WHITE HOUSE \u2014 An executive order signed Friday by U.S. President Joe Biden seeks to slap harsh sanctions on all sides involved in the war in Ethiopia\u2019s northern Tigray region \u2014 including the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea.<\/p>\n
In the order, Biden said the region had seen \u201cwidespread violence, atrocities, and serious human rights abuse, including those involving ethnic-based violence, rape and other forms of gender-based violence, and obstruction of humanitarian operations.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe new executive order I signed today establishes a new sanctions regime that will allow us to target those responsible for, or complicit in, prolonging the conflict in Ethiopia, obstructing humanitarian access, or preventing a ceasefire,\u201d Biden said in a statement Friday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese sanctions are not directed at the people of Ethiopia or Eritrea, but rather the individuals and entities perpetrating the violence and driving a humanitarian disaster.\u201d<\/p>\n
The sweeping order prompted swift pushback from Ethiopia\u2019s leader, who accused the United States ofputting on \u201cunwarranted pressure, characterized by double standards.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a long-time friend, strategic ally and partner in security, the United States\u2019 recent policy against my country comes not only as a surprise to our proud nation, but evidently surpasses humanitarian concerns,\u201d wrote Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in an open letter to Biden, obtained by VOA.<\/p>\n
The order allows the U.S. Treasury Department to impose sanctions if steps are not taken soon to end 10 months of fighting. It did not name any individuals, but the criteria are broad and extensive, including even the spouses and adult children of individuals the State Department deems to have met the criteria. The order also provides for sanctions against the regional government of Amhara region, and the rebel Tigray People’s Liberation Front.<\/p>\n
Conflict started in the region in November, after TPLF rebels attacked a federal military base, and Abiy ordered a counteroffensive. Tensions had been simmering between the federal government and regional leaders for months.<\/p>\n
Previous U.S. attempts to pressure the warring factions, including visa restrictions against Ethiopian and Eritrean officials, have not been successful.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe United States is determined to push for a peaceful resolution of this conflict, and we will provide full support to those leading mediation efforts, including the African Union High Representative for the Horn of Africa Olusegun Obasanjo,\u201d said Biden.\u201cWe fully agree with United Nations and African Union leaders: there is no military solution to this crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n
Also Friday, U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) released a joint statement pledging legislative action. Both men sit on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Menendez is the chairman.<\/p>\n
\u201cContinuing human rights abuses by the parties to the conflict in Ethiopia warrant an unequivocal response: We will not tolerate war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic violence,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn that vein, we will unveil a new legislative effort in the coming weeks for Congress to drastically bolster U.S. efforts to pursue accountability for the carnage in the Tigray region as this protracted ethnic conflict approaches the one-year mark. It is our hope that this effort will help galvanize a political process to help stabilize Ethiopia.\u201d<\/p>\n
The war is threatening the stability of Ethiopia, Africa\u2019s second most populous country.<\/p>\n
The conflict has triggered the world\u2019s largest hunger crisis, leaving millions of people in need of humanitarian aid.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, U.S. officials said only 10% of humanitarian supplies for the embattled Tigray region have been allowed to enter the area over the past month.<\/p>\n
The U.S. and the United Nations say the trucks transporting essential aid such as food and water to the area have been blocked by Ethiopian troops.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Source: Voice of America<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WHITE HOUSE \u2014 An executive order signed Friday by U.S. President Joe Biden seeks to slap harsh sanctions on all sides involved in the war in Ethiopia\u2019s northern Tigray region \u2014 including the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea.In the order, Biden said …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n