Growing Number of U.S. Senators Call for Ceasefire and Human Rights Violation Investigations in Ethiopia

WASHINGTON, March 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tigray Center for Information and Communication (T.C.I.C) applauds Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Senator Ronald Lee Wyden of Oregon, Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, and Senator Edward John Markey of Massachusetts for agreeing to become co-sponsors of Senate Resolution 97 (S. Res. 97). Von Batten-Montague-York is actively engaging members of the U.S. Senate on behalf of the T.C.I.C and is working to grow support for S. Res. 97.

Senators Merkley, Wyden, and Markey join five other Senators who agreed to co-sponsor the resolution. These Senators include Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, Senator Christopher Coons of Delaware, Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, Senator Todd Young of Indiana, and Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland. This bipartisan effort is a testimony to the United States' efforts to achieve lasting peace in Ethiopia. S. Res. 97 is sponsored by Senator James Risch of Indiana.

S. Res. 97 calls upon all parties involved in the armed conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia to cease all hostilities, protect human rights, and allow unfettered humanitarian access. S. Res. 97 also calls upon the Ethiopian government to "allow for, and cooperate with, independent and transparent investigations of any alleged human rights abuses committed in the course of the conflict and hold perpetrators to account."

S. Res. 97 further urges the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury to "ensure that a "full, independent, international investigation into all reports of human rights violations, abuses, and atrocities committed in the course of the conflict is realized and impose strict accountability measures on those found responsible."

S. Res. 97 also notes that the United States government has confirmed that Eritrean Defense Forces (E.D.F.) are participating in the conflict in alliance with the Ethiopian government and calls for the immediate withdrawal of all Eritrean soldiers from the Tigray Region.

The Tigray Center for Information and Communication is a Tigray-American humanitarian organization based in Alexandria, Virginia, dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to Tigraian refugees and documenting and reporting human rights violations and war crimes against Tigraian civilians.

Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C. is a policy advisory and advocacy group focused on helping public and private organizations solve complex issues relating to U.S. government policy.

Media contact:
Blossom Rolly
[email protected]
202-341-2014

SOURCE The Tigray Center for Information and Communication