May 17, 2012 Dear President Obama: Your meeting at Camp David on May 19, 2012 to discuss food security with African leaders, including Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, is a major opportunity to address what may be the single largest man-made contributor to food insecurity on the continent today: large- scale land investments by foreign investors. As you sit down with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, we ask you to consider the attached letter signed by more than 8,000 supporters of the indigenous and local communities of Gambella – 70,000 people in all – who are being forcibly relocated to make land available for investment in agriculture. There are plans to relocate an additional 150,000 people, most of whom are subsistence farmers who have been able, until now, to feed their families without receiving government or foreign aid over the last twenty years. In addition to the many problems surrounding forced relocations, which include lack of transparency and human rights abuses, the loss of ancestral lands where people farm equals the loss of their ability to feed themselves. Farmers and pastoralists are being turned into plantation workers in menial seasonal jobs that do not put food on the table or provide for their basic needs. Against all evidence, the US ambassador to Ethiopia, Donald E. Booth, visited Gambella in January 2012 and said he witnessed "the people of Gambella benefiting from the fruits of development in the state." Mr. Booth seems unwilling to acknowledge any of the abuse, violence, or coercion that human rights groups and the media have reported – he might have witnessed it as well, had he been free to expand his visit beyond approved sites. The African Union, the Committee on World Food Security, and a growing number of international organizations and experts agree that the trend of large-scale land investments in Africa constitutes a threat to food security in a number of countries. According to the World Bank, more than 96 million acres, an area about the size of France, are involved in large-scale land acquisitions. It is a troublesome and growing phenomenon. Fertile lands where communities have tilled and gathered for generations are being leased, mostly to foreign investors and primarily for export crops. Communities are relocated with promises of improved quality of life with schools, health care, and better livelihoods. They are often left with an inability to feed themselves and no new services or way to return to their previous homes. The Oakland Institute’s recent field research in Ethiopia revealed a grim picture of violence, coercion, and unrealized benefits by relocated communities. These findings are confirmed by Human Rights Watch’s independent study involving 100 interviews and sixteen site visits this year. The burden of the Ethiopian government’s objective of economic growth is being borne by the indigenous and local people of Gambella and the Lower Omo Valley, where a half million are slated to be moved. This is too great a cost. As Ethiopia is one of the largest recipients of US aid (more than $1 billion a year since 2007), the US bears responsibility on matters of such grave consequence. Something has to be done to ensure that we are not unwitting partners in this current tragedy. We urge you to look beyond the charade of this so-called responsible investment that will supposedly benefit all in the long run, and instead reassess the terms of US support to the regime. We hope that you will take leadership in responding to an international call asking you to put the brakes on this impending and present-day catastrophe. Sincerely, Anuradha Mittal Obang Metho Executive Director Executive Director The Oakland Institute Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia P.O. Box 18978 C/O FAF 910- 17th St. NW, Suite 419 Oakland, CA 94619 Washington, DC 20006 510-469-5228 202-725-1616 [email protected] [email protected] www.oaklandinstitute.org www.solidaritymovement.org President Barack Obama and Dr. Rajiv Shah, USAID administrator Dear President Obama and USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah: By continuing to provide huge amounts of aid to Ethiopia, the US is in partnership with a repressive regime that puts large-scale agricultural investment and for-profit access to Ethiopia's fertile lands over the well-being and land rights of indigenous and local people. The forced relocation of residents of Gambella has caused great hardship to tens of thousands including rape, other violent acts, coercion, and intimidation. We do not believe that USAID should support such endeavors and ask for due diligence in respect to the human rights of the people of Gambella. The US government should not condone these horrific acts as the price Ethiopians must pay for development and food security in Ethiopia. We ask you to look at the facts regarding the kind of investments occurring in Ethiopia and to ensure US assistance actually