Press section (original) (raw)

Background

The state of Gambella is located in southwest Ethiopia bordering the Sudan. In the year 2002 it had total a population of 228,000 of whom 90,517 are Nuer, 62,586 Anyua 13,133 Majanger, the exact population of the Komo and Opo could not be accounted for. The remaining 61,766 belong to non-indigenous settlers from all over Ethiopia. Gambella has a Teachers Training Institute (TTI) with 638 students enrolled to graduate as primary school teachers, an agricultural college where 126 students are enrolled and a TVET where 64 are enrolled. A new agricultural research institute is under construction with 80% of the job already completed.

Since the formation of the state of Gambella, outstanding issues of good governance and economic development lagged behind. There were tensions and at times violent clashes between the ruling parties of the Anyua and Nuer hinged around power sharing and resource distribution. The Nuers felt marginalized and the Anyua elite were not willing to give away their domination. This led to a chain of ethnic conflicts in the year 2001/02. With the help of the Federal Government, an agreement was reached where all indigenous groups were better represented and relative tranquility witnessed for several months.

What happened recently?

On the 13th of December 2003, a tragic riot took place in Gambella town where innocent Anyua civilians were cold bloodedly killed and their houses burnt down by a mob of hooligans and their supporters all of whom were non-indigenous. This was a culmination of previous problems that were simmering.

The number of persons killed and wounded all of them Anyua was surveyed by a task force organized by the regional government and found to be 56 but this could be as high as 60. The number of persons wounded, again from the same ethnic group as surveyed by the task force was found to be 74. Houses (tukuls) burnt-down were 410 and belonged to 324 households. Reports by other independent (non-Ethiopian) individuals who visited the region almost at the same time as the regional government made their own surveys and gave figures not far from the official figures quoted above.

Large populations of students and pupils from the Anyua nationalities has not only discontinued schooling but have fled. Our February data from some schools in the town of Gambella shows that the majority of the pupils and students from the schools have not resumed classes. This is in contrast with the Nuers and other non-indigenous residents who had also run-away but the majority of whom are back and attending schools. The reason for fleeing away from the town can only be fear from the violence (killing and burning).

It has been reported by the BBC that around 16,000 people arrived in Puchala, the Sudan and that these were Ethiopian and Sudanese refugees who had fled from the war in Southern Sudan to Ethiopia. Although we are not in a position to verify the number, our sources estimate more than 10,000 people mostly young students could have crossed the border.

After a relative calm of almost three weeks, more extensive killing of people reportedly occurred on 30th January in the Dima district of Gambella, bordering the Sudan. This time 196 people, were killed of whom 172 were traditional miners mainly from the Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples State. The number of wounded were 25 of whom 15 were from SNNPS and 10 Anyua. These atrocities were conducted by an armed group of over 200 men who claim to be the leaders of the Anyua. This is not, of course the work of the Anyua community but that of perpetrators who pose as their leaders. Others wounded by an armed band of 200 Anyua.

What were the Regional and the Federal Governments doing when these events took place?

During the day of violence i.e. December 13th the only Federal Institution present in Gambella was the Ministry of Defence. They were patrolling the road to Itang where recent killings had taken place. During the event, the defence forces almost singularly quelled the riot. They were able to patrol key institutions such as the Baro Bridge, the TTI with 638 students and other vital institutions while at the same time they arrested the perpetrators. The local police force was overwhelmed. This was the reason which called for the involvement of the army if it was not for the army, the killing and burning could have continued to the next day and spread to other villages and towns.

The Ministry of Federal Affairs dispatched a mission led by the Minister of State responsible for regions together with a Federal Police Force to help the regional government investigate and arrest the perpetrators. The minister visited the houses burnt and talked to the families of victims, the elders and of course the regional government authorities.