Backing Terrorist TPLF Won’t Make Biden Africa Team Victorious

September 26, 2021

BY MULATU BELACHEW

ADDIS ABABA- Americans deserve to know that siding with the treasonous and terrorist TPLF that started the war and then expanded it when it had the chance to reciprocate is not a winning formula for the Biden Africa Team, Aklog Birara (PhD)–Senior Advisor at the World Bank said.

In his article published recently, he stated that civilians fleeing the conflict are accusing TPLF forces of committing a range of atrocities, including door-to-door executions. The rebels have widened the conflict beyond the borders of their own State.

“Displaced people blame the dissidents for killings, widespread looting and the indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas, I agree with media reports in this regard. This is a terrible conflict and utterly wrong for all concerned. Of course, the combat should end. But what can the U.S. do?”

Aklog reminded the American people, especially the electorate that Ethiopia deserves constructive support at a time of greatest threat punitive sanctions against the country and its high-level officials will not work. “The American people must, instead, pressure the Biden Africa Team to demand that the TPLF reciprocate and stop its terrorist acts immediately and unconditionally.”

He pointed out that looting or blocking  humanitarian aid and shipments to civilians is an act of aggression. The Biden Africa Team must be bold, and fair minded enough to state clearly that failure to implement these critical steps will result in the application of the Magnitsky Act against TPLF leaders, members and supporters who misinform, who murder, who loot or block or weaponize humanitarian aid and those who recruit child soldiers and deploy them as human shields.

 The scholar further urged the American people to push the Biden Africa Team as well as members of the U.S. Congress to champion the imperative of establishing an independent and all-inclusive Commission for enduring peace, national reconciliation, and consensus in Ethiopia. “I am convinced that pushing and financing such an initiative by the United States will renew and cement U.S. and Ethiopian relations for decades to come.”

 Noting facts on the ground such as “war crimes, genocide, ethnic cleansing, and rapes” and other atrocities are rare if ever reported by credible, independent, and objective sources, Aklog highlighted that the Biden Africa Team is part of the problem.

The Government of Ethiopia declared a unilateral cease-fire on June 28 whilst Secretary Antony Blinken did not demand that the TPLF reciprocate in kind. Emboldened by deaf ears and blind eyes (the State Department and the White House, the UN, and the EU) the TPLF expanded the war to Afar and Amhara states.

“The Biden Africa Team is doing the exact opposite. It does the opposite because the TPLF was identified by the U.S. as a terrorist group,” he noted, adding that USAID Head’s outrage to the rebels looting humanitarian aid resources from warehouses is what the Team missed to say. “Hence, The Biden Africa Team’s follies; and its incoherent, misguided, shortsighted and dangerous policy towards Ethiopia must be corrected.”

The Ethiopian Herald September 26/2021