

Zimbabwe: ZimRights – Press Statement on the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances (30.08.2020)










The US Presidency and US Foreign Policy is going bonkers. The latest move to sway Addis Ababa is just obnoxious. It is neither productive nor sincere in its action. That the United States are involved as a partisan influence on a development project and electrification of Ethiopia. They are putting in hurdles and international set-back to stop a infrastructure project from happening. This being the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Because the US wants to support their ally Egypt.
The US if it had been sincere and cared about its standing in the Horn of Africa or even with all the counterparts of the region. They would have used other means to halt aid. Which isn’t implied in the development of the GERD. However, the brilliance and the brains has left Washington DC a long time ago it seems.
Just look here:
“U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo approved plans to halt some aid to Ethiopia as part of its effort to mediate a dispute over a dam on the Nile River that’s pitted the Horn of Africa nation against Egypt and Sudan, Foreign Policy reported. The decision could affect about $130 million of assistance to programs including security, counter-terrorism and anti-human trafficking, the news website said, without saying where it got the information. The cuts won’t impact funding for emergency humanitarian relief, food assistance or health programs, it said” (David Malingha – ‘U.S. May Cut Funding to Ethiopia Over Nile Dam Dispute’ 28.08.2020, Bloomberg News).
If the Trump Administration had some balls, had some finesse and some flex. They would have halted aid for other reasons. There are plenty of mischief and misgivings in the current leadership of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. His whole Prosperity Party is dissolving the civic space, getting rid of activists and opposition. His using the means of extra judicial killings, political prisoners and oppress the voices of dissidents. There are enough blood, sweet and tears in the Republic.
To use the GERD just seems like the Ethiopian state is just supposed to accept treaties of colonial times. That the Republic should be bullied into submission by force. That their hand is tied, because the financial system would crack and the US support would vanish.
That is the sort of behaviour, which only shows how much love the US has for Cairo. It is really obvious that they are serving them and want to deliver for their needs. Just like when Pompeo went to Khartoum to serve Israel with a symbolic victory there.
The Trump administration thinks this is smart. It is not. Especially, that the Ethiopian side would feel the hurt. They are more alone in Addis Ababa and they do need the GERD. While they are using force against their own. Which the US doesn’t condemn or even state word of reckoning. That shows where the heart of Washington is.
They only want to serve their allies on a gold plate. While bullying others to submission. Not even have the skills to use the extra judicial killings and political prisoners as a bargain chip. That one would have not implied the relations to Cairo, but it does by doing it because of GERD.
The Trump Administration and its foreign policy is a hack-work and this is yet another one of those. It shows that they are not that knowledgable nor have the skills to prove their point. They are just like an bull in a china shop. Peace.






It is a reason why the ECOWAS delegation led by former Nigerian President Jonathan Goodluck crashed today in Bamako, Mali. The mission it had was bound to fail. They were not there to help the gridlock or resolve outstanding matters. No, they were there to reinstate the toppled President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.
Colonel Assimi Goita and the Transitional junta government called National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP) have dismissed this. That is not strange, as one of the reasons to do the Coup d’état earlier this month.
It is just like the regional body of ECOWAS doesn’t want to understand the grievances and just there to save one man. There been also reports of a push for a Government of National Unity. A government still run by the toppled President, but with some cooperation with the opposition.
CNSP have hold dialogue with M5-RFP and civil society organizations. This shows as a junta are trying to meet the public who has been demonstrating for months against the current leadership in Mali.
However, the ECOWAS wants to re-instate and give a hated President a second chance. Because, the same ECOWAS are afraid that this could happen to others. That leaders could be toppled and loose their seat. They want to linger in power without consequences.
CNSP is a sign that the leaders, the head of states are not untouchables who can silence and not care about the demonstrating citizens. ECOWAS apparently didn’t plan to listen to that or act concerned about it. They just wanted to ensure Keita get a safe journey ahead.
The ECOWAS was maybe getting the go-sign to do this by the French. As the French wants to save their influence and control over their previous colonies. They hired the ECOWAS and got them to be mercenaries for their mission. It was more important to get Keita back, then to secure the will of the citizens of Mali or understand why the army took him down.
That is what we can learn from here. They want to pile upon pressure on the CNSP. Make them a pariahya state, if they don’t comply or follow the direction of ECOWAS/France. This is how it seems. The CNSP just to bow down and give way, as the foreigners wants to continue the status quo and not make things better. It is better to have a corrupted, elitist and French influenced government in comparison to a loved one by the public.
CNSP is a temporary government, a junta who will use arms to hold on to power. However, if they keep their promises and works with M5-RFP and other stakeholders. Then there is hope. Because, ECOWAS is clearly only there to reinstate the ones who was self-serving in the first place. Peace.

