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You are here: Home News Eritrea: the US Sanctions Yemane Ghebreab, the Most Trusted Advisor of President Isaias Afwerki, for Sponsoring Terrorism in Somalia

Eritrea: the US Sanctions Yemane Ghebreab, the Most Trusted Advisor of President Isaias Afwerki, for Sponsoring Terrorism in Somalia

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US President Barack Obama’s latest executive order sanctions Eritrea's top Presidential advisor Yemane Ghebreab and Islamist Somalia insurgent leaders, including Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, the leader of Hizbul Islam and Sheikh Al-Turki, one of the leaders of Al-Itihaad al-Islamiya.

Yemane Ghebreab is the Head of the Political Affairs of People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)Yemane Ghebreab is the Head of the Political Affairs of People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), the ruling party in Eritrea. The PFDJ is a well known terrorist organization, famous for sponsoring terrorism throughout the region. Given that it is the source for all kinds of destabilization in all the neighboring nations, by arming, training and financiering all kinds of insurgent groups, it is no less terrorist than Hizbul Al Islam or Al Shaaab.

As the most trusted senior member of the government, Yemane has been doing Isaias’ bidding in imprisoning the G-15, in misleading the public, in organizing Diaspora supporters, in soliciting illegal money from abroad and in recruiting young Eritreans overseas for his well-known terrorist activities. He has been using these recruits, both young and old, to terrorize the Diaspora community, with the aim of cowing them to silence and making them pay up “protection money”, which come in the form of “2% tax”, donations and other mafia-like schemes. Recently, he has been in Italy and Germany, leading the YPFDJ (Young PFDJ) meetings. These young recruits are known as Isaias-Youth, in an unabashed admiration and imitation of Hitler Youth.

As recent as two months ago, Ali Abdu, Eritrea’s Minister of Information, Yemane Gebreab, Head of the Political Affairs of the ruling People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), and Colonel Teame “Mekele”, a member of the Internal & Foreign National Security Office and other officials of PFDJ were in the German city of Frankfurt organizing a subversive rally against the US and UN in many western cities (Look at Eritrea’s ruling party’s PFDJ Officials Travel to Europe. for more on this).

Yemane is also known to have master-minded, together with Minister Ali Abdu and Colonel Teame “Mekele” – the sponsorship of terrorism throughout the region: Sudan, Ethiopia, Yemen and Somalia. But it is in his involvement in the ongoing destabilization of Somalia that the US has finally targeted him. No one knows why the other two are not included, even though the UN monitoring group doing ground work in Somalia recommended that the trio be sanctioned.

Below is the executive order of the US President Barack Obama:


Executive Order 13536 of April 12, 2010

Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Conflict in Somalia

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) (NEA), section 5 of the United Nations Participation Act, as amended (22 U.S.C. 287c) (UNPA), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,

I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, find that the deterioration of the security situation and the persistence of violence in Somalia, and acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea off the coast of Somalia, which have repeatedly been the subject of United Nations Security Council resolutions (including Resolution 1844 of November 20, 2008; Resolution 1846 of December 2, 2008; Resolution 1851 of December 16, 2008; and Resolution 1897 of November 30, 2009), and iolations of the arms embargo imposed by the United Nations Security Council in Resolution 733 of January 23, 1992, and elaborated upon and amended by subsequent resolutions (including Resolution 1356 of June 19, 2001; Resolution 1725 of December 6, 2006; Resolution 1744 of February 20, 2007; Resolution 1772 of August 20, 2007; Resolution 1816 of June 2, 2008; and Resolution 1872 of May 26, 2009), constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, and I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat.

I hereby order:

Section 1. (a) All property and interests in property that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the
possession or control of any United States person, including any overseas branch, of the following persons are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in:
(i) the persons listed in the Annex to this order;
and
(ii) any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State:

(A) to have engaged in acts that directly or indirectly threaten the peace, security, or stability of Somalia, including but not limited to:

(1) acts that threaten the Djibouti Agreement of August 18, 2008, or the political process; or
(2) acts that threaten the Transitional Federal Institutions, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), or other international peacekeeping operations related to
Somalia;

(B) to have obstructed the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Somalia, or access to, or distribution of, humanitarian assistance in Somalia;

(C) to have directly or indirectly supplied, sold, or transferred to Somalia, or to have been the recipient in the territory of Somalia of, arms or any related materiel, or any technical advice, training, or assistance, including financing and financial assistance, related to military activities;

(D) to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, logistical, or technical support for, or goods or services in support of, the activities
described in subsections (a)(ii)(A), (a)(ii)(B), or (a)(ii)(C) of this section or any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order;
or

(E) to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order.

