VZCZCXRO0380
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHDS #2105/01 2131317
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 311317Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1519
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 002105 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL ET
SUBJECT: Prime Minister Meles set on new CSO/NGO law in autumn 
 
REF: ADDIS 1593 (AND PREVIOUS); ADDIS 2103 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi told Ambassadors from 
the UK, France and US on July 30 during the third of a series of 
meetings that the proposed Charities and Societies Organizations Law 
(CSO) has become so politicized that it has exacerbated animosities 
within the Central Committee of the ruling EPRDF party towards the 
very CSOs and NGOs (non-governmental organizations) which help 
Ethiopia.  Further, the emotional debate raised unnecessary 
misunderstandings among the donor community.  It is time to pass the 
law and work cooperatively together to implement the law, the Prime 
Minister stressed.  He underscored that democratic institution 
building and the defense of basic human and civil rights must be the 
sole responsibility of the people of Ethiopia and not imposed from 
outside.  Foreign money and outside assistance will not enhance, but 
could undermine, the development and sense of "ownership" of the 
democratic process in Ethiopia.  The Prime Minister stressed that 
few NGOs/CSOs would be affected and urged continued cooperation on 
development issues.  He said he would review the concerns and the 
reports prepared by the Ambassadors and donor group and that some 
revisions would be forthcoming but the general text of the law would 
be enacted in the autumn.  There is an exception, the Prime Minister 
noted, in which foreign CSOs/NGOs -- like the National Democratic 
Institute or similar organizations -- may be invited by the 
government to help advise it on democratic issues.  Post assesses 
that the Prime Minister's tough line was more intended to influence 
than inform the assembled ambassadors and there remains an 
opportunity for the U.S. and other donors to continue to engage the 
Ethiopian government to avoid passage of a damaging law, or at least 
moderate the excesses.  End Summary. 
 
DEPOLITICIZING AN EMOTIONAL ISSUE 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) For over two and-a-half hours on July 30, Prime Minister 
Meles told French Ambassador Stephane Gompertz, UK Ambassador Norman 
Ling and the U.S. Ambassador that discussion over the CSO law has 
become so politicized that it has created unnecessary animosities 
between Ethiopia and the donor community and misunderstandings.  To 
overcome the bitter and "poisonous" discussion, it would be best to 
pass the law quickly once the Parliament reconvenes in October.  The 
Ethiopian Government can then work cooperatively with the CSO/NGO 
groups and donor community to make the new legislation work.  Once 
time has passed the law can be viewed in a more pragmatic and 
professional manner with less emotion. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Prime Minister said the debate over the proposed law 
had embittered the Central Committee of the ruling EPRDF party whose 
members viewed the criticism and emotional statements from the CSO 
and NGO communities as having little to do with the proposed law and 
everything to do with attacks on the GOE.  For this reason, the 
Prime Minister said he stopped seeing the CSO/NGO communities, but 
continued seeing the three ambassadors because the discussion was a 
rational and calm debate over the law. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The British Ambassador passed over an analysis of the law 
prepared by the donors group.  The Prime Minister said he would 
review the text and make changes to the proposed law, if necessary. 
Concerning the letter handed to him by the three ambassadors (a copy 
of which was e-mailed to AF/E on July 29), the Prime Minister 
responded that he appreciated the analysis and issues raised by the 
Ambassadors.  Concerning the distinction made between domestic and 
foreign CSOs/NGOs, the Prime Minister said the distinction would 
remain.  The Ambassadors' concerns over restrictions in helping 
women, children and handicap, the Prime Minister said these are 
advocacy issues and it could not be accepted because these are 
distinctly Ethiopian issues for Ethiopians to address. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The Prime Minister said he would review and consult his 
advisors on the Ambassadors' concerns over the proposed agency that 
would oversee CSOs/NGOs, as well as the criminalization of 
activities and administrative errors.  He would also review again 
the lack of an appeal process for those CSOs/NGOs objecting to 
administrative decisions of the agency. 
 
DEMOCRACY MUST BE HOME GROWN, NOT IMPOSED 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) The Prime Minister articulated that democratic institution 
building, the advancement of democratic values and the protection 
and promotion of human rights and civil rights must be born and 
developed by Ethiopians themselves.  It cannot, and must not, be 
imposed by outsiders or through money distributed to advance these 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00002105  002 OF 003 
 
 
issues because such measures are not sustainable.  If Ethiopians 
must rely on foreign aid, on outside help, and on money from foreign 
groups to advocate for women's rights or the plight of children, 
then it may never become fully embraced or protected or advanced by 
the Ethiopians themselves.  To have a vibrant democracy, to have 
true protection and advancement of rights, the Ethiopian people must 
want it, advocate for it and defend it.  Without such "ownership" 
Ethiopia will not have a strong and sustainable democratic 
tradition.  For this, the Prime Minister argued, you do not need 
money, you need political will.  He emphasized that he is dedicated 
to democracy and that it must be a uniquely Ethiopian sponsored 
democracy. 
 
