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Ethiopian Americans demand changes in U.S. policy toward Ethiopia. (John Lund/MNS)
WASHINGTON- A lack of human rights, sham elections, and jailed opposition leaders in their native country drove more than one hundred Ethiopian-Americans out to demand action from the U.S. government.
Protesters said they believe next month’s Ethiopian elections will be rigged. The leader of the pro-democratic opposition party, Birtukan Mideksa, is currently serving a life prison sentence. She was charged with treason since her party is a perceived threat to the current government.
Organizers of the protest want the U.S. government to change their policies toward Ethiopia. They want sanctions imposed on Ethiopia to pressure the government to change its human rights practices and allow opposition parties to freely exist.