Abbay Media News
Yassin Ibrahim
Ambassador Herman Cohen is the US diplomat that brokered the failed London peace conference in May 1991 between the former Ethiopian communist government and the two major rebel movements in the north of the country: the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). He, in his capacity as Assistant Secretary of State, has played a crucial role in bringing TPLF to power by, among other things, persuading Mengistu Hailemariam to flee to Zimbabwe and avert a bloody war for the capture of the capital Addis Ababa.
Ambassador Herman Cohen has been actively involved in Ethiopian political affairs ever since the current Ethiopian government came to power in May 1991. His view of the government, however, has been progressively shifting from enabler to somewhat critic. Twenty six years and 7 months later the very diplomat that brokered a peace conference for Ethiopia that was abruptly abandoned by the rebels who had the upper hand and later help TPLF stand on its feet is now calling for another one: for TPLF’s surrender.
His twitter feed on Tuesday December 12, 2017 reads: “Ethiopia’s TPLF leadership should seriously consider requesting US Government mediation to organize a conference among all parties that will produce new democratic dispensation – before law and order collapse completely.” In earlier twit he has also expressed concern over “the use of deadly force” by the Ethiopian government on the civilian population may lead to “national disintegration”.
Observers familiar with his diplomatic mission found it strange that his advice to TPLF came after the current Assistant Secretary of State and former Ethiopian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Donald Yamamoto, returned after visiting Ethiopia and its neighbors.
