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By Ajwomo Omot
December 22, 2009
Posted to the web on December 22, 2009 |
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Let me start by saying few words on the term " Migration " before we go to main theme of this article. Migration simply refers to a permanent relocation of residential place. It can be local, regional or international relocation. For migration to take place, there must be push and pull factors. The decision to migrate can be made voluntarily or involuntarily. Pull factors have to do with positive atributes perceived to exist at the new location which can bring about voluntary migration. Negative home conditions that impel the decision to migrate such as loss of job, lack of professional opportunities, overcrowding, famine, war and so on are classified as push factors that cause involuntary migration.
As the history can tell us, the Anuak ancestors had experienced migration many years ago as part of the big Luo family until they reached and settled in a permanent place called the Anuak Land today. Since then there were no patterns of migration with much scale in the Anuak land except those that happened locally which were caused by heinous invasions of the Nuers and Murle ( Ajiba ). One can wonder why the Anuaks were not migrating. In my opinion, there were two main reasons. The first and foremost is the availability of abundant natural resources. As we all know, Anuak land is well endowed with fertile land, many water bodies and forests full of all sort of fishes and wild animals which are used as sources of food. The second reason was the stable traditional political system within the Anuak society. This political system became a tool to deter violence with in the Anuak communities which gave no chance for migration.
It is a recent phenomenon that the Anuak people experienced migrations of regional and international scale which were caused by different reasons that are mentioned above. The first batch of the Anuak migrants who made their ways overseas were during the Dergue regime in the 1980s through the Sudan. The second group with significant big number got their ways through Kenya in the early 1990s when the government of Mengistu Haile Mariam was collapsed. The third batch was that group of those who left their homes because of the massacre of the Anuak elites in December, 2003. Most of the members of the first and second batches are those who made new homes in North America, Australia and Europe today. Unfortunately, except few who got chances to pass to other continents, many members of the third batch are still in wilderness in the Sudan and Kenya.
With this note in mind, let's see the main theme of this article, < What difference Anuak Diaspora can make? >. Diaspora refers to a permanent displaced and relocated collective of people. It is a community formed by dispersion of a people from their original home land. Therefore, Anuak diaspora is a collective Anuak community that dispersed all over the world due to the push and pull factors mentioned earlier. To this effect, it is undeniable that some of them left their home land because of political prosecution where as the big number of people of this community left to seek for better economic conditions and good educational opportunities in the Western world.
As I have said above, all members of the Anuak diaspora found their new homes in the West due to different reasons. No matter what the reason it may be that impel them to make decision to migrate, they are still Anuaks wherever they may live and it is my belief that they still have stake in the development process of the Anuak land. As many of us know, the new emerging economic powers in the world today such as China and India, the participation of their diasporas in development activities in terms of investment and transfer of technology is of paramount to be mentioned here. Likewise, we can find active involvement of Ethiopian diasporas in every economic sectors in Ethiopia today which was not the case ten years ago. In the cities like Addis Ababa, Awassa, Gondar, Makele and others, the owners of the high-rise buildings and real estates are Ethiopian diasporas who had migrated to Western world in 1980s and 1990s like their fellow Anuaks. Does this make a point to any body over there? I hope it does. Here, I am not blaming any body though, rather just to justify the case in point.
It is true that the contribution of Anuaks in diaspora in dealing with the problems in Gambela regional state by making their voices heard every where in the world is remarkable. However, the contribution that only circulates around political dispensation can't help much in the long run. I think it is high time for the Anuaks in diaspora to look around and see other angles of life. In this world today, political power alone will not take any body to a long distance if it is not supported by strong economy. A good example will be what has happened recently to the Mighty Country of the world in which many Anuak diasporas are living. Have we ever thought about this very important issue whenever we raised any political matter about Gambela? To have political power alone is like building a house on the sand. If it is not for a matter of time, the collapse of such a house is inevitable. So, we have to think about how to build strong economy if we want to survive as a people.
If other Ethiopians can come back home and invest in their respective regions, I don't see any thing that will deter Anuaks in diaspora not to do the same in their region. I know that this argument is provocative to many of us. But, we have to face the reality. We can't bury our heads in the sand like proverbial ostrich any more. It will be naive to its highest degree to think that all Ethiopians who are doing business today are members or supporters of the ruling party. Let's not fool our selves. Other Ethiopians are opposing the ruling party in Ethiopia while they are in the capitals of the Western world, but their kins and kiths are making moneny in Ethiopia. Anuaks in the diaspora have to wake up and stop beating the drum which is fixed to the same tone every year.
The price of the land is getting expensive every single day in Gambela town these days. If you don't get a plot of land today, the time will come tomorrow to regret it. There is still big chance for those who want to lease land for investment. But, mind you that things are changing through time.. If we can't lay down an economic base as a people today, Gambela will not be ours tomorrow. Please, I mean my words. We better think about it soundly. I know that the Anuaks in diaspora have the capacity to make a difference in Gambela. You better do it now or never. Show your capability now before you run out of time. Some of you have already started to show up and do some things here and there. We need more to come and do whatever thing they can to change the image of our region. Take this as a food for thought as we are approaching to a New Year.
May God Bless Anyiwaa Land.
Ajwomo can be reached at:
This picture is good example --- the sign designed by Omot Akway in Perpich Center for Arts for education in Minnesota 2009 |
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