If Gambellians are not treated with respect at home, what has the visit of EPDRF Delegates to North America got to do with Gambella Diaspora?

The people of Gambella have been neglected for centuries by Ethiopian governments in Addis Ababa from Haile Selassie, Mengistu and now Meles. If you argue I am wrong, then let proof the fact. Who could compare Gambella town with any other regional city of Ethiopia in terms of development? Gambella town is just like a slump of Nekemte, Bahirdar or Mekele. However, the Gambella people do not take a great deal of it unlike what is happening now although the social marginalisation is palpable.

The worse nightmare was a collateral damage of Gambellians in the hands of Meles’s EPDRF forces in 2003 G.C when hundreds of ordinary Gambellians (all Anyuak) were massacred in their own homes and buried in mass graves. Since then, Meles as, the Prime Minster of the nation did not apologize or give his condolence to the victim families nor did he bring the perpetrators to justice. What Gambellians received was a real threat of their lives on anyone who dare to speak out the truth as to what happened. This resulted in many Gambellians leaving Ethiopia for good including some MPs in the federal parliament in Addis Ababa.

With the land grab issue which is engulfing the Region, I guess the question would be which MP is next to express views of ordinary Gambellians who oppose this mood given that some of our brave MPs were either killed or forced to leave the state in fear of their safety?

To be honest with you my fellow Gambellians, I could assure you that we have to prepare for the worst. The Gambella land is not gone yet. It will all be gone in the name of quasi investment which will kill ordinary Gambellians. Based on my analysis on ‘Gambella’s Hidden Treasurers’, I watched the looming diminishing of the Gambella land which will put the lives of Gambella pastoralist at stake as well as poor other Gambellians who got evicted from their homes.

The President of the Gambella Regional state government has not even a single objection based on his response when asked by the researchers about land issue. I do not think that his vice president has any different ideas either.

With that kind of leadership in Gambella which is a puppet of Meles’s autocratic regime, Gambellians will suffer for considerable amount of time as Meles will get whatever he need with Gambella land.

The Gambella cattle herders will be in great difficulties since they will no longer have free movement searching for grazing land which is their routine.

Gambella wild life will disappear from the face of the earth because the habitat in which they live will be cultivated with forest burn down.

Fishery which is a vital source of income will not be carried out by those who practice it for living and this is another trouble because those people will be left to fend for themselves once their livelihood commodity is taken.

Furthermore, the Indians and Chinese are the worst environment polluters in under developed world one could ever mention. I don’t think the Gambella leaders are aware about this nor does the federal government which does not give a damn on Gambellians live. Thus, land grabbing will bring underlying consequences to the people of Gambella which will affect them both direct and indirect ways.

All those challenges will be faced by Gambellians at home not Gambellians abroad. So the EPRDF delegates need to rethink their visit and travel to Gambella and talk to poor Gambellians they have evicted, see the wild life that will disappear due to lack of habitat as well as the nomads whose cattle are going to be endangered by a limited grazing land once Gambella huge plains and plateau are gone forever to foreign investors.  

For any comment you can reach me at: nyawan@westnet.com.au