(b) I hereby determine that, among other threats to the peace, security, or stability of Somalia, acts of piracy or armed robbery at sea off the coast of Somalia threaten the peace, security, or stability of Somalia. (c) I hereby determine that, to the extent section 203(b)(2) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1702(b)(2)) may apply, the making of donations of the type of articles specified in such section by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to subsection (a) of this section would seriously impair my ability to deal with the national emergency declared in this order, and I hereby prohibit such donations as provided by subsection (a) of this section.

(d) The prohibitions in subsection (a) of this section include but are not limited to:

(i) the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; and

(ii) the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.

(e) The prohibitions in subsection (a) of this section apply except to the extent provided by statutes, or in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued
pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted prior to the effective date of this order.

Sec. 2. (a) Any transaction by a United States person or within the United States that evades or avoids, has the purpose of evading or avoiding, causes a violation of, or attempts to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited.

(b) Any conspiracy formed to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited.

This order is effective at 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on April 13, 2010.

BARACK OBAMA

 

Comments  

 
-2 #260 Teshoma 2010-04-24 06:57
The sanction of the USA over top leaders of Eritrea is quite clear and they deserve them... This people they blamed the USA for violation of human rights, while the are huge amount of human right violation in our home. This people they must be crazy... and even they don't know what they are talking....about
Again i will give you one special message for you PFDJ Knowing yourself is more importand than knowing some one else... Please improve your conditions at home then confidently you could talk about some one else.. ok please
 
 
-5 #259 rigth 2010-04-23 23:39
Finally t is good to read that you will filter comments that are disturbing serious discussions.

Thanks and LL Asmarion
 
 
+2 #258 joker 2010-04-23 18:05
Believe you me, pfdj is an idiot organization. What, but an idiot org. would imprison talented leaders and a whole host of professionals when we need all the talent we can get to rebuild and defend out independent country? The one-man-rule of pfdj has cripple the nation and there is no way to replace the loss of their experties. You worry about a God forsaken place called Badime when a whole generation is being whipped-out by a bunch of rogue criminals. I choose the well being of the entire population over a peice of land.
The UN will not allow the disappearance of the Eritrea. They are not idiots who don't learn from past mistakes.The plight of the Eritrean people has been heard and is well understood; the UN will not let the Eri-people down once again. Instead, they will force (pressure) the worst regime in Eritrean history to surrender, comply, and hand over power to the rightfull owners, just as they did to the Aparthied regime of S. Africa.
 
 
-2 #257 Welet Semhar 2010-04-23 16:34
joker,

First & foremost ONLY IDIOTS RESORT TO INSULTS!

Said that, I have asked u many questions, and u never responded a single answer.What u r saying is 'Ethiopia did nothing' & PFDJ have to be dismantled, and we don't mind if all our neighbors claim our lands..Still I will be waiting ur answers.Among many questions I asked u what convinced u UN will 'emancipate'u, Why it failed to do so in the whole conflict inflicted countries and what makes u think it will work in Eri., What s the difference when UN didn't object Ras Tefera's colonization of Eri. in 1950s n now when Weyane said 'Colonial borders r not legitimate'.Will u also give them Asseb to MEDREK b/c it is just a 'port' as u said 'badme is just a village'.Give me answers, I don't mind if u insult me b/c that is specialty of uncivilized creatures.
 
 
-1 #256 joker 2010-04-23 14:56
YAY,
pfdj is itself an illegal regime. It has no legitimacy because it is un-elected. It rules by decree and by the barrell of a gun. pfdj illeaally holding power, abusing those who excersice their constitutional right, without the rule of law is the enemy that is immediate. That's what's causing the influx of refugees to Tigray. In an analogy, pfdj has stolen the camel while woyane is holding on to one of the trees in an orchard full of trees. The orchard belongs to the camel and not to the thief pfdj.
It's time for pfdj to set the people free.
 
