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Anywaa Youth Conference - AYC

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 11:19:00 GMT

On June 15th 2013 at Minnesota State University, Mankato, Minnesota. Armstrong Hall Room 101 & 102

"Building United Anywaa Future"

Conference topics/ panel discussion

Welcoming 12:45pm with a gospel song by Bathow Ojulu

Session 1: Using Privileges and Opportunities Here to Build the Anywaa Future (Panel)

Naming the gifts – privileges and opportunities
Putting the gifts to work.
How we all benefit.

Session 2: BecomingAStrong Anywaa Man and Woman [Breakout]

Men to remain in Ballroom -Women go to Ostrander auditorium

Wiimaach–A Conversation about Men and Manhood

Anyauk history – Kings, Warriors And The Wiimaach

When does a boy become a man?

The school for manhood - finding heroes and role models?

What makes up a solid, strong, and respectable Anywaa man?

Making the step –becoming a leader

Becoming someone’s hero.

Lessons about being a strong Anywaa woman (panel)

Experience from the field.
Finding good role models
What does it mean to be a leader?
Building a strong Anyauk community.

Session 3: The Anywaa Experience -Panelists Dr. Magn Nyang & Mr. Apee O. Ochudho

Role Models and Remembering Time.
A Vision for Your Future.

Session 4: Strengthening Anywaa youth worldwide - (Panel)

How can Anywaa Youth work together across the globe?

What can you do to support our community here and around the world?

Making commitments – One Thing!

»Announcement from anyone in the audience

Session 5: Recognition of High School and College Graduates

Conclusion of Sessions at 4:00pm with a song/live music then...

Entertainment

Comedy by Akado and Opap Oman

320 Dancing Team

Fashion Show

Burra Anywaa Dance Group

Closed at 7:00pm

Anuak and Christianity

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

By Apee O. Ochudho, Minnesota, USA - In the last fifteen years, many Anuak have turned to Christianity in a record number. There are reports that are coming out of the Anuak territory that village after village churches are growing in various locations. Such development has reached the Anuak community in Diaspora. How would one explain this sudden change from a community that was less involved in religious life fifteen years ago, to a community that is now growing in faith? An answer to this question is not only good for the faith community, but for the larger community as whole to know the general direction where the community is moving toward.

There are a number of ways to answer this question. One way is to offer a religious answer. I have neither a religious training nor any religious title to offer such answer. However, it would be wiser for me to welcome other interested individuals who have more involvement in Christianity than I do to send me their views on this interesting question so we can share with all readers. The other way to answer this question is to use sociological methods. Since I’m incompetent in answering this question in religious way, I offer my answer in the sociological method as follows.

Christianity Arrival

Let us start with some background. Anuak community has had some contacts with Christianity for a long time but the most intimate contact came around in 1950s. It mostly was active in Akobo, Pinyudo and Akado. American missionaries who were active in these villages/towns complained repeatedly about not being able to convert many Anuak into Christianity.

Social Changes

Before 1983, a majority of Anuak people lived in rural areas. Living in countryside afforded Anuak community to continue to depend on agriculture, livestock, fishing and hunting. Such living provided the Anuak community with independence and freedom from urban ills.

But in the early 1990s, Anuak community began to be exposed to urban life in a large number, such in Pinyudo, Itang, Gambella town, and Dimma. Three things at least drove Anuak community to these urban centers. First, was gold in Dambella. People went there to mine gold to provide as a dowry, create small businesses, or simply to get money to buy clothing. Second, was a refugee lives. Most people from Sudan side of the border escaped wars in both Pochalla and Akobo and went to live in safe places in refugee camps, such in Pinyudo, Itang, Dimma and Gambella town or went to live in Malakal and Khartoum where they did have not jobs. And third was school. Many children went to these urban centers to study and many never returned to their former home villages.

This movement to urban centers produced a numbers of challenges for the Anuak community. First, a number of Anuak started to consume excessive alcohol. From sun rise to the sun down, many people could drink without eating. Not eating was seen as something that was good because it is generally thought and widely believed that alcoholic beverages would not do its work with when consumed with food. Second, various diseases started to kill young Anuak prematurely. Third, Anuak movement to urban centers changed their social-economic structures; in rural areas relatives were the safety net for all, but in urban life such social support did not exist and the church replaces relatives as the basic safe net for people. Fourth, the Anuak community started to being marginalized from all sides, from tradition tribal enemies, governments and political and globalization such as farming. These urban ills started to put enormous pressure on the Anuak community.

Historically, when people have challenges like these in any given society, people often turned to religion to find answers they could not find in the political arena. Thus, in the 1990s, Anuak started to turn to Christianity in a record numbers. Deepening of these crises in the late 1990s forced more people to search for answers in religion, especially Christianity. This turned to religion is self-evident today in Anuak churches. The most popular songs in Anuak church today deal with the modern challenges the community is facing at home and abroad. These are signs of this reality.

Religious Dividends

Implications for the Anuak mass conversion to Christianity have enormous positive impact on the Anuak community’s future. Beside what Christianity promises after death, to which I have no authority to offer quote here, the Anuak conversion to Christianity has or will create a sense of responsibility in the community, such as having more responsible parents and a strong community just to name a few. I call these responsibilities “Religion Dividends” because these traits intend to increase the lives of those who believe in religious lives than those who do not believe in it.

When we look around us often we see our fellow elders who spent much of their lives following religious still among us while those who followed worldly have moved on to the next world. I say this not as a religious person or trained theologian, rather more as an observer of those who have or are living religious lives. I do not care what religious is because those who live it in any religion persuasions a majority of them had outlived their fellow generations who did not follow.

For this, I believe the Anuak community changed to live of religious is worth it because it is a direction that may strength the community during these difficult days. What should Anuak do with growing faith community? That is a question for the faith community. Nonetheless, there is no cost to offer one view on what they should or should not do in this world, not in the next world at least. My only suggestion for the faith community is to read liberation theology and the role it played in Black American lives during the 1960s and South America during much of the last century.

Apee O. Ochudho can be reached at pochalla@yahoo.com and feel free to send him your comment, question, or/and concern you may have regarding this article.

Gambellans May Finally Win the Land Struggle

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 13:14:00 GMT

The slow progress of Karuturi Global and similar projects has prompted the Ethiopian government to reassess its policy of leasing vast tracts of land to single investors.

In 2008, Karuturi Global made international headlines when it leased 300,000 hectares (ha) of land in southern Ethiopia with the stated aim of becoming the world’s largest food producer. Five years on, the slow progress of Karuturi and similar projects has prompted the Ethiopian government to reassess its policy of leasing vast tracts of land to single investors.

“I have to be frank, they didn’t meet our expectations,” said Minister of Agriculture, Tefera Derbew in an interview, “We would like to get the land developed in a short period of time… [but] Karuturi, Saudi Star and the like, their implementation is not to our satisfaction.”

Ethiopia has nearly 73 million ha of arable land, of which 15 million ha is currently under cultivation. Large-scale commercial farming accounts for about 400,000 ha, which the government hopes to increase to 3 million ha by 2015 to jumpstart the rural economy. Rights activists have opposed the policy, characterised the process as neocolonial land-grab, and claimed that commercial agriculture has lead to mass displacement of indigenous people.

Last month, The Hindu reported on the many challenges facing the Karuturi project in Gambella, Ethiopia, including floods, rising debt, a shortage of working capital and disputes with labour and the local population. In 2010, the government renegotiated the lease, reduced the size of the farm to 100,000 ha and mandated that the company develop the land in two years. Thus far, Karuturi has cultivated only 5 per cent of the land area.

“Why they are failing has to be analysed,” said Mr. Tefera, adding that the government was assessing Karuturi’s progress and a final report was expected in July. The government will consider all options including revoking the land lease if need be.

Greater scrutiny

Mr. Tefera said the federal government had now taken control of land allocation from the regional governments and was now subjecting potential investors to greater scrutiny and leasing out land in incremental plots of 5,000 to 10,000 ha rather than vast tracts offered to Karuturi. “Once they develop 5,000 ha, if they want to expand it is easier for us to readily make land available.”

After investors, including Karuturi, said that existing metrological and hydrological data were insufficient, the government has begun compiling databases of the soil, climactic conditions and crop feasibility of 200,000 ha of potentially arable land to attract new investment. However, investors will still be expected to clear the land themselves.

While the government insists it has provided investors with all necessary support to achieve their targets for land cultivation and clearance, Indian companies like Emami Biotech and slain liquor baron, Ponty Chadha’s Chadha Group have pulled out of million dollar investment projects last year citing conflicts with local government and confusion over land allocation.

