We, the East African Community in Seattle, have learned that a small group of our members have started a smear campaign against our liaison Habtamu Abdi. 

Mr. Abdi represents the entire East African Community (Somali, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, S. Sudan, and the Sudan), and he is doing a wonderful job!

He has done tremendous work in bringing communities together and fighting for our interests. For example, Mr. Abdi was paramount in setting up a reconciliation forum between Eritreans and Ethiopians in Seattle. He has also tirelessly worked to get funding for Ethiopian community center, and just recently played significant role in getting four East Africans elected throughout Washington State this year. He is always the first to respond when any members of our communities are in need. These are just few of his achievements.

As you may be aware, like most first generation immigrants, East Africans actively participate in our home country's politics. Unfortunately, some of us also brought with us undemocratic and oppressive tactics to silence those we oppose ideologically.

The initiators of this smear campaign belong to a single political faction in Ethiopia, and are known for their intolerance to diverse ideas. They are too used to getting their ways in Ethiopian politics, and currently are attempting to silence the rest of Ethiopians from participating in their country's future. 

In his efforts to stand for all East Africans, Mr. Abdi attended a town-hall called by the Oromo community in Seattle. The Oromos are the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, and are one of the sizable East African communities in the Seattle area. The town-hall was set up for Jawar Mohammed, an Ethiopian politician and premiership candidate in the country's next election, to meet and discuss with his supporters. We believe, Mr. Abdi, both in his individual capacity and as a liaison to East African communities, has the right to attend one of our community's political forums.  

We would like Mr. Abdi to assist and facilitate each members of our communities forums. We oppose his detractors effort to limit his participation to selective communities and causes. As a liaison to all East Africans, he was faultless in participating with the Oromo community's gathering. 

We, the Oromos, Somalis, Sudanese, and members of different ethnic groups of East Africans would like to express our respect and appreciation for Mr. Abdi for standing with all East Africans.

We are also deeply grateful for the City's efforts in creating a position to bridge between us and the Seattle Police Department (SPD). SPD should not listen to these oppressive members of our communities who have launched unfounded accusations to take away our right hand man within the City of Seattle.