 
-3 #255 joker 2010-04-23 14:35
Welet Semhar,
The course pfdj has taken brought the country to be sanctioned. One must be an idiot to win the verdict but ends up being punished. How is it that pfdj thought the border issues with Yemen, Ethiopia, and then Djibouti can be solved through military means? The three parts of the EEBC where investigation into 1) who started the war: Eritrea 2) compensation to damges: Eritrea to pay Ethiopia 10 million balance 3) border: except for the villages of Badime and Tsorona, Ethiopia got more land than what they originally had administered.
In addition to this decision, pfdj held the progress to democracy hostage; imprisoned decenting voices, all the youht held on the border and in military/slave service; no constitution, no rule of law, and no freedoms.
After 18 years, all pfdj has to show for is: UN Res 1862 and Res 1907.
Time for these loosers to leave. Welet Semhar, better a joker than a fool like you.
 
 
-1 #254 YAY 2010-04-23 14:17
Dear Joker : Thanks again.You said that it should have been obvious to me that Weyane-Tigraiy's ET is PFDJ's enemy but not the ER people's and that that was a problem. This may be one of our differences, and if I didn't ask I wouldn't know. Do you believe that Badimme and other territories illegally occupied by Weyane-Tigraiy's Etyoppiya belongs to PFDJ and not the Eritrean people? Do you call a force that by force of arms occupies your territory an enemy or a friend? Like any government, GOE could take actions on suspects to maintain law and order, and that alone doesn't make PFDJ the enemy of the Eritrean people. I want more respect of the rule of/by law. I think it has to be evaluated case by case.
 
 
-1 #253 Welet Semhar 2010-04-23 09:43
joker,

U told YAY ' Woyane r holding Bandme illegally but they r not abusing residents' so nothing wrong.Well, If someone takes my home that is the end of the story.Doesn't matter how he treats me.R u saying colonizing Africa had nothing wrong given the Whites didn't kill the owners of the country? Ur argument sucks!
 
 
0 #252 Welet Semhar 2010-04-23 09:37
wedi-semhar,

Don't worry we will keep writing even if it gets deleted.Don't give up but the important thing is just don't waste ur time here, but just drop some lines if u get time to waste.Many here, have been away from Eritrea for decades and they r arguing reading some fictions here and there.
 
 
-1 #251 Welet Semhar 2010-04-23 09:29
Jocker (II)

Tell me why USA or ur UN just kept quite when Ethiopia said they will never accept the final and binding rule? Is there any difference when they just watched when Hailesellasie said Eritrea is his land and colonial borders r unacceptable in 1950s?
 
 
0 #250 Welet Semhar 2010-04-23 09:28
joker,(I)

Eritreans fought for SOVEREIGNTY.Everything comes after having a country.A country have to have a clearly defined borders.And the issue is not only Badme village as u said,,,it is many parts in the south( but even if it was only Badme, should we just leave it?).According to u we have to just keep quite when Yemen said Hanish is theirs, Djibouti say something is theirs, Sudan, Ethiopia,,,,,,, ,,.Let me tell u leaving Badme and all the areas claimed by Woyane is just opening a Pandora's box.R u telling me we have to leave all the areas which r being claimed by our neighbors and redraw the map of Eritrea?Joker, MEDREK is saying Asseb is theirs so if they come to power may be some time again we will give them that and again redraw the map!!! As ur name suggests u must be a JOKER!
 
 
-2 #249 joker 2010-04-23 07:34
Cont... Welet Semhar

The Eritrean people's struggle is about self-determination, self-gvernance, rule of law, and human rights and not about some obscure village called Badime. You cannot throw the baby with the bath water, goes an english expression. It's stupid to pin everything, the entire nation and people, on some 150 sq. miles of land. It's the stupidest thing to do.
 