Conflict with Indian textile major

CLC Industries, a subsidiary of Indian textile major CLC Enterprises is the latest company to withdraw from Ethiopia after promising to invest $100 million in a 25,000 ha cotton farm and spinning plant in 2011. In late 2012, the government terminated the company’s lease, claiming CLC had not fulfilled its contractual obligations. “The company did not meet its agreement and so the land has been reclaimed,” said Mr. Tefera, "We have already started acting on those

A spokesperson for CLC offered a different account. “It was an illegal breach of contract by the government,” said Praveen Mishra, Operations Manager for CLC’s Ethiopian subsidiary. Three months after signing the contract in Jan 2011, Mr. Mishra said, the government reclaimed 5,000 ha claiming the land was not part of the lease area.

“They took the land by force using the police,” Mr. Mishra said, which spooked the company to point where they slowed down investment considerably. Six months later, Mr. Mishra said, the government served them a termination notice. The company has since closed its office in Ethiopia. So would the government consider allotting 300,000 ha plots to investors like in 2008?

“Definitely not,” said Mr. Tefera

Speech by GDM Chairman, Okello Akuay Ochalla

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 23:59:00 GMT

Honorable fellow Gambellans,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is indeed a great pleasure and honor for me to have this opportunity to welcome you all to this open statement to address the atrocities that took lives of the Anyuaks in their homeland in December 2003 E.C

On behalf of GDM and my own, I would like to congratulate the honorable fellow Gambellians. Making Anywaa in particular and Gambellans in general, safe and secure is one of the prime concern of Gambella Democratic movement and we are indeed pleased to join hands with Anywaa/ Gambellans and international communities in discussing and developing appropriate strategies to address the serious problems of systematic genocide and crimes against Anywaa (humanity) that was planned and committed by Ethiopian government led by late Melese Zenawi and his groups.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Before, I make a statement on the issues of today, I would like to highlight on certain points of Gambella from 1902 – 1991 E.C, which means from the regime of Menelik II – Mengistu Hailemariam.

In order to understand, let us go through certain operational definitions like:

Frontiers: are meeting places for those who are going, not staying. They are crossings of different the hopeful, the good and the bad. Here also the frontier people, whose blood flows with currents left behind the sedentary as oppose to pastoralist. They attract those on the move and those who wish to live between two flags without paying much attention to either.

Such was the Eastern frontier, between the highland massif of Ethiopia and the great Nilotic plains of the upper Nile.

Gambella is the trading enclave on the Baro River inside Ethiopia itself. It was named after an Anyuak Chief – reputed to have been over a hundred years old, who lived as a sort of hermite in a solitary tukul when the first Sudanese customs Inspector, Ahmed Effendi Rifat arrived in 1905 E.C.

Article IV of Anglo –Ethiopian Treaty of 1902, which defined the frontier between the Sudan and Ethiopia, Gambella permitted the Sudan to establish a trading post on the Baro some 2000-meter long and not exceed 4000 acres, the least to last as long as the Sudan was under Anglo-Egyptian control.

The enclave could not be used for any military or political purposes. Menelik himself had been enthusiastic about granting the enclave as a commercial station, for he was anxious to have an entry into western Ethiopia for products from Sudan, particularly salt as well as an outlet for Ethiopian coffee, which was highly sought in the Sudan. For the next 15 years, Gambella was administered for the Sudan Customs Department by a succession of Sudanese and British customs inspectors, who supervised the collection of duties on coffee, hides and bee wax from the districts of Western Ethiopia in return for salt and cloths from the Sudan.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Control of either government in the region was further complicated by the ineptitude with which the international frontier had been drawn in the Anglo –Ethiopian treaty of May 1902. Because, rivers do not automatically make good boundaries and almost never do, people of the same society live on either bank. Thus, rather than running along the escarpments of the Ethiopian Plateau, who precipitous, slope formed a natural barrier between people living on the plains of the Sudan and those in the highlands of Ethiopia with different environments, cultural and histories. The frontier followed the Akobo River, descending from the highlands to join the Pibor and the Baro and creating an Ethiopian Salient – the Baro salient which jutted out into the plains of the Sudan, where live the Nuer and the Anyuak, now divided by the Akobo River.

From the time past memory, both Nuer and the Anyuak had crossed the Akobo in pursuit of water and grass, oblivious of the fact that had become a recognized international boundary. The Anuaks were the most directly affected, being spilt by an arbitrary political boundary into two groups each with separate allegiance and tax collection. With the aim to divide and rule and divide and control as what was being done by slave owners, had become a typical characteristics of the failed states to manage Gambella as a country. Because this treaty was reached on an agreement without the knowledge of the King Akway Cham, it did not work.

In January 1920, Gambella was transferred from Customs department to the upper Nile province and on September 15 1921 Colonel J.F.H. Marsh arrived to take it command. The Ethiopian did not control but they could ignite those traditional rivalries by claiming to challenge the power of the Sudan Government in which some elements between the Nuer and the Anyuak did believe was in their best interests. The result was violence created by Ethiopian highlanders.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The notion of exchange of Gambella with Kassala in 1965 was automatically dishonest which means lying, stealing and cheating the Anywaa in particular and Gambellans in general. They are not acceptable by any means and no reasons for that matter. The principal reason for the decline of the Gambella trade after war was the opening of Western Ethiopia to truck traffic on the road built by the Italians. The Ethiopians had also learned from the Italians how to control Gambella despite Jack Maurice.

By 1945, some 16 Amhara officials and 100 police overrun Gambella, with little to do complain Maurice but drink, fight, rob and wander about the place of the annoyance of everyone. In the spring of 1945, a business, profit tax was imposed, designed to force out all foreign merchants. Harassment followed in the variety of frustrating ways such as demand for Maurice to turn over the seals used to stamp commercial papers. In 1946, a large Ethiopian Force marched through the salient, but still Maurice, hung on, determined not to leave despite sickness and discouragement. Government ordered, that the Maria Theresa, no longer be tender, after it had been the standard medium for commercial transactions for 150 years.

Exchange to Ethiopian dollars at fixed rate with 25% of the value of Maria Theresa on the world’s currency exchanges. In 1947, the final blow of Gambella trade, all merchants must obtain passports in person from Addis Ababa to trade at Gambella clearly designed to drive out the non- Ethiopian merchants from Gambella. This hardship combined with the currency regulations effectively ended Sudanese trade with Ethiopia. (Iv-1902). So British officials could not justify giving the Gambella trade high priority on the hard pressed steam service , when Brazilian coffee could be purchased at Port Sudan for 10% less than the Ethiopian coffee coming through Gambella.

However, transport was therefore big factor in ending the Gambella coffee trade but not because of Kassala to Sudan and Gambella to Ethiopia, But, because the Italians had constructed roads into western Ethiopia and it was cheaper and quicker to transport coffee from the highlands by trucks. Thus Ethiopian coffee could be in the shops of the Gezira in two days via the roads through Kurmuk and Al rusayris, where the Gambella merchants had to wait for the river season, locking up their capital and incurring substantial storage costs and losses. Ethiopia restrictions were not conducive to Sudan commerce but the economics of transportations introduced by Italians killed the Gambella trade, not Kassala.

Honorable fellow Gambellans,

Ladies and Gentlemen.

It is clear that the only basis for maintaining Gambella was really a political one and not trade. Why Gambella was regarded as a political asset no reason to have questions and appeared satisfied by mystical answer that continuation of a British presence in the enclave was for reasons best known to the central government.

In 1949, Jack Maurice retired to England after 21 years. Once he had left, the end came in exorable to the Gambella enclave. In 1951, the Kanyazmatch Asfaw Abege, informed captain Harry Dibble, who replaced Maurice that he had no longer had the right to judge or imprison anyone. The merchants were bullied and brow beaten to buy in Ethiopian currency despite their constant refusal to exchange surplus dollars for Egyptian pounds.

In 1954 Asfaw Abege, simply announced to Dibble that Ethiopia was taking over the enclave upon his departure, on Ocotober 30, 1954. Much to the annoyance of the Sudanese, but the acting governor of the upper Nile M.O. Yassein with eminent good sense realized that the end of Gambella was at hand. No longer would upper Nile steamers call at Gambella; the merchants were finally leaving and I think it is far better for our future relationship with Ethiopia, if we read the signs of the changing times now and decide courageously to bring the agreement of May 1902 about the Enclave to an end.

