The Gambella Ethiopian Community which is based in Australia condemns the violence that erupted in Gambella National Regional State. In a spate of short period of time, the violence had recorded more deaths and injuries throughout the region. Among the deceased include some top government officials whose lives had been ended in a cold blood.
This has brought unbearable pain in the region. It is our purpose as sons and daughters of this community we love so much to urge our people back home not to take Gambella into the darkest days of early 1990s and early 2000s.
The recent atmosphere has been very unpleasant for everyone when you got armed men marching onto streets looking for someone to kill.
Considering what we are seeing now, its hard to imagine few months ago that Gambellians would turn to each other when they were given a chance to host the 10th Nations, Nationalities and People’s Day in Gambella.
We the sons and daughters of this golden state want the joy we had in Gambella stadium at people’s day celebration to dwell upon the hearts of everyone in the region. We want that to dwell upon us so that we could avoid thinking about disastrous ideas which do not do us any good but harm.
The nations, nationalities and peoples day that was celebrated in Gambella had given a strong positive signal not only to our other fellow Ethiopians in the country but also to East Africa region such as the none Ethiopian guests who were invited by the federal goverment of Ethiopia to attend the event.
Based on that atmosphere, one would adamantly argue that we are better and smarter than what we have recently seen in our region. Therefore, we the Gambella Community in diaspora utterly condemn the violence which we strongly believe is barbaric since it does not conform to any sort of civilization Gambella so badly needs. We thought we went pass that stage but now few culprits within Nuer and Anyuak are trying to slip Gambella bacward.
We therefore see this to be extremely disappointing and barbaric to take a human life for a crime he or she has no part of. But to base the notion purely on ethnicity cannot be any lower. It is such a low act and a matter that the people of Gambella would need to work upon since there is no joy whatsoever to be gained in killing someone.
It is hard to imagine what really the spirit of these perpetrators are! Some people find it hard even to kill a cockroach let alone working in abattoir where they would be subjected to slaughter sheep, goats or oxen. Given that one would really find it hard to understand what it takes for the people of Gambella to behave so wildly.
What they would get in return is not distinctive certificate of killing so many Nuer or Anyuak but a long lasting trauma of living with the fact that someone has cut short some someone else’s life. Nuer or Anyuak criminals may not realise this and the extent of their brutality and the pain it caused to the loved ones.
They may think that when one kills one another, it is as easy as killing a goat or chicken. But what they fail to recognise is that they forget that they are killing a brother or a sister because for sure Nuer and Anyuak are truly brothers who have lived together for centuries. We the Gambella Community in Australia would like that bond to continue and not be shattered or destroyed by evil.
Therefore, we encourage peaceful co-existence between us without fear or threat whatsoever. The Gambella community in Diaspora sincerely thanks the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Haile Mariam Desalegn for his quick response by deploying the Ethiopian National Defense Force and the Ethiopian Federal Police to oversee the situation.
We call upon the Federal Government of Ethiopia to continue taking immediate action in bring those who committed Crime to Justice.
Apprehending perpetrators of these heinous crimes would send a strong signal that you would be found when you act against the will of the Ethiopian people and laws of Ethiopia. This will also convince the family of the deceases that their government is taking care of their security and so no one would attempt to take matters into their own hands.
While those parameters are still being maintained and pursued, we the Gambella community in diaspora call upon our brothers at home, both Nuer and Anyuak to stop looking for revenge. We want you to work toward the image that promotes Gambella in a good shape.
Killing our own people in a state that is least populous in the country is a mood that no one would like to see. This will only bring dismay and despair and worst still more anguish as has already been experienced by the families of those killed in the violence throughout Gambella such as in Abobo, Gog, Jor and in the Gambella Prison.
Finally, we would like to thank our leaders, the president of Gambella National and regional state Ato Gatluak Tut and the vice President, Engineer Olero Opiew for their persistent advice to the people of Gambella to think about statehood than as a single ethnic entity.
Their continuous hunt for peace is what brought calmness in these two days different from the darkest days of last week when both tribes were seeking vengeance. We cherish peace and hope that the people of Gambella will be attentive to the voices of pastors, teachers, elderly, youth and other ethnic groups throughout the region all of whom are yearning for peace between Nuer and Anyuak.
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