Washington DC: The United States today designated the Eritrean Defense Forces (EDF) Chief of Staff General Filipos Woldeyohannes (Filipos) for his connection with serious human rights abuse committed during the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia.
As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the person above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)C. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.
Filipos is designated pursuant to Executive Order 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world.
Filipos commands all of the EDF forces that have committed serious human rights abuses in Ethiopia throughout the conflict. Under his command, US Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken claimed today, EDF troops had raped, tortured, and executed civilians in Ethiopia.
Also read: Inside Ethiopia: Humanitarian access in Tigray improves but situation there remains volatile
“Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have described a systematic effort by the EDF to inflict as much harm on the ethnic Tigrayan population as possible in the areas the EDF controls. Eritrean troops have forcibly displaced civilians and ransacked businesses; IDPs spoke of a “scorched earth” policy intended to prevent civilians from returning home,” Blinked stated.
The United States condemned “in the strongest terms” human rights violations and abuses in Ethiopia, including those involving the killings, forced removals, and systemic sexual violence.
“The United States is concerned that large numbers of EDF have re-entered Ethiopia, after withdrawing in June. Prolonged, intensified and expanded conflict increases the risks of violence against civilians and rights violations. We call upon the Eritrean government to withdraw its military forces immediately and permanently from Ethiopia,” Blinken said.
At the same time, he said that the United States continues to urge all parties to the conflict, including the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, to end abuses against civilians, take steps to de-escalate the conflict, allow for unimpeded humanitarian access, and commit to a negotiated ceasefire.
The ongoing conflict in Tigray has exacerbated a humanitarian crisis that threatens hundreds of thousands of lives. Despite the Ethiopian government’s June 28, 2021 unilateral ceasefire declaration, parties on all sides continue to escalate the conflict. The EDF reentered Tigray after an initial withdrawal following the June 28 ceasefire.
Meanwhile, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has moved into neighbouring Afar and Amhara regions, potentially further widening the conflict, the US Department of Treasury claimed today. Despite an estimated 5 million people in need of humanitarian aid, and more than 400,000 people experiencing famine conditions, Ethiopian federal and Amhara regional forces continue to restrict humanitarian access, while the Ethiopian government has called for all capable Ethiopians to mobilize to support the campaign in Tigray. These escalatory actions risk furthering a severe humanitarian crisis.
“Today’s action demonstrates the United States’ commitment to promoting accountability for those who abuse human rights and continue to perpetuate the crisis in Ethiopia. The United States will continue to identify and pursue action against those involved in serious human rights abuse in Ethiopia and prolonging the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis,” Blinken said, and called on the UN Security Council and wider international community to come together to push for a peaceful resolution of this ongoing conflict.
– global bihari bureau
