#Ethiopia: The concluding questions and answers exchanged between Congressman Brad Sherman and Amb. Mike Hammer during today's open hearing on 'Ethiopia: Promise or Perils, The State of U.S. Policy,' raised the spectrum of challenges to the Ethiopian government's recent announcement to hold a "referendum" to settle the status of #Western_Tigray, which is still occupied by #Amhara forces.
Congressman Sherman asserted that while the Pretoria agreement stated resolving the issue of Western Tigray in accordance with the constitution, the government plans to hold a referendum, and that "nothing is more phony than a referendum after an ethnic cleansing."
In response, Amb. Hammer admitted that "we are all impatient", and "recognize the urgent need" for the internally displaced Tigrayans to be able to return to their homes, who are living under "horrific circumstances."
Watch the full conversation