On April 24, 1956, a Sudanese delegation consisting of Sayyid, M.O. Yassein and the Permanent undersecretary from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , met in Addis Ababa with the Ethiopian Vice minister of foreign affairs , Blatta Dawit Ogbazy, and from the finance ministry Ato Menase Lemma and agreed to hand over Gambella to the Imperial Ethiopian Government on October 15, 1956. The Sudanese were particularly concerned that the hydrological measurement would continue. Thus the Baro salient remained firmly in Ethiopian hands and for the next 17 years, a sanctuary from which southern Sudan guerilla erupted to harass the Sudan army in its vain attempt to establish control in the Upper Nile Province. On the Eastern Sudan frontier, Gambella nothing ever changes only the players. Still the agreement was done after 54 years, without considering the knowledge of King, Agada Akway Cham and Gambellans as such of May 15 1902. During this time Ethiopians started to label us Lemma, Addis Gomma, slave, refugee, Jambo, Abigar, Shankela and mesengo in our homeland Gambella as a means of degrading, mistreatment, violating the human respect, dignity, reputation and honor of the people of Gambella due to black color.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Ethiopians endured one of the worst genocidal man made famines of the 20^th century under the Derg communist regime. Tens of the thousands of Amhara, Tigre, Kambata and Hadya highlanders were resettled in Anyuak traditional territory during this period, which ended with the overthrow of the Derg regime in 1991 with the aim of assimilation genocide. They have stayed.

The situation has grown worse since oil was discovered under Anuak lands by Gambella Petroleum Corp, a subsidiary of pine wood resources Ltd of Canada in 1981. Highland Ethiopians who controlled Ethiopian Government then had strong economic motives to drive Anywaa of their land. The situation was similar to the plight of Southern Sudanese across the border.

There have been regular massacres of Anyuak since 1980. Cultural survival has reported on them in six excellent reports published quarterly beginning in 1981 – Cultural Genocide. The Anyuak, A Threatened Culture in 1984, and Ethiopia Policy of Genocide against the Anyuak of Gambella in 1986. Resettlement and Utilization, as Tools of Militarization in Southwest in 1987, Displacement and Ethiopian Resettlement in 1988.

We have been subjected systematic violence under different Ethiopian regimes for several decades. As early as 1984 cultural survival quarterly stated that “the Anyuaks in Ethiopia… Must be regarded as an endangered people. Subjected throughout the 1980s to dispossession of our lands, forceful conscription of the military, and confiscation of our domestic animals and destruction of our traditional ways of life.” We, Anyuak welcome the change of government in 1991, but soon faced renewed killings and persecutions including use of both adults and children for forced labor, and arbitrary arrest, torture and imprisonment.

Honorable fellow Gambellans,

The Gambella area is politically a part of Ethiopia, but historically and geographically part of Sudan which is actually till it was handed over to Emperor Haile Selassie in October 15, 1956. Its composition consisted of Anyuak, Nuer, Opo Komo, Mejanger, Olam, Bola, Mao and Dhuk. The major economy activity of the people of Gambella is agricultural production for their livelihood with low and hot humid, and sufficient rainfall to support rain fed agricultural activities, Gambella is vested with many natural resources like agricultural land, water resources, natural forests, wild life, fishes, petroleum, oil, gold, tungsten, iron, sand and others, which could be the basis for different kinds of investment opportunities with high values in the international market. The region is known today as a distinct country, one of the Africans homeland inhabited by the black people characterized as Sub- Saharan Africa. Ethiopian Highlanders came to the area since the early 1945’s and more during the 1980’s as settlers, traders, soldiers and civil servants. More foreigners came to the Anywaa Country during the war in Sudan and refugee camps hosted; - Dinka, Nuer, Silluk, Nuba and others. Anywaa have been loosing more and more control over the Gambella area, which has contributed to the radicalization of its people.

The Anyuak people are a minority group in Ethiopia, but predominant Landowners in southwestern, Ethiopia in Gambella region. Since the fall of the Derg Regime in 1991, the Anyuaks relationships with the central government and highlander (e.g. Tigre) populations have been strained due to concerns over land encroachment and regional autonomy. Oil development in Ethiopia has become a threat to the Anyuak of Gambella in 2001. The example was the conflict in Itang, between Anyuak and Nuer. Since December 2003, the level of violence against the Anyuak has increased dramatically.

Meeting on September 24,2003, in Addis Ababa in the office of the prime minister, Melese Zenawi, the prime minister was there along with the vice prime minister, Addisu Legesse, the architect of Melese Zenawi’s ascent to power in pre and post 1991, Sebat Nega, information minister, Breket Simon, chief of Gambella security, Omot Obang Olom, head of federal affairs security, Alemayeu or Alamaeru, Minister of Federal Affairs, Abay Tsehaye, chief of staff of the Ethiopian armed forces, Samora (Mohamed) Yunis, chief of Military intelligence, Brigadier general Yohannes Gabre Maskel and Minister for Defense, Abadulla Gemeda. They met to discuss on security issues in Gembella…It was at this meeting that plan began for the massacre of December 13 2003. It was in the third week of November that a list was compiled by Omot Obang Olom of those Anyuaks to be targeted. The first list contained 512 Anyuak names, which probably longer by December 13^th.

Some of the Anyuak in Prison in Addis Ababa and some of those in Gambella were on the list. The targeting of the Anyuak was ordered by the High Commander, in chief of the Ethiopian Army in Gambella. Tsegaye Beyene with the direct authorization of, Dr. Gebre Ab Bernabas, an official of the Ethiopia government, minister Deta of federal Affairs. The chief of police, Tadesse Haile Sellassie was also involved in carrying out the orders. The operation was known as operation Sunny Mountain and the brigade was No. 43.

The second list contained 250 Anyuak names. Of these, Okello Akuay Ochalla, Okok Ojulo, Cham Ogala, Omot Opiew, Omot Agwa and Akway Oboti are there to be executed. Just to mention few.

During the build up to its campaign against the Anyuak people, the Ethiopian Government disenfranchised the Anyuak politically. In the Gambella region election of may 2000, the Gambella Peoples Liberation Front (GPLF) , 15(28%) seats , a branch of the ruling national Party (EPDRF) did not win against GPDC 38(72%) seats( out of 53 seats for the Gambella region) ,an opposition party called Gambella people Democratic Congress .But, by paying 4 .51 million birr for corruption , they made it possible 40 seats for GPLF and 13 seats for GPDC, after intimidation ,manipulation and delayed announcement of the results, at least for 4 months, which was shameful for them.

Thus central government consequently appointed all regional officers and disbanded all democratically elected regional leaders, denying the Anyuaks their right to the political participation.

This disenfranchisement was aimed at the Anyuak people, and later accompanied by the disarmament of the Anyuak police officers and the incarceration of Anyuak Political leaders. The later tactics occurred just days before the December 13 killing leaving the Anyuak people with little ability to defend them and linking the persecution efforts of Ethiopian Government to its large attacks on the Anyuaks.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On December 13^th 2003, a UN plated vehicle was attacked on the way to Odier, Gambella and 8 people were killed on the spot. The pretext of these massacres was the ambush of a van by unidentified gang, who murdered its occupants, who were Ethiopian government refugees’ Camp officials (ARA). There was no evidence that the killers were Anyuaks.

Without further investigation the people from Anyuak tribe were accused and federal army forces (both in uniform and without uniform) and security people started killing people at 12:00 from the Anyuak indiscriminately. Civilians with highlander ethnic background were also among the killers, but mainly Tigre, Amhara, Oromo, Kambata, Gurage and Hidaya.

On the 1^st day, killing was carried out by shooting indiscriminately into the public on the streets and places, and 40 people were killed. On the second and subsequent days, federal army soldiers went to houses, took people outside, forced them to run and shot them, with automatic rifles. Civilian and security forces without uniform with knives, machetes, clubs and stones and others with sharp objects run after the wounded (or already killed victims), victims mutilated and killed them. Many women raped. The killing was continued. Most of the killings took place during the 1^st -3 days (13-15) when 424 dead were counted. Bodies were taken to the forest and lions and hyenas could be heard during the night. Other bodies were buried into two different mass graves dug with the help of bulldozers.

Houses were looted and burned. Approximately, 400 houses were burned in Gambella town and surrounding areas. Through the looting and burning of the houses, households were deprived of shelter, sleeping gleams, clothes, cooking and eating utensils. Houses were lit by soldiers using matches. Several houses were spitted with no roof.

The troops responded by murdering hounded of Anyuak civilians in Gambella town and surrounding areas. Nuer, who had prior conflicts with anyuak, did not commit the massacres. The government cannot blame the victims. At the time of December 2003, Anyuak massacres, the obvious motivation for the killing and displacement of the Anyuak was exploration for oil by Chinese petroleum companies. On the hands, contracts have been signed granting 99 years leases to huge tracks of Anyuak land, and land grabbing to Chinese, Indians and Japanese companies for agricultural production. These leases are being granted for as little as one dollar over hectare, with all the money going directly to official of the Melese Zinawi government. Signing ceremonies of these leases have included no Anyuak. Melese Zenawi had become one of the richest dictators in the world, after killing the Anyuaks

Honorable fellow Gambellans,

No one has ever brought to justice in Ethiopia for the massacres of 424 Anyuak in Gambella, Ethiopia on December 13-15 2003 and genocide massacres that killed 1000 more Anyuak in 2004.

