Regime Change at the US State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs
Sophia Tesfamariam
September 12, 2007
In continuation of her unprovoked and incessant defamation and vilification of Eritrea, its people and its government, Jendayi E. Frazier the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs addressing the press at the American Embassy in Ethiopia, probably trying to appease the minority regime in Addis by giving it a “Millennium Gift”, called for regime change in Eritrea in order for Eritrea to avoid being placed on the US list of countries that sponsor terrorism. Undermining international law, the UN and African Union Charters and acceptable norms of behavior, she has decided to engage in Meles Zenawi’s cheap and street like diplomacy. Talk about the hubris of power reaching a screeching crescendo! If anyone needs to go, it is Jendayi E. Frazier that needs to get the boot.
First of all, this woman has yet to provide any evidence that supports her many unsubstantiated allegations against Eritrea. The Somali Monitoring Group’s report that she used to launch an unprecedented campaign to oust the Union of Islamic Courts was filled with erroneous and manufactured facts, one being the presence of “2000 Eritrean forces” in Somalia. That turned out to be a flat out lie. It was based on self-serving intelligence provided to her by her Horn advisor Meles Zenawi, the beleaguered leader of the minority regime in Ethiopia.
Again, based on Meles Zenawi’s “intelligence”, US forces attacked and bombed innocent Somalis in January of 2007. To date, neither Jendayi E. Frazier, nor her accomplices have provided the “DNA results” that were supposed to prove that amongst the dead there were “extremists”, “fundamentalists”, and “jihadists”, nor have they provided any evidence of the reasons why these men, women and children were labeled terrorists in the first place. As the EU has rightly noted, war crimes have been committed in Somalia by the Us-backed Ethiopian forces and Jendayi E. Frazier should be held to account as she is as liable in this disaster as is her friend Meles Zenawi.
Her heavy handed arrogant diplomacy has greatly undermined US policy for Africa. Under her leadership, AGOA has failed, and equally disappointing is the fact that there is no evidence of any improvement in the lives of people living in the countries (few) that have received any funding through the Millennium Challenge account. Capitol Hill observers have long established three problems with her diplomatic style-one being poor analysis, which results in poor planning, poor execution and deadly consequences. Suffice it to mention her failures in Ethiopia, Uganda, Sudan and now Somalia.
The state of affairs in Ethiopia, the largest recipient of US financial support in Africa is dismal and getting worse and yet Jendayi sticks her head in the ground and tells us that Ethiopia is progressing. After “touring” the Ogaden region, Jendayi E. Frazier told the press that there was no evidence of any wrongdoing by the minority regime in Ethiopia contrary to what aid organizations and the stated. She denied the Gambela massacres, the killings of innocent Ethiopians in cold blood on the streets of Addis Ababa for voting her friend Meles Zenawi out of office. She has continued to deny and cover up for the gross violations of human rights in Ethiopia under the TPLF.
In Somalia, she arrogantly told the press that Somalia would stabilize once “they got tired of killing each other”. After planning the ouster of the Union of Islamic Courts to install the Transitional National Government of Somalia led by Abdulahi Yusuf and Ali Mohammed Ghedi, she arm-twisted African leaders to approve a African Union peacekeeping force. Only Uganda buckled and sent troops to Somalia and today, they are considered an occupying force no different than Meles Zenawi’s. The destruction and death in Mogadishu and other parts of Somalia is the largest humanitarian emergency in Somalia, far worse than anything we have seen in the last 16 years. Today, patriotic Somalis have risen to oust the US-backed invading Ethiopian forces from Somalia.
In Darfur, her heavy handed bullying tactics resulted in the isolation of key players in that regions complex politics and refusal of some factions to endorse the peace agreement. This conflict has caused the humanitarian disaster that defines Darfur today.
In Uganda, again her “my way or the highway” ultimatums in favor of her ally Yoweri Museveni, threaten to engulf that region into further chaos and anarchy.
In the entire Horn of Africa, she has single-handedly contributed to the deaths of thousands and the destruction of properties and infrastructure. I doubt that is what the US policy for the Horn was supposed to do.
Her latest assault on Eritrea is unwarranted and undiplomatic. Nobody is above the law and nobody is indispensable, least of all an incompetent diplomat who is igniting deadly conflicts, fabricating facts to effectuate her own personal agendas, and ruining America’s reputation in the Horn of Africa.