 
-6 #248 joker 2010-04-23 07:33
Welet Semhar,
Re: #197. Believe me, the UN realizes what has happened due to their decision to federate Eritrea in the 50s. Even the US understands that and do not want to repeat the same mistake. The fact that pfdj made a big deal and continues to make a big deal out of Badime does not mean the UN and US are against Eritrea. The tyranical regime of Issaias is holding the Eritrean people hostage and their right to govern themselves via a constitutional government by making the border a major issue. A border cannot and should not be that big of a deal. Not to a pointt hat one looses the main cause of the Eritrean people staruggle for a century.
 
 
-6 #247 joker 2010-04-23 07:00
YAY,

I just read you #194 post so let me explain. The fact that you ask these questions is really the problem, since it should have been obvious to you by now. Woyane is the enemy of pfdj. How is it that you think woyane is the enemy of the Eriitrean people? Is it because pfdj told you so. They are at Badime illegally but they are not abusing the Eritrean people. The ones that are imprisoning, torturing, and killing the Eritrean people are the pfdj. They take away the children of the Eritrean people and indoctrinate, abuse, and brain-wash them with unEritrean values. That's what I mean when I say "destroying the fabric' of our society.
 
 
-2 #246 AMICHE 2010-04-23 02:38
These deki subhagadis and deki alula have serious mental
defect-this defect is they picked up the philosophy of the ankober amharas of expansion at the time when the amharas lost it defeated by the combined struggle of the eritrean and brotherly tigray peoples.
But in the aftermath unable to confront and challenge amhara intellectuals propaganda deki alulas and deki subhagadis quickly submited and changed course to
chauvenism and be willing to march for expansionist
bankrupt buried policies.
BE OPPORTUNIST IF YOU GET CHANCE??
 
 
+3 #245 wedi-semhar 2010-04-23 01:34
TO my Eritrean fella Welet-semhar and Yonas Yohannes.

i will love to say to you guys Good bye, this is becoming nonsense after your geninue posting getting deleted no reason for us to be here beside just we are wasting your time with deaf people. This people have some agenda and i will love to say for them Good Luck. I know from My heart they aren't giong any inch beside they will be so frustarted the rest of their lives, so, i decide to say to you bye my Eritrean fellas. I am sure you should do the same don't waste your time with a waste people who isn't giong to listen to any one beside to themselves. It is better to do something with my very value time than waste it here. I hope You guys read it before the wayanne deleted

Awet N"hafash
 
 
+5 #244 EH 2010-04-23 01:05
So, Yemane made it to Obama's list. what does it prove?

It only means that the white house has no clue about Somalia. Bush's misguided war on terror is continuing with out any change in the mind set of America. It is the same arrogant policy of "you are with us or against us" that Obama is continuing. There is no surprise there. American national interests trample all others, including Eritrea.

The list a proof of the continued misguided policy.
 
 
-5 #243 wediere 2010-04-22 21:01
yay and walet semhar

no room for pfdj thugs in free eritrea, i promise you one thing; we have a long list of criminals who will pay in the near future. you can hide any where in the world; you will be hunted like nazi war criminals after wwII. I CAN'T WAIT UNTILL HUNTING SEASON BEGINS........

yay

you're a snake, go to dehai hasawi coward
 
 
+4 #242 Welet Semhar 2010-04-22 13:47
Hmmm,

Yay, is telling u his arguments and I suggest u to go with ur counter arguments.The 'Castro scenario' is lame argument b/c according to that PFDJ is running by few individuals of age 60+.How about their supporters? And people who admire them in some of their policies and want run the state with certain improvements and change policies of PFDJ? I am with these people and I am in 20s and I am sure a lot r there like me.

According to u even u don't want the sovereignty of Eritrea b/c it came through Esaias leadership!
 
 
0 #241 hmmm 2010-04-22 12:52
YAY

You are a wolf in sheep clothing. If Eritrea continued in the same path as today, our population will be wiped out from the face of Africa. Yare simply trying to buy time for your PFDJ masters. Of course in 10, 20 years time, they PFDJ thugs will all die of natural causes since they will be turning 80 and 90 years old like Fidel Castro. To save Eritrea, the struggle has to be intensified now and these people have to be arrested and pay back to the crimes they committed before nature takes them away
 

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African Heads of States Challenged About Human Trafficking in the Sinai

Sharing her experience and expertise in the struggle against human trafficking in the region was Ms Meron Estifanos, Eritrean human rights activist and journalist with the diaspora based Radio Erena. In a moving presentation focusing on the narrative of a young victim of trafficking who died leaving her toddler son, in the hands of her abductors; Meron challenged every head of state present to respond to the plight of countless victims and address this shameful issue taking place in the region.

