The Martin Luther King, Jr. March Committee demands the immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience in Ethiopia

The 4th Annual Human Rights Symposium sponsored by the MLK Jr. March Committee focused on human rights issues in Africa. The symposium devoted one whole day to discussion of political and human rights issues in Ethiopia. Based on these discussions the MLK, Jr., March Committee adopted a set of resolutions including the immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience in Ethiopia.

Ms. Helen Butler, Executive Director of the Peoples’ Agenda and co-Chairperson of the Human Rights Symposium presented the resolution to Ethiopians at a rally to free all prisoners of conscience in Ethiopia held in front of the US Capitol on February 15, 2007. At the rally Ms. Butler expressed the Coalition’s determination to provide support to the struggle against human rights abuses in Ethiopia.

Accompanied by Mr. Yassim Kassim, co-Chairperson of the Human Rights Symposium, Dr. Moges Hailemariam, Chairman of Kinijit International Leadership, members of support groups of Kinijit from Atlanta and Washington, DC-Metro, and Ato Obang of the Anuak Justice Committee, Ms. Butler presented the Resolutions of the MLK, Jr. March Committee to the offices of Representative Donald Payne (Chair of the Africa Committee of the US House of Representatives), Rep Mike Honda (Chair of the Ethiopia sub-committee), Rep Chris Smith, Rep Clyburn (Chair of the Black Caucus), and Rep Jesse Jackson.