In light of this, evidence and destruction occurred in the Gambella region since 2003, has clearly established a sufficient, showing of force that displaced 51,000 Anyuak within Gambella, over 2000 houses were burnt slaughtered Anyuak livestock and destroyed Anyuak crops by military forces and highlander militias.

The Ethiopian military personnel and highland militiamen would rape 164 Anyuak women at gunpoint, clearly demonstrating a threat of force. Regarding the group distinction, it appears the Ethiopian Government has targeted the Anyuak people specifically and reports of persecution and discrimination against Anyuak by the National and local authorities date back to the 1980s. The Ethiopian government disarmed only Anyuak forces, following the collapse of the Derg in 1991, signaling a continued pattern of discrimination. It is reasonable to argue that the Ethiopian government has specifically targeted the Anyuak people as a group in its persecution efforts.

The Gambella case further identified several relevant factors, including a political objectives (or) ideology… to destroy or weaken a community of Anyuak. For instance, the repeated and continuous commission of inhuman acts linked to one another, the preparation and use of significant public or private resources and the implication of high level military and authorities.

There is ample evidence to support the existence of a state policy to attack the Anyuak. In an interview, Okello Akuay Ochalla, the former regional governor of Gambella, who is now living in exile Europe/Africa, claimed that he was with Tsegage Beyene, the Regional commander of Ethiopia Military forces, when Beyene received a call from Barnabas Gebre Ab, Ethiopian minister of federal affairs for the state of Gambella just before the start of the killings on December 13^th 2003. Okello declared that Beyene then ordered Ethiopian troops to attack Anyuak in Gambella. When he pleaded with Beyene and Omot Obang Olom to stop the killings, Beyene responded, “all Anyuaks are the same, they are butchers”. Okello further asserted that he called Gebre Ab to ask for the end of violence but the minister only told him to tell Beyene to increase the military forces. The Ethiopian military continued to maintain a significant presence of 15,000 troops remained in the region and there were multiple accounts of helicopters gunshot attacks on the Anyuak people.

Attacks against Anyuak have been primarily against civilians. In addition, the number of victims in Gambella far outpaces any estimates of armed rebels in the area. The government has knowledge of attacks against the Anyuaks,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Anyuak people share racial and ethnic characteristics that are different from the other groups in Ethiopia. The majority of Anyuak live specifically in the Gambella region of Ethiopia (through disproportionate amounts currently live in Refugee camps in Southern Sudan, Kenya and some in Australia, USA, Canada and Europe after resettlement by the UNHCR due to the violence which took place in Gambella). Additionally, they are recognized as a group by the Ethiopian Government people from other ethnic groups within Ethiopia and by the International community. Within Ethiopia, the Anyuak have been termed African” as opposed to Ethiopian by other groups and the Anyuak are perceived to different ethnically and linguistically. Thus the Anyuak people can be termed as recognizable, stable and permanent group and the 1^st criteria for the determination of genocide can be satisfied. And then, the Gambella case can be related to the cases of Rwanda and Yugoslavia from the view of those perpetrators who wish to single out that group of Anyuaks from the rest of the Gambella community.

Ethiopian government forces as well as highlander militias have inflicted widespread physical and mental harm on the Anyuak people. For instance: - beatings, torture, rape, unlawful detention and destruction, and looting of property. It is reasonable to argue that the Ethiopian government has deliberately attempted to impose conditions on the Anyuak people so as to bring about the destruction of the group. In addition, systematic killings and physical harm of Anyuak have continued. They also destroyed or confiscated homes across the Gambella region causing Anyuak to flee their property and head to refugee camps in Sudan and Kenya. Livestock and crops were destroyed. They have specifically targeted men for execution and have raped scores of women in an attempt to impregnate them with children who are not wholly ethnically Anyuak to bring about physical destruction of the Anyuak as a group.

Anyuaks in refugee camps in South Sudan and in Kenya estimated to be close to 20, 000 people. Given the relatively small population of Anyuaks, these number show high level of atrocities in Gambella. There was a coordinated military operation to systematically eliminate Anyuak people from Gambella. It is clear that the National Government and its military remain, the principal agents behind the violence still occurring in the Gambella region. Government officials declared in public “we will wipe you all (Anyuak) out of this place”. There will be no Anuak land. Such statement in conjunction with sanctions by the highest levels of the government indicates a manifest intent to destroy the Anyuaks in Ethiopia.

Considering that there are only 100,000 Anyuaks, and then the killings represent a substantial part of Anyuak group of approximately 9% (1424) of the total population. Some Anyuak villages have been entirely depopulated with all people killed or deprived out of their region. Due to the December 2003, massacres and continued violence against the Anyuak, evidence to support the genocidal intent on behalf of Ethiopian government and highlanders is growing. At least, 1500 and perhaps as many as 2500 Anyuak citizens have died, while hundreds remain uncounted for or have disappeared. Most Anyuaks killed were intellectuals, leaders and members of the educated and student classes- individuals with most capability of leading a resistance. The growing number of people affected by the violence demonstrates the government intent t to destroy the Anyuak “in part”. The planned campaign against the Anyuaks is a coordinated effort to destroy the group in “whole or in part”.

Atrocities have continued up to now. Hundreds of villagers from Abobo district fled the military operations and crossed into neighboring country southern Sudan in June 2012. More than 80 people arrived in refugee camp in Korom, 20 kilometer away from Juba. Villagers who fled Gambella to southern Sudan reported new abuses by the security forces under the villiagiation programmes.

They reported a persistent violence, lack of services, killings and intimidation in the sites to which they had been moved despite government pledge to provide them. And existing villages from where people were moved were being destroyed to prevent people from returning to their original homes

In June 2012, 15 Anyuaks with the capacity to defense them and other 3 Anyuaks before two years were forcefully deported to Ethiopia with the help of South Sudan government. And 4 Anyuaks were killed by South Sudan military forces with the mission of joint, Because, both governments are very closed and formed a friendship which is almost against the Anyuak populations, using war joint forces between Ethiopia and South Sudan to eliminate all and share the Anyuak lands,

Honorable, fellow Gambellians,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In conclusion, the crimes have been committed on the widespread and systematic basis with the violence occurring across Gambella over a span of time (May 2004) even up to now. The Anyuak have suffered acts of murder, physical and sexual violence and sustained persecution and forces transfer from their homes as a direct result of the actions of the Ethiopian Government and Highland militia. The Ethiopian government has perpetrated the acts as a part of large policy of attacking the Anyuak and therefore had knowledge of the policy. Thus, the Ethiopian government has been directly involved in the perpetration of a number of enumerated acts required to fulfill a finding of crimes against humanity. Furthermore the actions of the government have still continued and are found to have committed these crimes as part of a broader intent to destroy the Anyuak people wholly or partially as a group, also fulfilled the definition of “Genocide”

Then, under successive Ethiopian regimes, people of Gambella, went through hardships, exploitation and killings. Consequently, many indigenous people became refugees, internally displaced and further more became stateless around the world.

In addition, Gambella is neglected and forced to remain underdeveloped compared to other Ethiopian regional states. For instance, education, health, and social services are intentionally poorly disorganized and under resources to keep the people of Gambella vulnerable and illiterate.

Discussion about development in Gambella at the moment is meaning different things such as- deforestation, sexual harassment, systematic enslavement, prostitution, unlawful imprisonment for 20 years like that of Nielsen Mandela in the case of South Africa with the help of Norwegian Government in Trondheim/Norway, lying stealing, cheating, a political dead locked, violating fundamental rules of international law and degrading treatment. It is also meant threatening to be killed (killings), preventing births, enforced sterilization, separation and divorcing, child transferring and family trafficking, persistent violent, intimidation, manipulation and systematic causing mental torturing. And also denying the scientific results of DNA +ve from London research center by Ethiopia and Norwegian governments at all levels, Corruption, stupidity, political crisis, and political game to drive out Anyuaks from Gambella, in order to make them citizens of South Sudan and Kenya for the interest of criminal government of Ethiopia until the land grabbing contract lease period for 99 years is over with the total physical destruction of Anyuak from the world.

The Ethiopian Federal Democratic Republic under villagization and land grabbing policies is committing silent genocide by forceful relocating indigenous people in dry and infertile land where there are no infrastructures and social services.

The people of Gambella reached a climax where they cannot afford to pay the price of the silent genocide. They reject to remain in under the current brutal Ethiopian people revolutionary Front (EPDRF). Therefore, Gambella Democratic Movement (GDM) is formed to fight for realization of self-determination, self-government, and establishment of regional autonomy with in its territorial jurisdiction. The territorial jurisdiction of GDM shall comprise, the territory occupied by the indigenous people of Gambella. These are: Jor, Akobo (Tergol), Thim, Alweru, Ternam (Dima), Jekaw, Openo (Itang), Nykani, Godere and Gambella.