Lastly, allow me to share Carolyn Davis’ observations posted in the 6 December 2004 Philadelphia Inquirer in which she wrote:
She may be Rice’s protégé. But Frazer’s work is so important that if she can’t or won’t try to do better, the White House should replace her.
I agree. It is time for regime change at the US State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs.
The rule of law must prevail over the law of the jungle!
First of all, this woman has yet to provide any evidence that supports her many unsubstantiated allegations against Eritrea. The Somali Monitoring Group’s report that she used to launch an unprecedented campaign to oust the Union of Islamic Courts was filled with erroneous and manufactured facts, one being the presence of “2000 Eritrean forces” in Somalia. That turned out to be a flat out lie. It was based on self-serving intelligence provided to her by her Horn advisor Meles Zenawi, the beleaguered leader of the minority regime in Ethiopia.
Again, based on Meles Zenawi’s “intelligence”, US forces attacked and bombed innocent Somalis in January of 2007. To date, neither Jendayi E. Frazier, nor her accomplices have provided the “DNA results” that were supposed to prove that amongst the dead there were “extremists”, “fundamentalists”, and “jihadists”, nor have they provided any evidence of the reasons why these men, women and children were labeled terrorists in the first place. As the EU has rightly noted, war crimes have been committed in Somalia by the Us-backed Ethiopian forces and Jendayi E. Frazier should be held to account as she is as liable in this disaster as is her friend Meles Zenawi.
Her heavy handed arrogant diplomacy has greatly undermined US policy for Africa. Under her leadership, AGOA has failed, and equally disappointing is the fact that there is no evidence of any improvement in the lives of people living in the countries (few) that have received any funding through the Millennium Challenge account. Capitol Hill observers have long established three problems with her diplomatic style-one being poor analysis, which results in poor planning, poor execution and deadly consequences. Suffice it to mention her failures in Ethiopia, Uganda, Sudan and now Somalia.
The state of affairs in Ethiopia, the largest recipient of US financial support in Africa is dismal and getting worse and yet Jendayi sticks her head in the ground and tells us that Ethiopia is progressing. After “touring” the Ogaden region, Jendayi E. Frazier told the press that there was no evidence of any wrongdoing by the minority regime in Ethiopia contrary to what aid organizations and the stated. She denied the Gambela massacres, the killings of innocent Ethiopians in cold blood on the streets of Addis Ababa for voting her friend Meles Zenawi out of office. She has continued to deny and cover up for the gross violations of human rights in Ethiopia under the TPLF.
In Somalia, she arrogantly told the press that Somalia would stabilize once “they got tired of killing each other”. After planning the ouster of the Union of Islamic Courts to install the Transitional National Government of Somalia led by Abdulahi Yusuf and Ali Mohammed Ghedi, she arm-twisted African leaders to approve a African Union peacekeeping force. Only Uganda buckled and sent troops to Somalia and today, they are considered an occupying force no different than Meles Zenawi’s. The destruction and death in Mogadishu and other parts of Somalia is the largest humanitarian emergency in Somalia, far worse than anything we have seen in the last 16 years. Today, patriotic Somalis have risen to oust the US-backed invading Ethiopian forces from Somalia.
In Darfur, her heavy handed bullying tactics resulted in the isolation of key players in that regions complex politics and refusal of some factions to endorse the peace agreement. This conflict has caused the humanitarian disaster that defines Darfur today.
In Uganda, again her “my way or the highway” ultimatums in favor of her ally Yoweri Museveni, threaten to engulf that region into further chaos and anarchy.
In the entire Horn of Africa, she has single-handedly contributed to the deaths of thousands and the destruction of properties and infrastructure. I doubt that is what the US policy for the Horn was supposed to do.
Her latest assault on Eritrea is unwarranted and undiplomatic. Nobody is above the law and nobody is indispensable, least of all an incompetent diplomat who is igniting deadly conflicts, fabricating facts to effectuate her own personal agendas, and ruining America’s reputation in the Horn of Africa.
Lastly, allow me to share Carolyn Davis’ observations posted in the 6 December 2004 Philadelphia Inquirer in which she wrote:
She may be Rice’s protégé. But Frazer’s work is so important that if she can’t or won’t try to do better, the White House should replace her.
I agree. It is time for regime change at the US State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs.
The rule of law must prevail over the law of the jungle!
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