Africa-Press – Ethiopia. Addis Ababa May 28/2021 (ENA) Ethiopia will Never be Intimidated by Ill-conceived Sanctions
The recent sanctions imposed on Ethiopia are a well-planned part of the conspiracy that has been hatched up to frustrate the reform programs and the upcoming 6th National Elections in Ethiopia.
Despite the efforts that are underway by the government and various relief agencies operating in the country, western media outlets and some of their representatives in Ethiopia repeatedly issued fabricated reports to discredit the massive relief and rehabilitation programs that are in full swing in Tigray Regional State.
Furthermore, in spite of the fact that the Government of Ethiopia is already cooperating with the UN Human Rights and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission to investigate possible human rights violation, rape and other forms of crimes by deploying law enforcement bodies composed of the Federal Police, the ENDF, Office of the Attorney General, the U.S. has continued to accuse Ethiopia of not delivering relief supplies and even obstructing such efforts.
All the more, by interfering into the internal affairs of a sovereign country, the sanctions put a rubber stamp on tarnishing the century old relations between the peoples and Governments of Ethiopia and the USA.
The sanctions put the general security situation not only of Ethiopia but also the entire region of the Horn of Africa paving the way for terrorist forces which Ethiopia is fighting on its own accord with its army and as a member of the AMISOM peace keeping force that is commissioned by the African Union.
Speaking with ENA on the implications of the recent U.S. sanctions on Ethiopia Nigus Belay, Professor of History and Political Science at Mizan Tepi University said,
“The sanction imposed on Ethiopia is aimed at forcing the government to act only according to the whims and desires of the U.S. interest in the Horn of Africa. Besides, the determinations exhibited by Ethiopia, Eretria and Somalia to jointly coordinate their economic and social development by themselves did not fit into the U.S. political interest in the region.”
He added that “the U.S. also used Ethiopia’s efforts to ensure the rule of law in Tigray as a propaganda tool and pretext to intervene into the internal affairs of the country. The U.S. sanction is also a reminder of the Wuchalle Treaty in which Italy tried to trick and trap Ethiopia in its own political ambitions of colonizing the country.”
Nigus said that “the U.S. deliberately chose this occasion to create a ground for attempting to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the upcoming election in Ethiopia, thus creating total chaos in the country.”
“The Government of Ethiopia is not a messenger in the service of the U.S. government as some leaders in the region do, but is only accountable to the peoples of Ethiopia. The peoples of Ethiopia may have different views and outlooks on so many issues but they should fully support the government’s efforts in ascertaining the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.”
“By issuing sanctions on the leaders and the entire country, the U.S. has also put the security and stability in the Horn of Africa at risk by providing safe haven for the resurgence of terrorist organizations like Al-Shabab and Al-Qaeda in the region,” he added.
Scholars in social sciences infer that the sanctions issued by the U.S. is not based on solid evidence but on misinformation and distortion facts on the ground in Tigray. It is also interesting to note that the sanctions never mentioned atrocities and genocide level massacres conducted by TPLF in Mai-Kadra, Humera and the adjacent areas.
Speaking to ENA, Temesgen Thomas, a social sciences scholar at Watchamo University, stressed on the regional implications for the security and stability in Africa. He said,
“The Horn of Africa is already a volatile region with economic and political and geo-political ramifications. There are unstable governments in the area and the presence of branches of ISIS, Al –Qaeda branches in the area and Al-Shebab has been there for longer time. There are still unsolved regional issues. Ethiopia has been a stabilizing country in terms of fighting terrorism in the region. The sanction on Ethiopia exacerbates an already shaky political situation in the area and would also severely harm U.S. interest in the Horn of Africa.”
Speaking of the historical relations between Ethiopia and the US, Temesgen added“Ethiopia has always assisted U.S. comprehensive interest in the Horn of Africa and the sanction itself is against the basic national interest of the U.S. in the region. Ethiopia is immensely contributing to ensure the formation of a stable government in Somalia and is playing a major role in IGAD. The sanctions also affect AU- USA relations as it is intended to weaken Ethiopia who is the founding member of the AU. The sanctions belittle Ethiopia’s decisive role in East Africa and opens the door for the expansion of terrorist organizations in the rest of Africa jeopardizing security and stability in Africa.”
He added, “this sanction inhibits economic and political integration in East Africa and the creation of integrated economic community in the region.”
All told, the U.S. sanctions on Ethiopia is self-defeating and would never subject the peoples of Ethiopia into socio-economic humiliation that the U.S. has masterminded but would only do a disservice to U.S. interest in Africa.
