DLA Piper has been the focus of protests in Washington DC over its role advising the Ethiopian government.
Adverts have been posted on a taxi bearing the slogan “DLA Piper shares blood money with Ethiopian dictators”, according to legal website Above The Law.
The firm acted for the country’s prime minister Meles Zenawi last year, lobbying Congress not to sanction the country over alleged human rights abuses.
The Ethiopian government carried out a violent crackdown on protests after elections in 2005, according to human rights observers.
The US is threatening to withdraw military and place other sanctions on the country. DLA Piper partners Dick Armey and Gary Klein campaigned against the bill on behalf of Zenawi.
The firm, which has a growing presence in Africa, said it was no longer acting for the Ethiopian government but defended its involvement with what it said was “an important ally” of the US.
A statement said: “There are some very vocal elements of the Ethiopian diaspora, particularly in the Washington area, who are opponents of the current administration in Ethiopia and go to great lengths to try to embarrass or demean those who are associated with it.
“While we disagree with these individuals and don’t believe their views reflect the majority of Ethiopian Americans, we fully support their right to voice their opinions on this matter.”
DLA Piper has associate offices in South Africa (DLA Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr) as well as in Egypt, Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia.
Such Lawfirms are nothing, but with a mission to advance Neo-Colonizer’s mission in Ethiopia. Such Lawfirm are part of the Global corrupted law enforcment institutions when it comes to serve Humanity. DLA Piper need to be boycott by all Human Society. If DLA Piper indeed is envolved in Human service in Ethiopia/Africa ,it should first serve Minority Colleges and schools in the uS for free if it is inndeed there to advance humanity. But, we know it is all a lie! Its own America needs DLA Piper more than Africa needs DLA’s assistance “what ever assistance it is claimimg providing to Africa”. When in uS history was any Law Firm provide heartfelt free service toi society? Joke!
Tens of Millions of Ethiopians are starving in Ethiopia. The government can’t even pay the salaries of its own civil servants with out the billions of aid money given to it by western governments.
But this same government of Ethiopia spends $50, 000.00 on DLA piper to defend its atrocities against its own people. And DLA piper has the audacity to tell us they are doing this because Ethiopia is an important ally. What a preposterous claim. DLA piper wouldn’t have touched the Ethiopian government if it weren’t for the $50,000,00 they pay them. That is pure greed.
There are numerous reports linking the Ethiopia governments to genocide in Somalia, Ethiopian regions of Ogaden and Gambella. Even in the capital city of Ethiopia, the government killed 192 peaceful demonstrators protesting the rigged vote of 2005. And DLA piper is defending government. A regime composed of former communist rebels from a minority tribe in Ethiopia who, along with the former government, terrorised the Ethiopian people to take power.
Regarding DLA pipers claim that the Ethiopian Americans who denounced DLA piper role in Ethiopia as not reflective of the “majority of Ethiopian Americans”, I have this to say: When was the last time you took polls to gauge the opinion of Ethiopia Americans? You never did. You simply don’t know the opinions of Ethiopian Americans. For your information, most of us including myself left Ethiopia to escape the very government you defend. Even though I don’t live anymore in America, I still am grateful for the opportunity the American government afforded me when I first needed
It is a wise decision for DLA Piper to “no longer act for the Ethiopian government.” In regard to its past activities the best thing to do is NOT to try to justify them by repeating that Ethiopia was an “important US ally.” The US was misled in the interaction in which Piper played a major role. Nor should it blame Ethiopians residing in the US not representing the majority opinion. That argument was used since 2005 but is proven to be totally mistaken. I think Piper just needs to apologize and give back the millions it received for human rights causes. It is that simple and it is the ethical thing to do. The facts are there for anyone to check. Amnesty and HRW reports and even US State Department annual reviews tell a different story than those Piper has produced. Furthermore, Piper’s history is that it consistently sided with the likes of Marcos and Mobutu against democratic groups.
Down with DLA Piper!
Is there such a thing as a peaceful transfer of power in Africa? The last time I was in Addis visiting my family, I was shocked to hear that the “peaceful protesters” had warned people not to go to work as a protest against the government and that neighbors were spying on neighbors to see who would obey. I was horrified to hear people saying that the Zenawi government was worse than the government of Mengistu Hailemariam. Really? This is worse than people ‘disloyal to the party’ coming home to find their child’s severed head on their doorstep? This is worse than the purchase of an entire society by a flawed and murderous ideology? I may be Ethiopian by blood, but since I left the country at 5 years old, I have no personal investment in who leads it. I will say that the rancorous, frothing hatred of Meles in an effort to put in whatever group of people are waiting in line to lead the next dictatorial government is a mistake. DLA Piper, the US, and colonialism, which never happened in Ethiopia, lest we forget, are not your problem; or at least, they are not your greatest problem by a long shot. Think before you act and think not only of today, but of yesterday when you thought Meles was your savior and tomorrow, when you will be calling for the heads of the next government. If you don’t the only people who will suffer are yourselves. It has taken thousands of years for Ethiopia to fall to this level and it seems that the inhabitants are working very hard to insure that the next hundred years, at least, will continue the decline.