John Kerry Congratulates Eritreans on 24th independence anniversary

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry

John Kerry's statement on the 24th anniversary of Eritrea's independence appears to show an attempt of engagement with Eritrea. His administration went from no statement in 2013, to a reluctant statement directed at the "people of Eritrea" and mentioning transition to democracy in 2014, to a more neutral and direct congratulatory statement to "Eritreans" in 2015.

2013: No statement

2014: "On behalf of the American people, I welcome the opportunity to send my warmest wishes to the people of Eritrea on the 23rd anniversary of your independence which took place May 24. Know that the government and people of the United States stand beside you in your continued search for the promise of a free, prosperous, and democratic Eritrea."

2015: "We commemorate the 24th anniversary since Eritrea’s independence, and your long-fought, heroic struggle for nationhood. On behalf of President Obama and the American people, I wish Eritreans a joyous National Day on May 24th."

While this is surely a positive sign in the right direction, at the end of the day, it's still just words. If John Kerry and his administration want to show they truly support Eritreans, then they should remove the illegal and unjust sanctions on Eritrea and force Ethiopia out of occupied Eritrean territory by imposing tough sanctions on the wayward regime in Addis Ababa.

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