S.Res.97 — 117th Congress (2021-2022)

S.Res.97 – A resolution calling on the Government of Ethiopia, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, and other belligerents to cease all hostilities, protect human rights, allow unfettered humanitarian access, and cooperate with independent investigations of credible atrocity allegations pertaining to the conflict in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia.117th Congress (2021-2022) | Get alerts

Resolution Hide Overview

Sponsor:Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID] (Introduced 03/09/2021)
Committees:Senate – Foreign Relations
Committee Meetings:03/24/21 9:30AM
Latest Action:Senate – 03/24/2021 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 25.  (All Actions)

Text: S.Res.97 — 117th Congress (2021-2022)

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Introduced in Senate (03/09/2021)

117th CONGRESS
1st Session

S. RES. 97

Calling on the Government of Ethiopia, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, and other belligerents to cease all hostilities, protect human rights, allow unfettered humanitarian access, and cooperate with independent investigations of credible atrocity allegations pertaining to the conflict in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 9, 2021

Mr. Risch (for himself, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Coons, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Young, and Mr. Van Hollen) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

RESOLUTION

Calling on the Government of Ethiopia, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, and other belligerents to cease all hostilities, protect human rights, allow unfettered humanitarian access, and cooperate with independent investigations of credible atrocity allegations pertaining to the conflict in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia.

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) strongly disapproves of the escalation of political tensions between the Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) into armed conflict and condemns in the strongest terms all violence against civilians;

(2) appreciates the willingness of Sudan to welcome refugees fleeing the conflict in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia;

(3) calls on the Government of Eritrea to immediately and fully withdraw its military forces from Ethiopia;

(4) calls for the swift and complete restoration of electricity, banking, telephone, and internet services throughout the Tigray Region and other parts of Ethiopia where communications have been restricted;

(5) calls on the Government of Ethiopia to—

(A) ensure that any apprehensions of TPLF members are carried out with the least possible use of force and that the rights to which those detained are entitled under Ethiopian and international law are fully respected;

(B) release opposition leaders detained on the basis of their political activity as well as journalists detained on the basis of their reporting, and respect the rights of all Ethiopians to free expression and political participation, without discrimination based on ethnicity, ideology, or political affiliation; and

(C) convene a national dialogue inclusive of all nonviolent political parties, ethnic communities, religious groups, and civil society organizations in Ethiopia to work toward the sustainable resolution of grievances and chart a democratic and peaceful path forward for the country;

(6) urges all parties to the conflict to—

(A) cease all hostilities, fully comply with international humanitarian law, and refrain from actions that could spread or escalate the conflict, particularly attacks on civilian targets;

(B) make demonstrable progress to guarantee unfettered and immediate humanitarian access, for personnel and supplies, to areas affected by the conflict, and take all possible steps to protect the safety of civilians, including refugees, displaced persons, and humanitarian aid workers; and

(C) 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; and

(7) urges the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, in coordination with the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies, to—

(A) engage at the highest levels with leaders of the Government of Ethiopia, the Government of Eritrea, and the TPLF to encourage the full cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of Eritrean forces, mitigate the humanitarian crisis that has emerged from the conflict, and support an inclusive process of national dialogue and reconciliation;

(B) immediately establish criteria to end the pause of all non-life-sustaining assistance to Ethiopia and support programming to meet immediate humanitarian needs, including of refugees and internally displaced persons, advance nonviolent conflict resolution and reconciliation, and aid a democratic transition in Ethiopia;

(C) ensure that the call made by Secretary of State Blinken on February 27, 2021, for 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;

(D) take all possible diplomatic steps to prevent further ethnic-based violence and mass atrocities, including by non-state armed groups, in Ethiopia; and

(E) maintain close coordination with international allies and multilateral organizations regarding efforts to address the conflict in the Tigray Region and bring attention to the conflict in international fora, including the United Nations Security Council. <all>