In his own presentation President Omer Hassan al-Bashir admitted that the concern is indeed a grave one that requires urgent attention. For his part president Paul Kagame also made a personal commitment to highlighting this concern at the UN Security Council, over the coming few months.

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Eritrea supports Egypt’s position over Nile water dispute

Eritrea supports Egypt’s position over Nile water dispute

April 18, 2013 (ADDIS ABABA) – The Eritrean government said this week that it supports Egypt’s stance over a colonial-era treaty that granted Egypt a right to utilise the lions share of Nile river’s water resources.

The Red Sea nation expressed its support in a message sent from the Eritrean president and delivered to Egypt’s president by Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh and Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs, Yemane Gebreab.

The Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsi, has highly welcomed Eritrea’s position towards Egypt’s "historic rights" over the sharing of the water of the Nile River.

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Eritrea accused of sending arms to Seleka rebels, says CAR ex-President Bozize

Eritrea accused of sending arms to Seleka rebels, says CAR ex-President Bozize

Allegations have surfaced this week against the government of Eritrea regarding their role in the in arming the rebels in the Central African Republic who recently overthrew Francois Bozize.

In an interview with ex-President Bozize recently ran in the media, the former CAR leader claimed that "the arms used by the Seleka rebels during their final assault on the presidential palace were purchased from Eritrea and transited through Chad with the permission of President Deby"

The Eritrean Ministry of Foreign Affairs this week issued a strong denial.

(Photo: Seleka rebels believed to be armed by Eritrea)

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Eritrea: 'Freedom Friday' Movement Challenges 'North Korea of Africa'

Eritrea: 'Freedom Friday' Movement Challenges 'North Korea of Africa'

A new grassroots movement in Eritrea that draws inspiration from the Arab revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia is poised to challenge the one-party authoritarian rule of president Isaias Afewerki, who has been in power for twenty years.

The Freedom Friday (Arbi Harnet) movement, started in November 2011 by the Eritrean diaspora, is finally gaining momentum inside the country according to Meron Estefanos, a human rights activist and presenter with the Sweden-based Radio Erena, which broadcasts in Eritrea and around the world.

In tandem with Eritrean Youth for Change (EYC) and the Eritrean Youth Solidarity for Change (EYSC), Estefanos has set up a new campaign to reverse the Arab-style call to take to the streets every Friday. Instead, it urges Eritreans to empty the streets.

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Sudan's Bashir starts freeing prisoners, polishing up legacy

Sudan's Bashir starts freeing prisoners, polishing up legacy

“Today, we announce a decision to free all the political prisoners and renew our commitment to all political powers about dialogue,” Bashir said. “We confirm we will continue our communication with all political and social powers without excluding anyone, including those who are armed, for a national dialogue which will bring a solution to all issues.”

That announcement followed a long-awaited deal between his negotiators and those of his counterpart in South Sudan, Salva Kiir, who agreed to resume the flow of southern oil through pipelines to export terminals in Sudan. Mr. Kiir’s government turned off the taps in January 2012 in a row over transit fees that left both countries’ public coffers reeling from the loss of oil revenue.

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Imprisoned, Tortured, Killed: Human Trafficking Thrives on Sinai Peninsula

Imprisoned, Tortured, Killed: Human Trafficking Thrives on Sinai Peninsula

The Sinai Peninsula, which connects Egypt and Israel, has become a place of suffering and death for thousands of refugees from sub-Saharan Africa, from Eritrea, Somalia or Sudan. They come in search of a better life in Israel or Europe, but many of them end up kidnapped, imprisoned and tortured. Criminals among the Bedouins living here demand ransom from the victims' families back home. They often torture their prisoners to death. The government in Cairo, meanwhile, seems to ignore these brutal crimes.

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