Press Release by ACANA

Anywa Community Association in North America
(ACANA)

Press Release

ACANA leadership would like to appreciate the courtesy and professionalism of its members to the Gambella delegates last Saturday April 26, 2008.  This really shows that we are very concern about the plight of our community back home. Gambella has unique problems compared to other regions in Ethiopia. The time couldn’t be more right than now to reach out to them. Having said that, we know that people have different perspectives on this initiative. Our political organizations have voiced their opposition to this initiative. We believe they have every right to do so otherwise silence would imply they supported their adversary. Nevertheless, any political organization shouldn’t expect the Anywaa community to act under the shadow of its political ideology. We usually drew a blur line between community organization and political organization at least on the functionality. ACANA decided to engage in dialogue with Gambella authority because the sentiment within our community showed the majority are willing to go for it. That was reflected by the discipline at the meeting. Government comes and goes but communities will always be the there whether they are poor or rich, that‘s the bottom line. Therefore this wasn’t a gut feeling move but a premonition. People are sick of the status quo and our community like any other Ethiopian communities has to do its part. Given the situation in the country, our community has two options; one is to engage this government in order to reach out to our people who desperately need our help. The second option is to maintain the status quo and play hero on the internet because we live in a secure and safe environment, hoping God will help our people one day.  Some of us have chosen the latter but the current community leadership and majority of the community members chose the former. It is a myopic vision to ignore the fact that community can play different role than political interest.

The question forwarded by GPUDF for clear explanation whether ACANA can host memorial service. GPUDF knows very well that the neutrality of ACANA qualified it to host this delegate in the first place; GPUDF should ask itself if it has the mandate and courage to engage the regime politically. Otherwise empty rhetoric on the internet won’t be a panacea to the plight of the Gambella people. By the way, ACANA does it business in public and nobody is going to fool the public by doing its business in the back door while telling the public different story. This kind of behavior is an insult to those who are willing to risk their lives by going home to help their people. The answer to your question is ACANA will always host memorial service unless the community members decided under different leadership. There is a saying that goes, don’t engage your enemy out of fear but you should have the courage to engage your enemy. ACANA was just doing the later. What are we trying to achieve by blaming games?  When we are absolutely incapable of putting our act together for the good of our beloved community. Can we afford the status quo? Some concern individual out of frustration ask question like “what is wrong with us?”  Then we should remind ourselves what Albert Einstein said many years ago he said “insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting different outcome. Therefore, this is exactly what we have been doing for the last few years. Do we really have silver bullet for the problems our people are facing today? Some of us think we do but some of us think we don't. The truth is, we have no clue about what we are capable of doing or if we do, we don't have the courage and commitment to do it. We are so imprison by some of our illusion that we become critical of everything.   Our suggestions to those who opposed to coming of the delegate to America, Please we respect your opinion but don’t impose yours on others. Putting one’s egg in one basket at this time isn’t a good investment. What is wrong hearing from the delegates as many Ethiopian communities did in the past? Who is benefiting from this intransigency?  Let any being with rational figure that out.
 
There is nothing wrong to legitimize what some of us have already started by going home to our people with our fellow American to do something for them. There is thing wrong for our healthcare professional, teachers, and investors to go home and help our people without fearing what politician will say. There is a time for everything. 

Thanks.