Hereby, the Gambella Democratic Movement (GDM) is committed to fight and liberate the people of Gembella from a yoke of slavery and inhuman treatment and current brutal Ethiopian government. The main objective of GDM is to mobilize the Gambbela people and fight for the independence and form Free State called Democratic Republic of Gambella, with the major policy of Democratization and decentralization system with national interest against ethnicity federalism/ethnicity cleansing and sectarians in Ethiopia. Where they will enjoy the fruits of democracy, freedom and where democratic and human rights are fully protected and respected.

The Gambella –Ethiopia crisis requires a political resolution, rule of law, compensation of dead toll and raped women against Hiv/Aids with the whole discussions (negotiations) to be conducted at international community level mediated by UN-security council member of states (USA, British, Russia or French), but should not be at national security level and with the help of kingdom to be treated at local as a traditional case against Genocide and crimes against humanity. The compensations should be immediately, calculated as 2,500 deaths x25, 000 USD +164 rape/HIV/AIDS x 25, 000 USD = 66,600, 000 USD. The perpetrators must be brought to justice. The political resolution should be Direct Radical Independence (DRI) without considering Referendum to prevent further causalities and then must be by the UN decision, not with the help of Ethiopian and Trondheim community/ Norway, who are pathological liars and Genocide sponsors in Gambella/ Ethiopia and who may live in the outer darkness along with Satan in their respective countries.

Finally, I would like to say that: We know that under the current Ethiopian regime, the people of Gambella are going through difficult conditions and times. This is the right time for all Gambellans to unite under GDM’s constitution and program to fight for freedom of our people.

Thank you very much!

The writer can be reached at Mano, remo62@yahoo.com

Okello Akuay Ochalla is Chairman of Gambella Democratic Movement (GDM). Mr. Ochalla was the former Governor of Gambella State in Ethiopia.

Second Response to Mr. Ambassador Cham Ugala’s article: Wonderful Skill, But Applied for a Wrong Purpose!”

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 02:16:00 GMT

By Opamo Oboya, Australia - First of all, your reaction to my poem on the Anyuaa radio has made me very happy and proud because I have achieved my mission in annoying and embarrassing you which indicated that you are not only a guy who doesn’t know and trace who he is, but also a black Tigrian with a mind of smelly garbage junks.

Orogala! You mentioned positive things about me (according to you), but unfortunately I give you no credit because you haven’t done any single good for the Anyuaae except running around like a hungry beast to get a piece of bone that one day ended you to be beaten and thrown into a cool bath-room and left you with your life hanging on a balance. This is of no strange to any Anyuaa as it is the result of your greed and the pumping-up of your large intestine beyond the normal biological capacity which forced/is still forcing you to back-bite your innocent fellow Anyuaae to be killed by Tigrians in return for a single 350mm Bedelle Bear or a single meal you could put on the table.

Orogala! You also mentioned about my group. To make it clear for you, “my group” unlike yours, is a group made up of well-talented fellows devoted/ devoting day and night for the benefit of the Anyuaae of today and for the generations to come. Contrary to this, yours is made up of outcasts; those who say Gambela is peaceful while their fellow Anyuaae are being intentionally exterminated in their twenties on a daily basis; those who preach of the so-called “DEVELOPMENT” when their ancestral land is being given to foreign investors in thousands of hectares while the original owners are thrown away into the barren; those who party when injustice is done to any Anyuaa; and those who don’t know where they will end-up or go when the EPRDF’s regime expires. Would you change your black color to brown so that you would become a Tigrian and flee to Tigrai? So, Orogala! Your right name is not “Caam”but “cam” (Anyuaa name for food). Therefore, running around to fill your stomach with whatever junks you get in return for selling out your fellow relatives to EPRDF is the aggregate vision of yours, your groups and the like-minded sell outs.

Orogala! You mentioned that I left Ethiopia for fear of my life. Yes! That is true because my nature doesn’t tolerate any injustice being done to Anyuaae and it is a tactical retreat to gather pace for a bitter struggle. By the way! Was it your ambition for me to stay in Gambela so you could sabotage against me by strategizing a “MOCKED WEL-COMING PARTY” to be killed by your EPRDF masters as you did to O’Medi? To do this, you were directly sent from Addis by your Wayanne masters to meet and convince the educated Anyuaae based on the claim that Anyuaae were the only people in the region that oppose the principles of EPRDF particularly those from Gog district. Then, what did you do that afternoon after O’Medi spoke (in English instead of Amharic) against you and your very mission to try to convince the Anyuaae in that particular meeting that you organized? You immediately reported this to your EPRDF masters in Gambela that ended up with the kidnapping and murdering of the golden citizen of Gambela by Tadesse and other two people late that night. Then, did you try to find out what has happened and the whereabouts of O’Medi in the morning and the subsequent days? The answer is a “BIG NO”. You kept silent as you knew what you have done: mission accomplished! So, Orogala! Don’t try to blindfold people by the blanket of “the blood relationship that you have with O’Medi” as this is the best EPRDF killing strategy of the decade.

Orogala! Don’t you know that there is already a blood in your hands? You must know from now-on that your existence is NONE for the Anyuaae which puts you in a position that a DEAD ANYUAA is 100 times worthier than you. Whatever reason you bring forward is nonsense since you are already on the list. No one has enlisted you, but you enlisted yourself and wrote your name very carefully and decoratively with O’Medi’s blood.

You mentioned that I am a hot tempered and not suitable to becoming a President. Yes! My temper turns hot whenever the right of a single Anyuaa is violated; a square meter of Anyuaa-land is given to an investor while the owner is being kicked out by force as what is being done these days by your masters with your mouth shut. Is this what you meant “cool headed”? Kissing the feet of your Tigrian masters while your own citizen Anyuaae are being slaughtered day and night? Is this the marvelous way (according to you) to lead Gambela when you preside as the governor as your dream clearly tells us? Shame on you fellow! If this is what you think is “good”, then, you are wrong of all the wrongs! If this is the mind you used in heading the Ethiopian Embassy in Ghana and Uganda, EPRDF is“real garbage of dead minds” with you spearheading the line-up. I never wish you wisdom to your dead mind!

The writer could be reached at: opamooboya@yahoo.co.uk

Response to Mr. Ambassador Cham Ugala’s article: Wonderful Skill, But Applied for a Wrong Purpose!”

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 17:41:00 GMT

By Abulla Agwa, Australia - We understand that in this modern world, self-identity is very important. Meaning, someone should ask himself or herself simple questions such as who am I? Who am I serving? What my community is benefiting? How best can I use my skills and talent to serve my region and country?

The reason why I begin with self-identity is to help my readers to understand where I come from to respond to Ambassador Cham Ugala’s article “A wonderful skill, but applied for a wrong purpose!”

I respect the views and thoughts of Ambassador Cham for sharing with us what he knew about Opamo Oboya. In deed, I highly appreciate Ambassador for coming out in public today with his real name so that every Anyuak knows who he is and what he is standing for. To my sincere knowledge, Mr Opamo Oboya is one of the respected sons of Gambella who devoted his life and skills for his own people (the people of Gambella). He is not a hot tempered person as constructed by the Ambassador Cham, but he loves his people, proud of being an Anyuak, and identifies himself as an Anyuak more than Mr. Ambassador who is serving TPLF/EPRDF which is exterminating Anyuaks from the world map.

As you mentioned in your article Mr Opamo Oboya cowardly fled for his life when his service was needed at most by the region; this is far from the reality. Opamo is not like you who betrays his own people and serves TPLF/EPRDF dictatorship government that killed and committed genocide against his own people (the Aynuaks during day light in December 13, 2003). Opamo does not put his stomach first and the Anyuak the second like you who are serving a government that kills and exterminates your race from this planet. The choice is whether to stand with Anyuaks and identify oneself as an Anyuak like what Opamo Oboya did/is doing or to stand with TPLF/EPRDF like what you were/are doing to facilitate genocide and apartheid land grabbing policy to eliminate the Anyuak once and for all.

I want my readers to know who you are and what you said during the darkest and gloomiest history of Anyuak people: December 13, 2003. You were contacted in the brightest morning of December 14, 2003 while you were an Ambassador of Ethiopia to Uganda by the Anyuak refugee representatives in Kenya. In addition, I am sure that you might have received phone calls from other Anyuaks as well. The purpose of the phone call was for you as an Anyuak to quit from your position as a protest against the brutal act of TPLF/EPRDF on your fellow Anyuaks.

However, your response was that “only few Anyuaks were killed by Nuers and there is no need to make noise about minor regional problem. I am representing Ethiopia, but not Gambella. Therefore, this is a responsibility of regional state and I have nothing to do with this minor issue”.

Is this what was expected from you as an educated Anyuak who has a sense of feeling for his people?

