Ethiopia: Disagreement on Persons Behind Massacre of Amhara in Oromia

 Ethiopia Insight published on 8 July 2022 a commentary titled "Amhara Civilians Were Massacred in Tole, But Questions Remain" by Ermias Tasfaye, Ethiopia Insight reporter.

While it is generally agreed that a massacre of Amhara took place in Oromia, there is increasing disagreement as to the party responsible for the massacre.  

Ethiopia: Continued Marginalization of Gambella State

 Ethiopia Insight posted on 31 May 2021 a commentary titled "Uncaring Addis Fuels Gambella's Cutthroat Communal Contest" by Okello Miru, who works with a non-governmental organization and is a candidate for Gambella State Council.  

Gambella State hosts 340,000 refugees from neighboring South Sudan, which is more than the state's population of  307,000 according to the last Ethiopian census in 2007.  The author argues that Gambella was treated as a backwater during the EPRDF regime and that continues to be so treated under the current government.  

Ethiopia: Gambellan Solutions for Gambellan Problems

Ethiopia Insight posted on 17 April 2019 a commentary titled "Gambellan Solutions for Gambellan Problems" by Okello Miru, field coordinator for the Carter Center in Gambella.

The author argues that the residents of Gambella need more access to loans from the Development Bank of Ethiopia to develop the agricultural land in Gambella and to compete with large, foreign agricultural projects.

Ethiopia: HIV Testing Success

The Washington-based Student Center for African Research and Resolutions (SCARR) published on 16 January 2015 a brief report titled "A Record Number of HIV Tests in Ethiopia" by Kaleab Brook, a former student of mine at George Washington University.

Kaleab reports that a one-day test for HIV in Gambella region of Ethiopia reached more than 3,300 people, a possible one-day Guinness World Record.  The testing determined that 82 persons were HIV positive.  They have been put in contact with healthcare facilities for support, treatment, and follow-up. 

Leaked World Bank Report and Villagization in Ethiopia

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists published on  20 January 2015 a story titled "Leaked Report Says World Bank Violated Own Rules in Ethiopia" by Sasha Chavkin.

The full World Bank report is available in the web posting.  The issue concerns Anuak people in Gambella region of Ethiopia who were resettled, allegedly forcibly, in order to make room for large agricultural investment projects.  The World Bank contributed to the funding of the program, known as villagization, which ended in 2013. 

Shinn Oped on South Sudanese IDPs and Refugees

The Mark News released on 18 November 2014 my syndicated oped  titled "The Horn of Africa Interconnected in Turmoil."  The oped deals with the IDP and refugee crisis emanating from South Sudan. 

Mechanized Farming and Villagization in Ethiopia

The Washington-based Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars published in August 2014 an analysis titled "Governing the Horn of Africa's Lowlands: Land Investments and Villagization in Gambella, Ethiopia" by Fana Gebresenbet Erda, a research scholar with the Africa Program of the Wilson Center.

He notes that the Ethiopian government is promoting commercial mechanized farming and villagization.  The government's goal for the villagization program is to provide new skills to farmers and herders so that they can engage in modern settled agriculture, farming, and livestock rearing.  One of the problems encountered with the program has been a lack of prior consultation.  The United States government has begun limiting the funding that can be used for the villagization program. 

Ethiopia's Villagization Program

Human Rights Watch issued a highly critical press release on 16 January 2012 concerning Ethiopia's villagization program. It alleged that the government is forceably relocating about 70,000 people from western Gambella to new villages that lack adequate facilities. You can read the entire press release titled "Ethiopia: Forced Relocations Bring Hunger, Hardship".

The government of Ethiopia has denied the charges. A 17 July 2012 Reuters article by Aaron Maasho titled "Ethiopia Forcing Thousands Off Land--US Rights Group" quoted government spokesman Bereket Simon: "There is no evidence to back the claim. This programme is taking place with the full preparation and participation of regional authorities, the government and residents." The government added that the program is intended to lease land for purposes of technology transfer and to boost agricultural production.

Internally displaced persons in Ethiopia

The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, which was created in 1998 by the Norwegian Refugee Council, issued a brief report on Jan. 20, 2011 titled “Ethiopia: Monitoring of Conflict, Human Rights Violations and Resulting Displacement Still Problematic.”

The report concluded that an estimated 300,000 to 350,000 people remained internally displaced within Ethiopia as of late 2010 out of a total population of about 84 million. It linked some of the displacement to violence and human rights violations in Gambella and Somali regions and in southern Oromia. In spite of government efforts to achieve peace in Somali Region, conflict between government forces and the old wing of the Ogadeni National Liberation Front has continued.