Remembering the Massacre of Anyuaks
Crimes Against Humanity in Ethiopia's Gambella Region
On December 13, 2003, members of the Ethiopian military from the ENDF’s 43rd Division and militias formed from non-Anuak minority groups entered Gambella town in southwestern Ethiopia. Over the course of three days, they sought out, tortured and killed 424 men, burned houses, and scattered families. Since that time, the genocide and crimes against humanity have continued, raising the death toll between 1,500 and 2,500, and causing more than 50,000 Anuak to flee.
Previous to the December 13 massacre, tensions and small skirmishes related to land issues and regional autonomy did exist between minority groups and between the Anuak and the Ethiopian government. Because of this, the Ethiopian government has claimed that the killings have been a result of tribal warfare. However, never before has the scope of fighting been so cruel or large-scale, and through several separate investigations, it has become clear that the Ethiopian government not only authorized the attacks, but planned them as well. The commander of Gambella town’s military garrison, Major Tsegaye Beyene, was in Gambella town throughout the massacre and took no apparent action to stop it; indeed, he appears to have directly taken part in the violence.
Detailed accounts and information has been documented by the Human Rights Watch which is available below in three main parts;
The December 2003 Massacre
Ethiopia: Crimes Against Humanity in Gambella Region
Targeting the Anuak
More information is also available at;
The Anuak Justice Council
The Anuak Justice Council is a non-profit organization founded in 2005. It was formed in response to an urgent need to represent the Anuak as they struggled with the aftermath of the massacre in Gambella, Ethiopia.
www.anuakjustice.org
Remembering December 13th, A Day For All of Us! by the Anuak Justice Council 13 December 2007
Recent Anuak Justice Council event in Washington D.C.
Ethiopian Panelists assess Ethiopia’s human rights conditions by the Anuak Justice Council 17 Nov 2007
"Division, repression, suspicion and human rights abuses are a natural outgrowth of failing to regard one’s fellow Ethiopian as equally human and equally Ethiopian. It takes great force to repress the thirst for freedom in the human soul, yet where such humanity is embraced, all can benefit".
- Mr. Obang Metho from AJC.
Related article:
Ethiopia: The Day the Anyuak will not forget by Obang Jobi 1 Dec 2007
'Ethiopians across the world should prepare to remember
the December 13, 2003 Massacre of Ethiopian Anyuak's'
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