I was not surprised to hear that from you because you were seriously beaten twice by the ruling party until you pleaded for your life. Yet you are still serving the same government that treated you and your community as a second class citizen in their own country. Still you are promoting the values and ideology of TPLF/EPRDF which is advancing apartheid system and concentration camps in Gambella Regional State like what happened in South African. I believe not only Mr Opamo Oboya, but any Anyuak who has a common sense was/is right to question your creditability, capability and identity.

This time the people of Gambella will not be deceived because they know very well who are their real sons and daughters. For example, in 2000 General Election in Gambella Regional State, both of you stood for election in Gok Constituency. You were a candidate of the TPLF/EPRDF affiliated regional ruling party, the Gambella People’s Democratic Front /GPDF/ and Opamo Oboya represented an opposition party Gambella Democratic Congress /GPDC/. Even though Opamo Oboya was arrested and denied of election campaign to give way for you, the people of Gok Constituency made their verdict. Opamo Oboya won the election by big margin vote while in prison and you lost. This is to justify that people of Gambella not only questioning your credibility and capability, but your identity as an Anyuak.

Mr Ambassador, do you think that Anyuak are not aware that you are responsible for disappearance of late Obong Medi. You were the one who organized the party and invited Obang Medi and other people to your party as a pretext to assassinate Obang Medi. At the end of the party, you invited the TPLF/EPRDF security personnel to kidnap Obang Medi, the true son of Gambella who devoted his time and skills to assist his people. You betrayed Obang Medi for your stomach and used his life and blood as a ladder to power and now you went to do it to Mr Opamo Oboya to renew your contract with TPLF/EPRDF. For someone like you who is an easy going, greedy for power and money, he is the one being used against his own people by TPLF/EPRDF as an agent of divide and rule policy.

Mr Ambassador, don’t be ignorance- not simply of letters but of life, of humanities and social justice. You should understand that poverty without a cent, without a home, without land and race is the worst thing of all. To be a poor Anyuak is hard but to be a poor and distinct race in your own ancestral land is the very bottom of hardships and indeed the sum of all villainies, the cause of all sorrow, the root of all trauma and depression.

Mr Ambassador, be aware that to be trusted and given power in the TPLF/EPRDF, you should Kill and deny your close family members and relatives as you did to Obang Medi and as Okichi Olom did in December 13, 2003.

I confirmed that this is why the true sons and daughters of Gambella like Opamo Oboya has chosen to live in exile rather than being used like you as an architect of genocide and land grabbing to eliminate the Anyuaks. Mr Ambassador, emancipation from the Jaw of TPLF/EPRDF is the key to a Promised Land of sweeter and beauty where every nation and nationality in Ethiopia is respected and treated equally.

I believe Opamo Oboya is not insulting and spoiling your name, but the poem was a yellow signal for you to check and watch your step before you go too far. Finally, time will come soon for you and other TPLF/EPRDF’s stooges to face trial for your evils committed against Anyuak people.

May God save Anyuak from TPLF/EPRDF’s jaw!

This piece of comment is written by Mr. Abulla Agwa. You may reach him via abulla.agwa@hotmail.com

A Wonderful Skill, But Applied for a Wrong Purpose!

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 06:00:00 GMT

By Ambassador Cham Ugala Uriat - Irrespective of the colors of their skins, human-beings are created equal by God, the Omnipotent. Black, white or whatever the color may be, all human races have the same biological needs. All of them need food, get thirst in the same way and even they reproduce in the same manner since their ancestor, Adam, was created. Through time, different characters started to emerge among different groups of human race due to different factors and various geographical locations. Different values, norms, languages and cultures among different groups of human race came about as a result of long years of practicing these characters.

As a distinct group of human race,the people called Anywaa, have their own values, norms, culture and Dha-Anywaa as their language. These are the basic characters of the Anywaa people that make them different from other tribes in the world today. The ways they think, how they relate to other people and even the skills they apply to solve the problems are highly influenced by the norms and values they have developed for the years. The Anywaa people are shaped by their culture to be disciplined and respective people in those good years. In the Anywaa land theft, prostitution, telling lies and other sort of vices were considered evil until very recent when other cultures started to diffuse in to their territory which threatened the golden culture they have before. As we speak today, most of the good aspects of values and norms of the Anywaa people are not there any more.

I am raising this big issue not to lecture my readers, though. The reason why I am raising it is simply to serve the purpose of my article in a particular way. As you may all know, acknowledgement and recognition are very important tenets of Anywaa culture since time immemorial. Even though these norms are hardly practiced in our communities these days, I would like to praise and acknowledge what Mr. Opamo Oboya has been doing for the benefit of our society so far in a more sincere manner. Mr. Opamo was an excellent teacher and a nice artist. I knew that he was performing good revolutionary songs during the Dergue regime in our village, Pignhudo, where both of us hailed from. It is with conviction to say that he was very good in performing the songs in those days. Another thing for which I would like to praise Mr. Opamo here is that the poem he has delivered on Anyuak Radio recently. Even though, my name was among the names of those guys mentioned in the poem, I think , Mr. Opamo deserves to be praised as he is contributing his God given skill to promote our language. If we really want to promote and develop our culture and artistic values, then it is imperative that people with certain skills, like Mr. Opamo, should be encouraged by all concerned bodies to do their best.

Art is one of the Soft Powers by which many nations are using to strengthen their influences around the world today. For instance, the U.S.A. doesn't use hard power more often even though it is the number one owner of different sophisticated weapons in the world. Americans are using their foods, musics, films, sports and other activities as their soft powers to promote their values and norms and they are successful in doing that. By the same token, if we want to promote our values and culture, no question that Mr.Opamo will be one of the artists that are needed for this purpose.

Having said that, I hope, Mr. Opamo and his group will not get annoyed to raise few of his weak sides after I praised him in the way I did above. To start with, Mr. Opamo is my elder, age wise. As we all know, in typical Anywaa culture, the people who belong to different age groups do not mingle and go together on certain social events. Due to this fact, I can say that I did not know very well how Mr. Opamo Oboya was behaving among members of his age group. Incidentally, I have got few chances to know more about Opamo after the death of the all times hero of the Anywaa people, Agwa Wara- Alemo. To be precise, when the formal Regional Government was established in Gambella in early 1990s, there was a need for intellectuals to be nominated as the heads of different bureaux by the time. As many of my readers may recalled, there were only five Anuak guys with university degrees when the Dergue regime was collapsed in 1991. As the result, the newly formed regional government under the presidency of Mr. Okello Oman, the man I will always adore with respect, has decided that those who have college diplomas should be included to fill the gap which was a noble idea as we had no sufficient qualified people at that time like what we have today. Opamo was one of those guys who had the necessary requirements. At that moment, when Opamo heard about this news, he went to Okello Baw and said " Okello! Would you want to be assassinated in the same way of what has happened to Agwa Wara- Alemo?" and Okello Baw said No! I don't want. After that Opamo fled to Abobo. When I heard this, I was surprised and astonished by what he has done. Now, the Opamo who wrote the poem, is he the same Opamo who cowardly fled for his life when his service was needed at the most by the region? I think, Mr. Opamo squarely knows how I have reached at the place I am today. How on earth can he question my credibility and capability when he himself is the living witness to tell the truth? He has no moral authority to tarnish my well built reputation in the way he did. I will never allow that to happen.

If Opamo wants to be a president of Gambella, why he doesn't come back to do that. He has to know that he can't be a president shouting in somebody's land. Further more, he has to know that any person who wants to be a leader, should be a cool headed, not a hot tempered person like him. Gambella has got decent sons and daughters who have the capacities and capabilities to lead it to the promised level in a marvelous way. Finally, let me say this as a piece of advice. Mr. Opamo is not a well versed politician. Rather, he is a well versed artist who should be reminded to apply his skills in a fruitful way for the benefits of Anuak generations to come. Please, wake up and do the best thing that is required from you for our people. Insulting and spoiling names of other innocent people will not make wise enough. The activities you are doing today will be the yardstick by which people will measure you about your credibility in the future. OK, my dear brother? May God gives you a wisdom so that better ideas will prevail to you soon.

Sincerely,

Dwør ngaap mar juuc Gambëëla moa no dwätö gi ki tøng mare.

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 10:07:00 GMT

Rem Anywaa poot këëdö: Waani, wa caana pänh cwïny marwa kiper nyïmëëkwa moa näk cwøw ki moa näk mään moa thøw ni wa cïppa cøm cwïny jï moa bøth dhi thøø ni beeye thøø mana tïïc dïgänyi Meles u Zenawi ki akooma mare man mar näk en; ni eni dïïra wï jur Anywaa man ni bëëdö yi Ithiopia ki jï kun wø päth cängngi yie en. Ni beeye mana tïïe ri dwääa apaar kur rieø, adäk ri cwiiri ma 2003.