benefits local communities and not just the interests of a minority. Name From Comments 1. Stephen Nicklay Moorhead, MN 2. Karen Yatsko Bethesda, MD 3. Leonie Hitchenor Umina Beach, Australia 4. Christine Stewart Escondido, CA 5. Freya Harris Atlanta, GA 6. Arwen Murakami Narashino, Japan 7. Sheila Parker Georgetown, MA 8. Peter Colenberg Onna-son, Okinawa, Japan 9. john forsyth Winnipeg, Canada 10. Eduardo Henrique São Paulo, Brazil Barroso de Oliveira 11. Rachel Lynn No, IL 12. Aaaa Bbbb Bbb, New Zealand 13. Amanda Benson Fairfield, IA 14. Elizabeth Rowlett, TX Guapyassu 15. Claudia Mulder Cape Town, South Africa 16. Vicki Berg Gold Coast, Australia Page 1 - Signatures 1 - 16 Name From Comments 17. Melissa Moore Berkeley, CA 18. New Guest Lynchburg, VA 19. Anuradha Mittal Oakland, CA 20. Pam Boland Grovetown, GA 21. Frederic Oakand, CA Mousseau 22. Claudia Mariscal Fontana, CA 23. Tanya Kerssen Oakland, CA 24. Adane Fekadu Washingon, DC 25. G Sosnoff Berkeley, CA 26. Andrzej Sobesto Krakã£â³w, Poland 27. Magdalena Bydgoszcz, Poland Jureko 28. Obang Metho Washington, DC, DC There is too much evidence pointing to the mishandling of donor funds to justify not delving deeper into these concerns through an official investigation; specifically in regards to funds given by the USAID. Therefore, we should strongly urges the U.S Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs and the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights to call for an investigation into the misuse of USAID aid by the TPLF/EPRDF regime; however, the TPLF/EPRDF are unlikely to be impartial and instead such an investigation should be independent and include representation of the donor (US), who ultimately bears the burden of responsibility to the US taxpayer. A team should Investigate reports of money laundering by members of the TPLF/EPRDF in light of new FATF concerns and continued allegations. 29. Stefano Leone Philippeville, Belgium 30. Rose Victoria, Australia NoFWDSPLZ 31. ochala abula burnaby, Canada This is not just relocation of the people of gambella from their land but is just the repeated geneocide of dec/ 13 / 203/ by the same government of Meles. 32. Pipa Jones Machynlleth, United Kingdom 33. Agnes N. Bangkok, Thailand 34. Bisrat Zurich, Switzerland Woldemichael 35. dora biasio Affoltern Am Albis, Switzerland 36. Rob Meyer Maastricht, Netherlands Page 2 - Signatures 17 - 36 Name From Comments 37. morard christophe buis les baronnies, France 38. Joanna Rybak Tczew, Poland 39. Maria Solberg Somewhere, Norway 40. Laura Madrid, Spain Hidalgo-Downing 41. Steve Dale Frankston,victoria, Australia 42. Jamian Evans Springwood, Australia 43. Silvia Cappi Barzago, Italy 44. Roland Gallant Moncton, Canada 45. Anita Ketel Uden, Netherlands 46. Karen Baker Newcastle, Australia 47. Olivia SITTON Toudon, France 48. jennifer curtis Moss Point, MS 49. Naoko Idesawa Tama, Tokyo, Japan 50. Ludwig Krause Dueban, South Africa 51. MOUSSEAU LUYNES, Niger GENEVIEVE 52. Youness Addis Ababa, Bousenna Ethiopia 53. Christine Pinehill Logan, Australia 54. Dieuwke van Wijk Enschede, Netherlands 55. Taylor isMyName Southern Sweden, Sweden 56. Bill C Kempten, Germany 57. Raluca Anghel Strasbourg, France 58. David Moore Bridgeport, CT 59. Vicki Anderson Northfield, MN 60. Deborah Litster Kitchener, Canada 61. Paul Fleming Lionshead, Canada 62. Esmee Woolcomb Bristol, United Kingdom 63. Kurt Frees Cincinnati, OH 64. Jeff Furman ithaca, NY 65. Tony Clarke Ottawa, Canada This is outright THEFT and PIRACY which will surely intensify conditions of famine and hunger for Ethipians --- it MUST STOP NOW! Page 3 - Signatures 37 - 65 Name From Comments 66. G. Bishaw St. Paul, Ethiopia Aid do more harm than good. This is one evidence.The public sector in Ethiopia has deteriorated for the last 29years with increasing flow of aid. Aid is more helpful for the existent of repressive tyrant government. 67. Russell Reda Bronx, NY 68. Anneke Andries Raamsdonksveer, Netherlands 69. Shell S Aberdeen, SD 70. Kyre Zhad Port Coquitlam, Canada 71. Bob Phelps Some Where In, Canada 72. Zita Worley Beaumont, CA 73. John Richardson Washington, DC 74. Carolyn Purcell Mountain View, CA The reality of forced "relocation" brings tragedy, turmoil, to thousands of children and their families. These land deals must reexamined from the perspective of those directly affected. Relocation means loss of life; the least strong will perish. 75. Arlene Hansen Greeley, CO 76. Jon Hoy San Antonio, TX 77. Jen Sisk Mooresville, IN 78. Ilenia Babetto Noale, Italy 79. Masha Samoilova Wimbledon, United Kingdom 80. John Streck Wimbledon, United Kingdom 81. M moore Emeryville, CA 82. Livja Sorenson Seattle, WA 83. Jan Mach Liberec, Czech Republic 84. Lynn Geth Miami, FL 85. Franklin Parker Montville, NJ 86. Dagmawi Bellevue, DC The US government better look carefully at facts which are Shiferaw happening to Gembella, Ethiopia people. 87. Ed Laurson Denver, CO 88. Jo Coelho Auckland, New S UPPORT Zealand 89.