Conflict in Gambella region

Geneva, April 20, 2007 - The Sudanese Murle has subjected the Nuer and Anuak people of Gambella Regional State in Ethiopia to repeated cross-border attacks since the beginning of the year.

Historically, people have coped with these cross-border attacks, but the latest attack on the Anuak people were extremely severe, with many casualties recorded.

The president of East Gambella Bethel Synod of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, Ojod Miru, said that some 1,000 armed Murle attackers crossed the border with Sudan on April 11 this year, attacking the Angela Peasant Association, an Anuak village in Jor Wereda (district) of the Gambella Regional State.

Click here to view inhumanity photo

The attacks claimed the lives of 26 people, as well as resulted in loss of livestock and the destruction of property. In total, 200 houses were burnt down, and large herds of cattle belonging to the Anuak raided.

The situation has returned to normal after the police force and local militia intervened, but all social and economic activities have stopped, disrupting day to day life of people in the area significantly.

Some 5,000 people are reported displaced-most of whom have sought shelter under trees, in individual homes and on the premises of institutions in Shantwa, a small town in the Jor Wereda (district).

The affected communities have not yet received any food assistance from the government and/or humanitarian agencies and are in serious need of assistance. Concern has been expressed that the situation may deteriorate if people are left in overcrowded shelters, especially with the imminent onset of the short rainy season.

The Joint Government-Humanitarian verification team deployed to assess the situation is expected to return at the end of this week. The ACT Ethiopia Forum made up of members: Christian Aid, Dan Church Aid, Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, Lutheran World Federation, Norwegian Church Aid and the Swiss Interchurch Aid (HEKS) are in touch with the ACT CO and will be looking at how best to respond to the humanitarian needs once more information is made available from the field.

For further information please contact:

ACT Director, John Nduna (phone +41 22 791 6033 or mobile phone + 41 79 433 0592) or

ACT Program Officer, Michael Hyden (phone +41 22 791 6040 or mobile phone +41 79 285 2916)

ACT Web Site address: http://www.act-intl.org

ACT is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide.

The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.