Dwääa apaar kur rieø, 13 cwiiri ma 2003, beeye dïcäng mana dwøk leerø mar Anywaa yi muudhö yie, ni bung ngat mo wïïe wïl kigø. Akooma man ni raac na mar Thïgrö/EPRDF en, wï jur Anywaa adïïre ki dïcäng ma maac; ni ö Anywaae ma 424 moa no kwäänyö ni tïïc jwïëcgi ni tør ki dïcäng aciel. Na tïme na køør nïne møøgø thuwø, Anywaae mo kaala 1000 ni obwöre ki mään okur rigi anäk ni konygi yi buur aciel dï Gambëëla.

Ba’ teeng gïn mo raac mo caala man poot bungø mo nø tïïc wala mo di tïïö yïth akoom mo mïëri moii ni nut baät piny ii mo jïgi da akooma ma mar ciik ma mar democracy.

Ni paa näk mana näk jiyi kigø keere, akoom dïgänynye ni beeye akoom Thgïrö/EPRDF, Anywaae mo kaala kuma acöör wøk nyi ngöömö man näk ma ngööm kwäcgi ( ni beeye ngööm Gambëëla) ni tïmgi ni gena wëëlle yïth mïëri mo wøk; ni beegi Cudan man en maal ki man en piny, ki Kenya.

Akoom Thïgrö/EPRDF beeye dïgänynyi, mo bung ajuk ki akem wïïe, ni bëëdö ni bung gïn kwanye ki ri bääyö mare. Dïcängi, ni köö eni ni eni tïnga paac maal wala ki nyeng ööny paac maal, ena cäk tïmö ni dïïra wïth jure moa en dï ngööm Gambëëla bäre.

Ki køør policy mare man na mar cam ngøøm, ki käädö man na mar Ajeeny en, juc Gambëëla ma kume, tïïe nee döönggi ni bung ngöömö jïgi, ni tïmgi ni gi rangnga køny ki bang juc wøk ni geno kïth yïth twëëre kany mo bung gïn mo di tïïö kipergi yie; teeng ka pïïy mo tøng, ki øt-jaath, ki øt-göör.

Ba’ dïcäng man dïcangi, wa para wïthwa ki bïngwier cwiiri moa ö nyïïmëëkwa moa näk cwøw ki moa näk mään na rwääny jwïëcgi yie. Ni beeye dïcäng mana raac na jwør gïïa leth yie ki ri leerø man näk ma mar Anywaa.

Ni gïnu meetwa bääte nø beeye en, waani wa na jø ngaap mo dwätö mar tuung røk kiper wïth juuc Gambëëla ii, wa cwöttö ni wa cwøla Anywaae kargi bëët nee dwätgi na aciel ri ngäp ki akoom Thïgrö/EPDRF man noo løny ni päththa bäät uume en.

Wa thuwø, jø ngaap mo Ithiopia moa no cungngö kiper democracy ki jap dwätö moa näk ma mo jiyi jaak; gi pëënywa pëënyö kiper nee cunggi ki waani na aciel ri ngap man ni ngapwa ki akoom Thïgro/EPDRF en, nee dïcäng mano ö cwøwi no cäkgi leerø mo nyään tïïö yie, nee tïme ni tïïcwa na acieli ki geni.

Waani, wa käädhö!

Wëëlo man käla bang koomiti mar tuung røk mar juuc Gambëëla moa no dwätö

An Answer to “Get It Right!”

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 05:00:00 GMT

By Apee Ojulu, Minnesota, USA - Dear Haimanot or Ajwomo, I would like to extend my sincere thank you to you for your interest in debate about issues affecting our community. I believe in public debate because it is the foundation of how things are resolved in the modern world. But your government is very afraid of allowing free debates in the country because it does not believe it can defend it actions in a free debate. Has your government been a very open to debate, this debate could have taken place in either Gambella or Addis Ababa, not across oceans.

Anyway, let me respond to your four major points you made in your three messages I read. I am going to respond to these four major points in the following way: For clarify, I am going to respond to each point for readers to follow my responses here.

Negotiations between Anuak

In your article you argued that the Gambella Regional government and the ‘extreme diaspora’ are fighting day-in and day out. The solution to this feuding, you suggest, is for the ‘extreme diaspora’ and the Gambella regional government to sit down and discuss their differences. You seemed to suggest the conflict is between Anuak in diaspora and those in Gambella. I just want to remind you that the conflict in Gambella is between the Ethiopia federal government and survivors of those it murdered on day light of December 13. If there is any negotiation should be between December 13 survivors and the federal government in Addis Ababa.

The regional government in Gambella is simply a pawn that is being used by the central government to achieve its objectives there, such selling Gambella land to foreign corporations. It is not an entity any one in his right mind would negotiate with.

Given your unfamiliarity with the conflict in Gambella, I suggest you first re-study how the conflict started and who were its perpetrators and who were its victims. I know you may know this but decided to pretend you do not know the facts so that your next promotion interview would not be difficult since you acted against the interest of your community.

Extreme Diaspora

Furthermore, you suggested in your article that the Anuak diaspora community is extreme and just as bad as the regional government in Gambella Town. Opposing crimes that was committed during day light like December 13 is not extremism. In fact, as a government official, it is what you should have done, standing up and be accounted among those who work as their people representatives to government but not government representatives to their own people. The position of the Anuak diaspora community from the beginning is that the crimes the federal government has been committing in Gambella must stop and remedies are put place to prevent future recurrent of these crimes. Have the Ethiopia federal government done this? The answer is no. Then how can you accuse the Anuak diaspora community as is extremist element when the criminal (federal government) refused to accept responsibility for the crimes it committed in Gambella?

The regional government did not murder Anuak. You should ask your colleague Okichi about this. Okichi said during the evaluation of his regional government that he only provided the names of those murdered to the federal government and Meles, your then boss, ordered the killings of Anuak. Does accepting the truth hurt you like your fear of speaking out on the behalf of Anuak you are supposed to represent? We know that the Regional government in Gambella town has neither the power to order the federal police nor the military who were involved in December 13 without prior authorization from Addis Ababa.

Focus on Development

You also advised the Anuak Diaspora community in your article should focus on developing Gambella (Pochalla and Akobo) instead of getting involved in politics. Before you offered your advice on this issue, the Anuak Diaspora community started investing in Gambella right after the majority of them started arriving in the west in the mid-1990s. The fruit of their investment is the reason why you are seeing some sort of resident buildings in Gambella, especially in Gambella Town and Pinyudo. The Anuak Diaspora community was and still interested in further investment in Gambella.

However, your government has not been very receptive to the Anuak Diaspora community investment. One thinks of the efforts of a group of Anuak here that created the General Business Corporation (GBC) over a decade ago and bought a bus to start their business in Gambella. One military general of your government took their bus and turned it into his personal business venture to transport and pocket the cash. This was one incident in a long list of obstacles your government has been putting place to block Anuak who are interested in starting businesses in the region.

Furthermore, economic development cannot be created by the Anuak Diaspora community alone. TPLF has been building their region using the resources in the country’s treasury. As a government official, why do not you ask for the same development fund and start development projects in Gambella? Your job is not supposed to just earn salary for your personal use only but also advocate for resources for the regional economic development. Have you done this so far?

Accommodating different views

In your last e-mail you advised us to accommodate different views. At Gambela Today we accommodate different views all the time. The last person I expect to offer an advice on media freedom is an official of the regime in Addis Ababa. The global medial advocate organizations ranked the Addis Ababa regime last in media freedom. Why do not you start asking your government to free journalists it imprisoned because they reported news as they saw them? You are working for the government that has one radio, one telecommunication, one internet provider and one view for population on every aspect of life. Those who work for these type of governments should start reform with their governments before they demand media freedom from others who are well ahead of them in media freedom.

Gambela Today has a policy against people who do not want to use their names. We believe that when one wants to participate in any debate, the person has also to be willing to use their names because when a reader reads an article that reader is not just reading the article but evaluating its author. We do not want Hitler to use Johnson as his name and claim that he was the person who saved Jews. We gave you a pass this time. Next time you write an opinion, we would use your real name.

Extreme Amhara

In your e-mail to Obang Metho, copy to Gambela Today, you accessed Obang as the Amhara mouthpiece. How did you come to this conclusion? Obang leads his own organization and he is not a member of any of the political parties. His speeches to Amhara you have alluded to he only gave them like the sayings goes, “your enemy’s enemy is your friend.” Most Amhara opposed your regime for crimes it is committing against them, so the ideal partner for anyone opposing the regime is to partner with them and other who are opposed to the regime.

