around."

Islamic militants, operating under the umbrella of the Union of Islamic Courts, have expanded their zone of influence in Somalia.

Today in Americas
Imprisoned Colombian warlord is a frightening reminder of a bloody conflictAlberto Villamizar dies at 62; foe of Colombian drug cartelU.S. set to offer huge arms deal to Saudi ArabiaAsked for comment Tuesday, the State Department referred to remarks made last week by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer, in which she said the United States is working with all sides to prevent Somalia from becoming a haven for terrorists.

At a Senate hearing in July, Frazer rejected suggestions that Somalia is not a priority for the administration. "We're fully engaged," she said.

Feingold said the U.S. policy should be to try to get negotiations going between the current secular government, known as the transitional federal government, and Islamic Courts to bring about a coalition government in Somalia. The United States has supported such a dialogue, but Feingold argued it has done too little to bring one about.

In October, Feingold won passage of an amendment to a defense bill that requires the U.S. government to coordinate a comprehensive strategy for Somalia and the region.

In Minnesota, which has the nation's largest Somali community, U.S. policy toward Somalia is a huge concern, said Omar Jamal, executive director of the St. Paul-based Somali Justice Advocacy Center.

"Somalis feel that the administration hasn't done anything on the Somali issue," Jamal said. "The administration's main focus was the war on terror, and right in front of our eyes, Somalia is run over by Taliban-style extremists. The administration hasn't done squat."

Meanwhile, Feingold praised the impact that Bush's AIDS initiative has had on the countries he visited. The initiative, announced in 2003, targets 15 countries which are home to about half of the world's 39 million people who are HIV-positive.

"It's hard to ever describe this issue as good news, but I am proud of the effect that the president's program is having," Feingold said. "We received profuse thanks for the very significant funding increases that are going into it.

"It appears that both in both Ethiopia and Kenya, the government is fully behind the efforts, and sees the American bilateral aid as being one of the most important things."

Feingold said that while more needs to be done, the progress has been striking. He said he visited a slum in Kenya in 2002, where he witnessed a "pitiful" program to help people with AIDS.

"There was absolutely no money whatsoever for treatment," he said. "Now there is significant funding — not enough — but at least significant funding to treat people who already have AIDS."


U.S. senator, next head of Africa subcommittee in Senate, slams Bush policy on Somalia
The Associated PressPublished: December 5, 2006

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WASHINGTON: Returning from a trip to Africa, Sen. Russ Feingold faulted the Bush administration for what he called a failure to develop a policy on embattled Somalia but praised President George W. Bush's efforts to combat AIDS on the continent.

Feingold, a Wisconsin Democrat who will chair the Senate Foreign Relations African affairs subcommittee next year, visited Ethiopia and Kenya, neighboring countries to Somalia, during his weeklong trip. An Islamic militia has taken over much of Somalia, including the capital, Mogadishu, and the weak transitional government's prime minister said this week his troops were bracing for war.

"The stakes are very high for us," Feingold said in a telephone interview Tuesday, warning that the militants could have an impact not just in Somalia, but throughout the region. The United States says the Islamic movement has links to al-Qaida, which the Islamic leaders deny.

"So this is just the kind of situation that we should be paying real attention to, instead of only obsessing about Iraq," he said. "Our failure to have a policy in this area is a threat to the American people, and our government has a very serious responsibility to turn this around."

Islamic militants, operating under the umbrella of the Union of Islamic Courts, have expanded their zone of influence in Somalia.

Today in Americas
Imprisoned Colombian warlord is a frightening reminder of a bloody conflictAlberto Villamizar dies at 62; foe of Colombian drug cartelU.S. set to offer huge arms deal to Saudi ArabiaAsked for comment Tuesday, the State Department referred to remarks made last week by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer, in which she said the United States is working with all sides to prevent Somalia from becoming a haven for terrorists.

At a Senate hearing in July, Frazer rejected suggestions that Somalia is not a priority for the administration. "We're fully engaged," she said.

Feingold said the U.S. policy should be to try to get negotiations going between the current secular government, known as the transitional federal government, and Islamic Courts to bring about a coalition government in Somalia. The United States has supported such a dialogue, but Feingold argued it has done too little to bring one about.

In October, Feingold won passage of an amendment to a defense bill that requires the U.S. government to coordinate a comprehensive strategy for Somalia and the region.

In Minnesota, which has the nation's largest Somali community, U.S. policy toward Somalia is a huge concern, said Omar Jamal, executive director of the St. Paul-based Somali Justice Advocacy Center.

"Somalis feel that the administration hasn't done anything on the Somali issue," Jamal said. "The administration's main focus was the war on terror, and right in front of our eyes, Somalia is run over by Taliban-style extremists. The administration hasn't done squat."

Meanwhile, Feingold praised the impact that Bush's AIDS initiative has had on the countries he visited. The initiative, announced in 2003, targets 15 countries which are home to about half of the world's 39 million people who are HIV-positive.

"It's hard to ever describe this issue as good news, but I am proud of the effect that the president's program is having," Feingold said. "We received profuse thanks for the very significant funding increases that are going into it.

"It appears that both in both Ethiopia and Kenya, the government is fully behind the efforts, and sees the American bilateral aid as being one of the most important things."

Feingold said that while more needs to be done, the progress has been striking. He said he visited a slum in Kenya in 2002, where he witnessed a "pitiful" program to help people with AIDS.

"There was absolutely no money whatsoever for treatment," he said. "Now there is significant funding — not enough — but at least significant funding to treat people who already have AIDS."