Regime change may help Eritrea evade joining “State Sponsor of Terrorism” list: Jendayi E. Frazer
Omer Redi
September 10, 2007
"To get off the State Sponsor Terrorism list requires two things; the change of government or that for at least six months you can document that a country has no longer been supporting terrorists." she pointed out.
Briefing the press Saturday at the US Embassy in Addis Ababa on the purpose of her recent visit to Ethiopia and Uganda, which she said is primarily to discus issues around Somalia; Jendayi Frazer said US will put sanctions on Eritrea whether it is on the list or not.
The Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs also gave a stark warning to the Eritrean government to stop its destabilizing role in the Horn and East Africa as well as harboring international terrorists, which is the second option to getaway from officially being known as a terror state.
According to her the second option requires, even after being designated as state sponsor of terrorism, at least 6 months of no longer harboring, arming, training and financing terrorists; acts Eritrea has repeatedly been accused of as engaging in from Somalia, Sudan, Djibouti and Ethiopia all the way to SiriLanka.
"…..We are continuing to gather information and evidence……but clearly the fact that Eritrea is providing sanctuary to terrorists, best illustrated by the report that Hassan Daher Awes was in Asmara yesterday and he is designated by the US and UN Security Council for his association with al-Qaida. So he is a designated terrorist attending the conference in Asmara that's supported by the government….So the linkage is quite significant" she elaborated.
Asked whether the US government would take actions to stop the growing involvement of Eritrea in international terrorist networks before the former designates the later as state sponsor of terrorism, Jendayi E. Frazer said "yes we will, definitely".
According to the US Department of State the four main categories of sanctions resulting from designation of State Sponsor of Terrorism include restrictions on U.S. foreign assistance; a ban on defense exports and sales; certain controls over exports of dual use items; and miscellaneous financial and other restrictions.
Designation as State Sponsor of Terrorism also implicates other sanctions laws that penalize persons and countries engaging in certain trade with state sponsors.
Eritrea frequently referred to by many as Rogue Regime and way beyond rogue regime by Jendayi Frazer, has also been repeatedly accused by rights groups of cruelly treating journalists and Christians. A recent report exposed that a Christian Woman was Tortured to Death in Eritrea Prison.
The already impoverished tiny Horn of African nation may deep itself in to further worst poverty due to sanctions that are sure to follow if it goes to the list as it would make it “difficult to us (the US) and any one (of donors) for that matter to provide any form of assistance” to that country; Frazer puts it in a way indicating whatever action is taken by the US would be followed by the rest of the world, particularly the West.
Meanwhile, Frazer said reports that Ethiopian defense forces have been attacking civilians in Ethiopia's Somali Region are just allegations with no evidence so far, further confirming Ethiopian government's repeated claims that such reports are baseless.
With regard to talks with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on situations in the Region she said essentially "….the insurgency that is the ONLF and how it relates to what is taking place in Somalia (Mogadishu) …….and connections with Eritrea and how we can work together to try to cut off those associations…" were discussed.
She further said that Ethiopia has the right to defend its peoples, national security and territorial integrity from such destabilizing forces' associations stretching from Eritrea through the self acclaimed ONLF and OLF to the insurgents in Mogadishu, Somalia.