As part of a coordinated nationwide 50-State Strategy, we are mobilizing Ethiopian Americans and friends of Ethiopia across the United States to take unified, strategic action. This initiative calls on advocates in every state to organize, educate, and engage their elected officials in order to raise awareness and demand meaningful action from the U.S. government.
The human rights crisis in Ethiopia is worsening daily. Without strong and sustained international engagement, the suffering of innocent civilians will continue to escalate. Now is the time for collective action, coordinated advocacy, and persistent engagement.
What You Can Do
1. Organize Locally
Form or join a state-level advocacy group to coordinate outreach, education, and engagement efforts. Local organization strengthens our collective voice and maximizes our impact.
2. Contact Your Senators and Representatives
Call, write, and request meetings with your Members of Congress. Personal communication from constituents is one of the most effective tools for influencing policy.
When contacting your elected officials, please emphasize:
- The rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in Ethiopia
- Atrocities committed against Amhara civilians and other vulnerable communities
- The Ethiopian government’s systematic suppression of democracy, unlawful killings, mass arrests, and imprisonment of political opponents
- The urgent need for international accountability, protection of civilians, and a negotiated political settlement
We remain hopeful that through your advocacy, you can help alleviate the immense suffering of millions of Ethiopians. Reports emerging from Ethiopia indicate that human rights conditions continue to deteriorate at an alarming pace, making your engagement more critical than ever.
I would like to remind Ethiopian Americans across the country that the success of the 50-State Strategy depends on each of us. Every phone call, letter, email, and meeting matters.
Ethiopia: Washington Update – Mobilizing Action Through a 50-State Strategy
Letter to Senators and Members of Congress
Dear Ethiopians and Friends of Ethiopia,
Below is a sample letter you can send to your Senators and Representatives as part of the 50-State Strategy. The time to act is now—if not now, when?
To find and contact your elected officials, please visit: www.congress.gov
Please take a few moments to send this letter on behalf of the voiceless Ethiopians suffering back home. Your action can save lives.
With gratitude and determination,
Mesfin Mekonen
Sample Letter
Subject: Urgent Appeal to Prevent Civil War and Protect Human Rights in Ethiopia
Dear Senator / Representative [Last Name],
I am writing as a deeply concerned Ethiopian American constituent to urge your immediate attention to the escalating violence, humanitarian catastrophe, and grave human rights abuses taking place in Ethiopia.
The situation on the ground continues to deteriorate rapidly. Millions of civilians face displacement, famine, arbitrary detention, and targeted violence. Without decisive international engagement, Ethiopia risks descending into a broader civil war with devastating consequences for the entire Horn of Africa and Red Sea region.
I respectfully urge you to support House Resolution 937, introduced by Congressman Carter (R-GA) and Congressman Wilson (R-SC), which condemns the Government of Ethiopia for actions that threaten regional stability, violate fundamental human rights, and undermine U.S. strategic interests in the Horn of Africa.
This resolution highlights the Ethiopian government’s military campaigns in the Amhara region and the continued violence in Oromia, Afar, Tigray, Ogaden, and other areas—resulting in widespread civilian deaths, destruction of property, mass displacement, and escalating famine.
I respectfully urge you to:
- Publicly condemn atrocities committed by the Ethiopian government and allied armed groups
- Call for an immediate end to drone strikes and military operations targeting civilians
- Invoke the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act to sanction individuals responsible for grave human rights violations
- Support a negotiated political settlement and an inclusive, democratic constitutional process that ensures equal rights and lasting peace
The continued silence of the international community only emboldens perpetrators and deepens the suffering of innocent civilians—particularly among the Amhara population and Ethiopian Orthodox Christian communities, who face systematic persecution.
Your leadership at this critical moment can help prevent further bloodshed, advance accountability, and restore hope for millions who yearn for peace, justice, and democracy.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter and for standing on the side of human rights.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
Mesfin Mekonen
Mesfin Mekonen is the author of Washington Update, a bulletin about Ethiopia’s struggle for freedom and prosperity, and founder of MM Management.
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