74th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2007 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
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 LC 150
 
                           A-Engrossed
 
                     Senate Joint Memorial 3
                Ordered by the Senate February 13
          Including Senate Amendments dated February 13
 
Sponsored by Senator DECKERT (at the request of
  Ethiopian-American Council of Portland)
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure.
 
  Urges President and United States Congress to reexamine United
States foreign policy toward Ethiopia.
 
                         JOINT MEMORIAL
To the President of the United States, the Senate and the House
  of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress
  assembled:
  We, your memorialists, the Senate and the House of
Representatives of the State of Oregon, in legislative session
assembled, respectfully represent as follows:
  Whereas the noble people of Ethiopia have developed and
nourished a proud and distinguished culture that has endured for
three millennia; and
  Whereas Ethiopia has had a long and productive friendship with
the United States of America; and
  Whereas over the past three decades, the brave and gentle
people of Ethiopia have been devastated by famine and wars; and
  Whereas the people of the United States have responded
generously to the plight of the Ethiopian famine victims through
the provision of humanitarian aid; and
  Whereas Ethiopia, poised at a crucial juncture in its history,
is making a dramatic effort to replace tyranny with democracy;
and
  Whereas the people of Ethiopia are aspiring to resolve their
political problems through the formation and utilization of
democratic institutions; and
  Whereas the basic underpinnings of democratic institutions in
the new Ethiopia should be the supremacy of the will of the
people and the guarantee of the rule of law; and
  Whereas the Ethiopian government should adhere to the United
Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights that encourages
freedom of speech, assembly, religion and press, guarantees all
basic human rights, and discourages ethnocentric politics; and
  Whereas it is crucial that the diverse voices, opinions and
philosophies of the Ethiopian people be expressed in the
promotion of political, economic and social progress and justice
in Ethiopia; and
  Whereas a democratic, multiparty government may be the most
egalitarian, feasible and productive political arrangement in
providing universal suffrage and overcoming monumental obstacles;
and
  Whereas the President of the United States and Congress will
play a crucial role in promoting the peaceful resolution of the
immense problems of war-ravaged Ethiopia; and
  Whereas the implementation of a democratic, multiparty
government in Ethiopia should be a long-range foreign policy goal
of the United States government; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of
  Oregon:
  (1) The Senate and House of Representatives of the State of
Oregon:
  (a) Encourage the formation of democratic institutions,
multiparty participation, progressive social change and respect
for human rights in Ethiopia.
  (b) Condemn the ongoing, state-sponsored violence against the
opposition in Ethiopia and are outraged that the ruling party's
security forces killed 199 unarmed and defenseless protesters on
June 6 to 8, 2005, and that to this date an investigation into
those killings has not been conducted.
  (c) Respectfully urge the President of the United States and
Congress to reexamine the foreign policy toward Ethiopia and to
promote an active foreign policy that declares that the United
States does not tolerate dictators that oppress and abuse their
citizens.
  (d) Respectfully urge the President of the United States to
encourage the Prime Minister of Ethiopia to guarantee the safety
and security of elected opposition leaders, to release from
prison all students, journalists and members and supporters of
the opposition parties, and to respect the democratic
opposition's right to public assembly and access to publicly
owned media.
  (e) Respectfully urge the President of the United States and
Congress to help avert the potentially explosive situation in
Ethiopia by supporting a peaceful transitional arrangement.
  (2) A copy of this memorial shall be forwarded to President
George W. Bush, the leadership of the United States Congress,
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and His Excellency the
Ethiopian Ambassador Samuel Assefa.
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