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By Anyuak Media
Posted to the web on May 28, 2010 |
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May 28, 2010 (GAMBELLA) — Few days ago, the Anywaa (Anuak) buried Ochudho Odola Oriet beaten to death on his way to his home around the residential area of Omot Obang Olom, Gambella governor. Unidentified group attacked a graduate in Economics Policy and Analysis from University of Addis Ababa. His attackers remain at large with little effort to bring them to justice. Instead, late Ochudho Odola innocent colleagues; Opiew Olok Opiew, Omot Obang Ochalla (Nyikao), Ongech Agwa and four members of Nuer community ended up in police station but later on taken to army barracks, 6 km outside Gambella town for interrogations and torture. They were brought back today on May 28, 2010 to Gambella prison where they remain without trial.
The incident of night attacks far from an end. The Gambella community woke up on Tuesday, May 25, 2010 to find blood at the roundabout in the centre of the town. It became clear the blood was of an eyewitness to the car accident that killed Dambal Otholi. Obang Ongwoch Omot went missing the night before he was due to give testimony the next morning on the car accident that killed Dambal Otholi at Karmi area, 12 km from Gambella town. His remains have not been found despite continued efforts.
The car driver that caused the death of innocent man was caught at Bure, his hometown in Oromia region. Investigated as to why he caused death to innocent man, he said, “Why only me. So many innocent Anywaa (Anuak) have died in the past and their killers have not been brought to justice,” reported our sources. This is an indication Anywaa (Anuak) have died without any legal remedies if their killers are from other parts of Ethiopia.
Even as investigations of the car accident were underway, another young man was beaten at night. He, however, gain control and recovering in the hospital where he said he was beaten by Ethiopian defense forces patrolling at night.
A further investigation is also reported underway for another killing of innocent Anywa (Anuak) women identified as from Nyikwo village.
After interrogations her murder confessed, “This is not the first time I killed Anywa (Anuak). I had killed one Anywa (Anuak) sometimes back while residing at Bathuur area but did not face justice. I relocated to the current area that I killed this young lady”. The murder was a man from a group locally known as Gala or Buny, according to our sources in Gambella.
Such arbitrary killing of innocent Anywaa (Anuak) in their homeland in fact a resurrection of apartheid system in the 21st century, worry many indigenous Anywaa (Anuak) in Gambella and across the world. A man who would like to remain anonymous said, “The killing and arbitrary detention of innocent educated Anywaa (Anuak) reminds me of the death of Steve Biko and other educated Black South African. The current Ethiopian government wants to finish us from our land and I appeal to God fearing governments and international organizations to hear our cry for justice and protection”.
These concerns were echoed by another man who said, “The Ethiopian government have disarmed Anywaa (Anuak) and made them powerless as though they have not fought with the TPLF together to bring to an end the military regime. Even well known GPLM fighters are either killed or suffering in various prisons or exile without valid reasons”.
This trend similar to pre-2003 campaign has taken different toll as people are killed at day or night without any single person being brought to justice. For instance, Okwoy Nyon-nyang was killed last month in the same area where Ochudho Odola Oriet beaten to death. No one was brought to justice for his death. Similarly, Nyang Obang Nyang shot dead three months ago and his killers remain at large. Many more arbitrary killings, disappearances, harassment and arrests are part of Anywaa (Anuak) life in Gambella today.
Asked whether the three Anywaa (Anuak) and four Nuer could be the right suspects for the death of Ochudho Odola, a young man who would want to remain anonymous said, “All of them are innocent and cannot be suspects for the death of Ochudho Odola. In particularly, Opiew Olok and Omot Obang Ochalla (Nyikao) are educated Anywaa (Anuak) who cannot killed their fellow educated Anywaa (Anuak). This is a blackmailing attempt to cover up the killing of Anywaa (Anuak) as they always do. In fact, I am confident that this is done by locally known as Gala or Buny in the inner circle of the governor Omot Obang Olom to twist the truth among the Gambella, Ethiopian and international community”.
Another man bitterly said, “Experiences shows that Meles Zenawi uses the politically inexperienced Omot Obang Olom to eliminate his fellow Anywaa (Anuak) from their ancestral land systematically. In particularly, the educated Anywaa (Anuak) that Omot Obang Olom hates will be the first to die and then the rest”. He went on to say, “The Anywaa (Anuak) do believe in their birth rights as Ethiopian citizens and have been shading their precious blood alongside other Ethiopians to liberate the oppressed, land and protection of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Yet, every government in Ethiopia, especially the current regime that only see abundant of fertile land, oil deposit and other vital natural resources would like to eliminate the Anywaa (Anuak) from their own land. I say if they do not want us let them leave Gambella alone and we will know how to survive”.
In light of the growing instability problem, those interviewed appealed to the international community and organizations to give weight to escalating problems in the region and find amicable solutions in the interest of peace and stability. They said, “We believe that the presence of the army in the town patrolling every corner of Gambella town day and night in fact provide little solutions to ever increasing instability in the region and has been source of current tensions between indigenous Gambella people and ethnic groups from other parts of the country”.
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