Thread by @althecat

On the day the USG [@POTUS/@JoeBiden and @VP/@KamalaHarris] announced a sanctions regime for Ethiopia @USAmbUN/@LindaT_G addressed UN media on priorities for the #UNGA session which begins today.
- Covid
- Climate
- HR and Democracy


Thread...

This thread focuses on the third priority which encompasses Human Rights, support for democracy, a rules based global order and fighting autocracy.

Direct link to @LindaT_G's #UNGA opening remarks to media that relates to this.

@LindaT_G "Democracy, human rights and the international rules based order are under attack," Linda told the media.

And she is right. They are, and in the case of what is happening in Ethiopia, these very precious goals for humanity are under attack from the United States Govt.

"Large wealthy autocracies have developed corrosive and coercive relationships with smaller, poor counties. The UNSC must weigh in on terrible atrocities wherever they occur. There is no tension between sovereign rights and human rights." - @USAmbUN #UNGA

From an Ethiopian perspective, there is obviously a lot to unpack there.

"We believe our priorities are not just American priorities, they are global priorities and next week must be a moment to strengthen alliances and partnerships," she continued.

Nobel words, but what do they mean in the context of Ethiopia?

Evidently, in the U.S. Government's rubric, relationships between democratic nations that are "corrosive and coercive" to "smaller poor countries", indeed even smaller poor allies are an exception to this rule.

The assertion: "there is no tension between sovereign rights and human rights," whilst also a noble goal, is clearly not true. The UN Charter explicitly protects sovereign rights, yet since 1991 superpowers have repeatedly used HR justifications to invade small countries.

A debate about these issues is clearly in order and perhaps this 76th #UNGA will be a place where that debate can take place. This issue definitely needs to be addressed and sorted out. What has been happening over the past three decades is not working.

.@USAmbUN then directly addressed the elephant in the room, 1st saying US's "diplomacy agenda (this) week includes conflicts & security threats "from Afghanistan to Syria to Yemen to Burma (Myanmar)"

& then finally addressed Ethiopia. DIRECT LINK:

.@LindaT_G then reads notes about the announcement [they appear to be fragments from this briefing >> whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/…]. At the end before taking questions she appears to momentarily being overcome with emotions here >>