VOA
By James Butty
Washington, DC
20 January 2009

A senior Ethiopian official says his government has a responsibility to maintain law and order and would not be swayed by outside criticism. The official, Bereket Simon, an advisor to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, was responding to a letter from four influential U.S. senators to the Ethiopian prime minister.

In their letter, the four senators, including Russell Feingold, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa, warned that U.S.-Ethiopian relations could become more difficult because of the Ethiopian government’s actions against its opposition.

The senators said they were concerned about the re-arrest of opposition leader Birtukan Midekssa and the passage of a law restricting civil society groups.

Bereket Simon, advisor to the Ethiopian prime minister told VOA the U.S. senators’ criticism and accusations are unwarranted.

“If anyone is breaking the law, it’s their problem and not our problem. Ethiopian government believes government has a mandate and an obligation to ensure the rule of law in Ethiopia. So it’s an unwarranted accusation and criticism,” he said. Read More.