May 17, 2012 Dear President Obama: Your ... - Oakland Institute

The Oakland Institute’s recent field research in Ethiopia revealed a grim picture of violence,
coercion, and unrealized benefits by relocated communities. These findings are confirmed by
Human Rights Watch’s independent study involving 100 interviews and sixteen site visits this
year.
The burden of the Ethiopian government’s objective of economic growth is being borne by the
indigenous and local people of Gambella and the Lower Omo Valley, where a half million are
slated to be moved. This is too great a cost.
As Ethiopia is one of the largest recipients of US aid (more than $1 billion a year since 2007),
the US bears responsibility on matters of such grave consequence. Something has to be done
to ensure that we are not unwitting partners in this current tragedy.
We urge you to look beyond the charade of this so-called responsible investment that will
supposedly benefit all in the long run, and instead reassess the terms of US support to the
regime.
We hope that you will take leadership in responding to an international call asking you to put
the brakes on this impending and present-day catastrophe.
Sincerely,
Anuradha Mittal Obang Metho
Executive Director Executive Director
The Oakland Institute Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia
P.O. Box 18978 C/O FAF 910- 17th St. NW, Suite 419
Oakland, CA 94619 Washington, DC 20006
510-469-5228 202-725-1616
amittal@oaklandinstitute.org obang@solidaritymovement.org
www.oaklandinstitute.org www.solidaritymovement.org