Flag of Eritrea (Source: Wikipedia Commons)

By Gary Raynaldo   DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

The United States has sanctioned the Eritrean military and the country’s ruling party because “Eritrea’s destabilizing presence in Ethiopia”  is prolonging the year-long bloody conflict.  Since the outbreak of the military conflict in 2020, fighting involving the Ethiopian military, Eritrean military, Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) forces, and other forces in northern Ethiopia has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, as well as a growing humanitarian crisis affecting millions of people.  

“Eritrea’s destabilizing presence in Ethiopia is prolonging the conflict, posing a significant obstacle to a cessation of hostilities, and threatening the integrity of the Ethiopian state. Credible accounts implicate Eritrean forces in serious human rights abuses, and the United States remains gravely concerned about the conduct of all parties to the conflict. Eritrean forces should immediately withdraw from Ethiopia.”

-U.S. Secretary of State Antony  Blinken said in a statement Nov. 12, 2021

The U.S.  is designating six targets associated with the Eritrean government and ruling party pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14046, which the President signed in September in response to the conflict in Ethiopia.

The individuals and entities designated today are the Eritrean Defense Force, the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice, Abraha Kassa Nemariam, Hidri Trust, Hagos Ghebrehiwet W Kidan, and Red Sea Trading Corporation.

Secretary of State Blinken said Friday’s sanctions are not directed at the people of Eritrea, Ethiopia, or the greater Horn of Africa Region; they are calibrated to impose costs on those prolonging the crisis. The U.S. Department of the Treasury has taken a series of steps to permit the continued flow of food, medicine, and humanitarian support to Eritrea, including issuing three general licenses and guidance concurrently with the announcement of E.O. 14046 and additional guidance concurrent with this announcement.  The Eritrean Defense Force (EDF) is the Eritrean military. According to the  Department of the  Treasury, the EDF has been operating in northern Ethiopia amidst numerous reports of looting, sexual assault, killing civilians, and blocking humanitarian aid. EDF soldiers have been seen disguised in old Ethiopian military uniforms, manning checkpoints, obstructing and occupying critical aid routes, and threatening medical staff in one of northern Ethiopia’s few operating hospitals, according to the DOT.

The People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), led by Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, is the sole legal political party in Eritrea. Isaias personally oversees the command and control of the EDF, issuing orders directly to EDF generals, making him ultimately responsible for the EDF’s role in contributing to the crisis in northern Ethiopia, according to the  DOT.  “The PFDJ was designated today for being a political party that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, activities that have contributed to the crisis in northern Ethiopia or have obstructed a ceasefire or peace process to resolve such crisis,” the DOT said. 

Abraha Kassa Nemariam (Kassa) is the head of the Eritrean National Security Office. He was designated today for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of the Government of Eritrea or its ruling PFDJ, on or after November 1, 2020, where the leader, official, senior executive officer, or director is responsible for or complicit in, or who has directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, any activity contributing to the crisis in northern Ethiopia.

Hidri Trust (Hidri) is the holding company of all PFDJ business enterprises and was established by the PFDJ in 1994. Hidri was designated today for being a political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of the Government of Eritrea or its ruling People’s Front for Democracy and Justice, and for being owned or controlled by the PFDJ.

Hagos Ghebrehiwet W Kidan (Ghebrehiwet) is the economic advisor to the PFDJ and the chief executive officer of Red Sea Trading Corporation (RSTC). Ghebrehiwet was designated today for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the PFDJ.

RSTC manages the property and financial interests of the PFDJ, acts as its funder, and provides it business assistance. RSTC was designated today for being owned or controlled by Ghebrehiwet.

SOURCE:   U.S. Department of Treasury