Draft US Sanction Bills Against Ethiopia Are Punitive, Misguided: Panelists

wendimagegn — April 7, 2022

ADDIS ABABA –The two congressional Bills of the U.S., H.R. 6600 and S.3199 draft resolutions are more of punitive and misguided and would bring unintended consequences on Ethiopia, Panelists said.

In a recent panel discussion, the Panelists said, the resolutions are not designed to facilitate inclusive dialogue, make human rights violators accountable, stop violence and others.

They are rather intended to favor the TPLF by putting the country’s economy on a chokehold and bringing government change.

Lawyer Dereje Demessie said that, many people are considering the resolutions as useful in facilitating dialogue, but the approach of the resolutions is punitive and one-sided. The resolutions aim to bring government change, making merely the government accountable and fulfill the interest of westerners.

They do not mention the atrocities and lootings that the TPLF has committed in Afar and Amhara states. The biased resolution is sponsored by pro TPLF groups and persons. It is a result of advocacy of some groups and individuals who support terrorist group, he added.

Furthermore, it will install control and monitoring systems in four sectors such as economy, military, communication and legal process. The ratification of the resolution or sanctions will result in a huge shortage of foreign currency as its budget depends on loan and credit. This also causes the devaluation of Birr.

Ethio-Americans Development Council (EADC) member and Chair Founder Nebiyu Asfaw for his part said, the H.R. 6600 has significantly favored the TPLF at the expense of Ethiopia, Eritrea and the Horn.

If the bills are endorsed they would become binding and enforceable. It will carry the full way of the law to severe questions that will impose on the Ethiopian people for the next decades. It will bring unintended consequences of progressively increasing punitive measures to put the country’s economy on a chokehold.

“In this conflict, we have witnessed something that Ethiopia has never seen in its history. They all engaged in the internal affairs of the country. The entire western countries and institutions have all taken an unusual interest we haven’t seen anywhere else in recent African history.”

As to him, officials from the state department congress, EU, UK and Australia as well as their media all have backed the dispute over the Welkait Humera corridor as western Tigray.

They all used humanitarian causes as a reason with alleged atrocities being committed against the Tigrayans who live in the area. All the global bodies are united in their position and saying for peace and stability to be possible. This is to demonize Amhara forces and territorial and shamefully downplay atrocities committed by the TPLF against the people of Afar, Amhara and Tigray.

This is an example of using selective outrage and propagandized humanitarian allegations as a pretext for a political goal. It is to give the TPLF access to quarters through Welkait, he stated.

The State University of New York and Binghamton Professor of Sociology and Human Rights Prof. Biniyam Awash said that, the U.S. act to impose sanctions on Ethiopia is illegal and against international law as the UN Security Council didn’t endorse them. It is using sanctions as a tool for its foreign policy in order to achieve political objectives.

It destroys the middle class and targets the poor. It is neither to achieve human rights nor democracy, he said.

BY TSEGAYE TILAHUN

THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 7 APRIL 2022