Moreover, you suggested that TPLF has done a lot in Gambella. What has TPLF regime has done for the people of Gambella? Dergue you claimed as the Amhara regime built Openo bridge and the airport. What has the TPLF build in Gambella? December 13 genocide, land grab, and pushing Anuak to refugee camps in South Sudan and Kenya? Do you really call these crimes achievements and you are proud of them? Compare what TPLF has done in its power base,Tigray region, and what it has done in Gambella. Wake up fellow!

Amhara did not kill Anuak on December 13 or have done anything close to crimes the current regime has been committing in Gambella. Who is in an untenable position: Obang Metho who is leading his own organization and giving speeches to Amhara who have no Anuak blood on their hands or you who are chatting with the same officials who are committing crimes in your region?

Fellow, if any Anuak is seeking advice on what community in Ethiopia he or she should alley herself or himself with, the last person to be asked is you. You are the least qualified because as you sit you chatting with the regime officials who inflicted enormous pains on Anuak society. You should reflect a bit on these issues.

December 13

Moreover, in the same e-mail to Obang Metho you acknowledged that December 13 has happened but argued that we should no longer continue discussing it. Here you seemed to not know the reasons why the Anuak diaspora remain deeply committed on keeping pressure on the regime.

There are two main reasons that are motivating the Anuak diaspora community to keep the issue of December 13 alive. One is because the chapter has not been closed. The December 13 survivors are in refugee camps in South Sudan and Kenya. Their fates remain uncertain. More importantly, the remains of those your government murdered remained in mass graves and the government does not allow their relatives to retreat their bodies and properly bury them.

The Anuak Diaspora community understands that there are bad governments everywhere in the world like your regime that even have committed far worse than your government did in Gambella. Nonetheless those governments have demonstrated their maturity. To close chapters on their crimes, those governments who committed them rose to the occasions and accepted responsibility for their crimes and re-buried their victims in proper way and apologize to the relatives of those they murdered. Have your government done this?

By the way, TPLF has built shrines to commemorate their death Dergue killed during the market hours and beyond. Each year they remember their deaths, as they should, but the same officials are telling you that those they killed in Gambella are “thieves.” Do not you see the contradictions between their commemoration of their deaths and their denial of your own? Do you really need someone to remind you about this fact? To assure you, the Anuak diaspora community will continue to keep December 13 alive now and in the future; it will bring it to Gambella after the demise of the current regime and it will be held on both sides of the border.

In conclusion, the title of your article should have been more appropriate if you have titled it, “I Got it Wrong.” On the four points you raised you got each point wrong. Facts are: the conflict in Gambella is between the federal government and its victims, Obang is not a member of Amhara political parties, continued focus on December 13 is because the regime has not follow the proper road of closing a chapter on crimes and Gambella Today, unlike your government, does not suppress different views. I wonder sometime about the regime officials’ political orientation. Does the first sentence in the TPLF political orientation manual says deny the fact first and then offer factually inconsistent arguments to defend one position?

Apee ojulu can be reached at pochalla@yahoo.com and feel free to send him your comment, question, or/and concern you may have regarding

Get It Right

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 00:43:00 GMT

By Ajwomo Omot - First of all I wish my readers a " Happy and Prosperous Ethiopian New Year". It is a long time since I had posted my last article. I am here again to contribute what I thought may benefit the Anywaa people. There is a saying that goes like " when the two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers". I have been thinking about this idea for quite sometimes now and finally, I thought it would be beneficial to all members of the Anywaa society if it is posted on one of the medias that are most frequently used. In my opinion, the extreme diaspora and the regional leadership in Gambella are the two elephants that I am talking about. They are the ones that are fighting against each other day-in and day-out. The silent majority of Anuak diaspora and those back home are those I considered as the grass that suffers under the legs of these mentioned big animals.

In any modern society, there are different type of instruments that are used as deterrents to prevent violent and other sort of problems not to occur. Apart from law enforcing instruments, there are people or group of people who can mediate and those who make researches ( think tanks ) and put their best ideals at the disposal of the communities and policy makers to use them. In a typical Anuak society the elders are the king makers. They are the people who mediate between the feuding groups and help to reach at solutions. In these days, as a society, I think we don't have yet the so called " think tank" groups either in the first world where the Anuak diaspora situated or back home. In the situation like this, it is very difficult to bring two opposite groups to the middle ground where they can talk and deliberate frankly to solve their problems.

The two elephants mentioned above may have their own opinions how to solve the problems of our people. If both of them are taking the stand that say, " it is my way or go to hell" kind of argument, I think there is a big problem that needs be solved immediately. In my candid opinion, these two groups have not got it right. Three years ago, I wrote an article that aimed to remind the Anuak diaspora to participate in the development of our regions ( Gambella in Ethiopia and Pochalla and Akobo in the Republic of South Sudan ). When I posted that article, South Sudan was not yet an independent country though. Some of our people praised me for the article and the extreme members of Anuak diaspora insulted me and said that I should be the member of the ruling group and by the time I lose my benefits I will drop my ideas that revolving around convincing diaspora to go back home to invest. But, here I am again arguing on the same point.

The philosophy at the back of the political-economy of the current Ethiopian government is clear and very simple. The irony thing is that the leadership in Gambella region and some members of diaspora have not got this simple philosophy yet. The devolution of some political powers, in the form of federalism, to the regions to which it is clearly enshrined in the constitution of Ethiopia was done on purpose. It was done in a sense that the regional leadership will have a political power and, as a result, that will enable them to use that power to help their own people in the final analysis. The question is, did the leadership of Gambella use that opportunity for the last twenty years? The answer is a big No. The leadership in Gambella has failed to bring the elites together to engage them in finding the ways how to solve our common problems. Instead, it is still busy in solving the problems in a primitive style. Regional governments like those of Somali and Beneshangul-gumuz have tried the modern way of negotiating with those, who might have grudges, round the table which have paid them off. Many members of Somali diaspora now are flocking to their region to invest which will change the image of that region very soon. In our case, our president and his stooges are still intimidating the Anuak elites by putting them in prison without appropriate reasons which forced many of them to leave the region for good. On the other hand, the extreme Anuak diaspora are still adamant to their stand not to do their best to bring out the best solutions for the region.

To have political power is good in the way that it will help some body to manipulate things to the benefit of his/her own-self or the mass. We have that political power for the last 20 years and yet we are not better off up to this minute. It is very easy for us to externalize the reasons of our failure. I think it is high time for the two elephants, who have not got it right yet, to come to their senses to do the best thing to our silent majority, the Anuak community as a whole. The key point here is " ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT ". Politics alone doesn't do any thing good to our people. You better have both political and economic powers or remain in a destitute life to which it becomes the daily experience of our people today.

Mr. Obang Medho,

In principle, it is easy to talk about the owners of the country called Ethiopia. It is the people of Ethiopia irrespective of their identities, cultures, ethnecities and other factors. In your article, you have said that " to reclaim the ownership of our country". From whom are you reclaiming the ownership of the country? Don't you know that those guys in power in Ethiopia today are also the same Ethiopians like those Ahmaras you are supporting? If you may not know it, let me tell you here, my brother. The Ahmaras consider themselves as the traditional owners of Ethiopia. Sometimes, I wonder why some body from Gambella like Mr. Obang Medho, who has never benefited in any way, during the time when the Amharas elites occupied the realm of power in Ethiopia for so many years, can talk more than the Amharas themselves? I am afraid that you will be considered like a Bulldozer if you may be able to reclaim the ownership of the country, like you have said. As you may clearly know, a bulldozer is a machine that clears the road first. But, when the road is ready for traffic, the very machine that paved that way, will not be allowed to go along that road because of the damage it may incur.It is the road side that is allowed for it to go by.

The Amharas make you to cry loudly and say, any thing evil under the sun, against the ruling party in Ethiopia today thinking that they love you more than their kins and keiths. Don't fool yourself if you may think that way. I would love to advise you to think twice here. The guys who are with you there as members of opposition groups, are the same guys who are engaged in the business of building real estates and other high-rising buildings in Addis Ababa. But, a poor guy like you, is forced to egage in dry politics as the saying goes. These people are developing the regions from which they have originated. It is easy for them to collect some amount of money for you to go to different states of America and other cities of the Western world and talk on behalf of them. But, I bet you, they will not tell you, in any way, how to develop your own region. The sooner you realize this fact and change the technic of the way you are doing your own things, is the better. The reason why I am advising you is that it seems you are swimming in a vague world. Try to come to your senses and do something tangible to your region and its people. It is true that a tragic problem had happened in 2003 which was really difficult for any Anywaa member to bear and that incident will not be forgotten by all of us for the coming many years. The question is that "should we dance the same way to the same tone of the same drum every year?". I think, it is high time to think about how to dance differently to different tones of the drum. Don't you think so, my dear brother? Don't make yourself like the Deacon who thought he knew about the bible more than the Pope. Leave these Amharas alone and turn your face to where it supposed to be.

Sincerely,

Ajwomo.