Eritrean Government Official Responds to U.S. Congressman Brad Sherman’s Remarks
Asmara, Eritrea – Eritrean senior official, Yemane G. Meskel, expressed strong disapproval in a public response to comments made by U.S. Congressman Brad Sherman regarding Eritrea. In a statement shared on social media, Meskel criticized Sherman’s views on Eritrean freedom and the region’s history, calling them “grotesquely familiar” and rooted in ignorance.
Sherman, who has been vocal on issues concerning Eritrea and the Horn of Africa, recently expressed concerns about the “freedom of the Eritrean people.” In response, Meskel, who serves as Eritrea’s Minister of Information, accused the Congressman of being “clueless” about the historical and political realities in the region. He pointed to what he described as the U.S. government’s role in auctioning Eritrea’s freedom for the establishment of the Kagnew Military Base, a U.S. installation used in the mid-20th century.
Yet another grotesquely familiar howl from US Congressman Brad Sherman against Eritrea.
Clueless as he is about the history and current reality in the region, Sherman has the audacity to speak/feign concern about “the freedom of the Eritrean people”.
He must be reminded… pic.twitter.com/Sfojg8t3Hp
— Yemane G. Meskel 🇪🇷 (@hawelti) September 13, 2024
“The U.S. government short-changed Eritrea’s freedom at a crucial juncture in history through illicit and despicable machinations at the UN, and the rest is history,” Meskel remarked, further noting that Sherman’s comments ignored this critical context.
The Eritrean official also alluded to Sherman’s alleged support for the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) during the recent conflict in northern Ethiopia. According to Meskel, Sherman’s position was influenced by lobbying efforts rather than genuine concern for the people of the region. “His untenable support for TPLF’s war of insurrection stemmed from a lobbyist’s fee,” Meskel claimed, dismissing any suggestion that Sherman’s stance was motivated by justice or legality.
This exchange is the latest in a series of tense interactions between U.S. officials and the Eritrean government. Eritrea has long maintained that Western interference in the Horn of Africa, particularly from the U.S., has been detrimental to regional stability. Sherman, for his part, has often raised human rights issues related to Eritrea in Congress, a stance that has been consistently rejected by Eritrean authorities.
Sherman’s office has yet to respond to the latest remarks from the Eritrean government.
Vision Newspaper will continue to monitor this developing story.