BY ADDISALEM MULAT
Recently, Biden appointed U.S Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman who stopped in Addis Ababa after paying a visit to Djibouti. The envoy is meeting senior government officials to discuss the situation in the northern part of Ethiopia.
The Special Envoy’s visit came as the U.S got on fire and drew condemnation over its foreign policy failure in Afghanistan. Many are now urging the country to reassess its foreign policy towards other countries including Ethiopia.
Commenting on Feltman’s visits and the anticipated results, History Professor at Mekele University, Ayele Bekeri told The Ethiopian Herald that the Special Envoy’s visit came in the wake of U.S’s humiliating foreign policy failure in Afghanistan.
“Perhaps, what happened in Afghanistan might give them a pause to reexamine their mistaken foreign policy towards Ethiopia.”
Prof. Ayele added that Feltman might have come to pressure the Ethiopian government to come to the negotiating table with the terrorist TPLF group. By the way, Afghanistan has exposed the failure of the U.S.’s foreign policy in the global sphere. “He does not have the confidence to tell us what to do and how to negotiate with TPLF. In fact, this might give him an opportunity to modify their foreign policy towards Ethiopia.”
The silence over Galicoma and Mai Kadra massacres is the result of the U.S.’s erroneous foreign policy towards Ethiopia. The United States of America has to acknowledge the crimes committed in the two regions, he added.
“We have to stand on the ground to make sure that we do not accept any attempt or sabotage against Ethiopia’s sovereignty. In this regard, we are holding high moral ground on the grounds that we are insisting children should not be part of this conflict. However, the United States is absolutely silent on the enlisting of children for fighting by the terrorist TPLF group.” He said adding “From my personal standpoint, the U.S. foreign policy is misdirected and causing chaos literally. America is crafting a foreign policy that goes against the interest of Ethiopia.We are interested in fighting Al-Qaeda and al-Shabab. The U.S. also needs to help Ethiopia in the fight against the terrorist TPLF group.”
“America is going to kind of change course at this very moment. I am under the impression that we have to show Washington that we do not negotiate or compromise with terrorism by any means whatsoever,” he added.
Ethiopians at home and abroad have been insisting that Ethiopia is a sovereign nation with all the right to make its own decision. Against this background, no one can tell Ethiopia how to govern or shape its policy provided that it is the mandate of Ethiopians; he said adding that our consistency in terms of not negotiating with the terrorist group designated by the House of Peoples Representatives should be clearly understood.
He went on to say, “Ethiopians do want to build a democratic society in which the rights of individuals should be respected and a nation that respects diversity. These are the kind of principles that have been shown to the whole world in the June election. They should respect the sovereign state of Ethiopia and we should go back to our old friendship in which we both benefited from. I think we should work hard to make sure that the United States reveres the mistaken policy.”
Two days ago, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen came face to face with the Special Envoy. Briefing the envoy on the current situation of the country and the terrorist TPLF group’s invasion against Amhara and Afar states, Demeke accentuated the fact that the attachment between the two nations is memorable, time-honored, and established on shared interests and vision.
The Deputy Prime Minister provided detailed information on the terrorist TPLF’s attack on Northern Command of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) and its destructions. The belligerent squad has been carrying out blatant invasion, plunders, and carnages in the Afar and Amhara regions.
Though the terrorist TPLF committed evil and treasonous acts, the U.S. Government chose silence which was uncharacteristic of the fraternal relationship between the two nations,” the Deputy Prime Minister added.
He also conveyed Ethiopia’s standing anticipations that the U.S. would denounce as it should be the destructive acts of the occupying force in a way that accommodates the relationship between the two nations.
“The international community should know the fact that the terrorist TPLF group, Demeke wrapped up. The Special Envoy, Jeffrey Feltman, on his part, said that the U.S. Government perfectly understands the views of the people of Ethiopia on the TPLF, according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He said Ethiopia’s sovereignty, peace and unity are the fundamentals of U.S. Policy on Ethiopia. Feltman underscored that the relationship between the two countries has regional significance and will continue to be based on these same anchors.
At this particular stage, as the United States of America reflects its stance in a way that can harm the longstanding relations of the two nations, the scheduled target has not been attained yet.
On a side note, the friendship between the two nations embarked on getting off track since the law enforcement operation that took place in the Tigray region the U.S. failed to condemn the evil acts of the terrorist TPLF group.
Though Ethiopia attempted to placate the situation in an atmosphere of calm the terrorist group kept on pouring cold water on the efforts of the Ethiopian government every once in a while.
To everyone’s dismay, when the Ethiopian National Defense Forces kicked off undertaking law enforcement operations in the Tigray region, the U.S. set in motion denouncing the Ethiopian government rather than the terrorist Junta that caused an imaginable human suffering and material damage.
It is to be recalled that once Jeffrey Feltman, the new American envoy to the Horn of Africa said that the Ethiopia crisis could make Syria look like ‘Child’s Play.’ If he had known the true nature of Ethiopians, and read Ethiopian history, he would not have reached this decision. As history dictates nobody can twist Ethiopia’s arm no matter what the foreign pressure may be.
The Ethiopian Herald August 19/2021