¶7. (SBU) The French Ambassador argued that Ethiopia is on the 
democratic path so it is Ethiopian in nature.  Providing assistance 
will help the process move faster, why deny groups assistance and 
retard such development?  The Ambassador said Ethiopia opposes early 
marriage and protects the rights of the disabled.  It is best to 
allow the CSOs/NGOs and donor community to help this process.  The 
Prime Minister said this is logical, but the consequences could be 
very different than what the assistance intends to accomplish. 
Forcing people to oppose early marriage, or spending money in 
communities to observe it, may yield some positive results, Meles 
conceded, but will it be ingrained in the psyche and soul of the 
people, will it continue after the money runs out, will the people 
have truly embraced these values or just observe them so long as the 
money is coming in.  To truly test the will of the people, the 
people themselves must want it, must advocate for it, must sustain 
it.  In this context, the government and Ethiopian CSOs/NGOs will 
advocate for these issues and work with the communities to advance 
these values. 
 
¶8. (SBU) The Prime Minister gave the example of Congressman Chris 
Smith of New Jersey, who adamantly opposes abortion.  When 
Ethiopia's parliament passed a clause allowing abortion in instances 
when the mother's life was in danger, Congressman Smith severely 
criticized the Prime Minister and his government and is now a vocal 
critic of Ethiopia.  If Ethiopia accepted funding from anti-abortion 
groups and overturned the Parliamentary law to be in compliance with 
Congressman Smith, it would not be a law truly embraced by the 
people of Ethiopia.  The Prime Minister said he was sympathetic to 
both the abortion and anti-abortion arguments but in the final 
analysis this must be a debate by the people of Ethiopia, a 
discussion with Ethiopia's religious leaders and community 
advocates.  It must be a uniquely and distinctly an Ethiopian 
decision. 
 
EXCEPTION: NDI CAN WORK ON DEMOCRATIC ISSUES 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) The Prime Minister conceded that the government will call 
on foreign CSOs/NGOs to help with democratic issues, but it will be 
at the request of the government not imposed from the outside.  NDI, 
for instance, offers sound advice and unique qualities in helping 
the government on democratic issues.  Working with government 
entities, NDI can advise the government on how best to promote a 
transparent electoral process. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Democracy can be illusory in Africa, Meles argued. 
CSOs/NGOs and donors can pour money into election processes and 
perhaps there may be good elections according to Western standards, 
but would they be truly democratic elections.  The Prime Minister 
said that donors give money to good local groups to advance worthy 
causes.  But the plague of money also allows many groups to focus 
their work on definitions established by the donors in order to 
secure funding.  In the end, when money is no long available, he 
argued, these local groups would go to another area to attract 
outside funding.  It is a business, when it should be a national 
priority, an innate desire and will to advance democracy and human 
rights. 
 
¶11. (SBU) The Prime Minister praised Japan in its modernization 
efforts as an example of a country which itself sought out new ideas 
and practices, made mistakes, learned from them and established 
uniquely Japanese institutions which supported democratic and human 
rights issues.  This is what Ethiopia strives to achieve. 
 
¶12. (SBU) Finally, the Prime Minister gave the example of Germany 
prior to World War II.  Communists and Nazis fought over control and 
using elections to resolve differences was not practical because 
neither group believed in democracy or democratic practices but used 
democratic practices to subvert those values and ideals.  Thus, 
democracy must be advocated by the Ethiopians themselves in the 
context of protecting and defending democratic values by the 
Ethiopians themselves. 
 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00002105  003 OF 003 
 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶13. (SBU) Despite Meles's strong argument that the CSO law will 
become law in October, Embassy Addis Ababa assesses that the Prime 
Minister's tough stance was more intended to influence the assembled 
ambassadors than to inform us of pending GoE action.  Clearly the 
heavy international criticism of the proposed law has led to delays 
in its submission to the Parliament and revisions to parts of the 
drafts.  As parliament does not reconvene until October 10, there 
remains time for the international community to continue to engage 
GoE interlocutors about the damaging effects of the law on 
Ethiopia's development, and economy.  Post will continue to engage 
the GoE, in concert with international partners, to prevent the 
passage of the law or continued revisions of the draft proposal. 
Prime Minister will travel to UNGA in New York in September and we 
plan to arrange a trade and investment program for him afterwards. 
We can raise with him again at that time the need to rethink the 
effects of the proposed law.  A majority of the Central Committee of 
the ruling party, support passage of the law and should it pass we 
will need to work carefully with our CSO/NGO community to determine 
what effect the law will have on our operations.  Currently over 80 
percent of our over US$ 700 million assistance is implemented by 
NGOs.  End Comment. 
 
YAMAMOTO