January
29, 2016 (GAMBELLA) – Deadly clashes occurred on Thursday and continued on
Friday in the Ethiopian region of Gambella between the two majority communities
of Nuer and Anyuak in the area.
Tens
of thousands gathered at Gambella regional stadium celebrating cultural event
of all tribes in Ethiopia, Gambella, 9 December 2015 (ST Photo)
Multiple
sources told Sudan Tribunethat dozens of people have been killed on
both sides and many more wounded when members of Nuer and Anyuak, the two
ethnic groups which constitute the first and second largest, respectively, in
Gambella region, clashed in the outskirts regional capital, Gambella, and
spread to the center of the town.
The
cause of the fighting between the two dominant ethnic groups who have been
living peacefully for many years has remained unclear with conflicting
explanations.
A
resident in Gambella town told Sudan Tribune that the Anyuak
attempted to revenge for one of their members who got killed by Nuer village
warriors in October last year in a Nuer village, about 40km away from Gambella
town on Gambella-Nyinenyang road. The Anyuak victim was allegedly attempting to
steal Nuer cows in the village where he met his fate, but his colleagues
escaped unharmed and reported his death to their community members back home.
On
Thursday, a Nuer government official in Gambella who was sent for official
mission to Abobo, an Anyuak county headquarters, was killed by a mob of Anyuak
warriors in the town, allegedly for revenge.
An
eye witness who spoke on condition of anonymity however told Sudan
Tribune on Friday that the latest clashes inside the town started when
a member of the Anyuak community threw a hand grenade [bomb] at seated Nuer
college students in an Anyuak neighborhood, south of the town, across the
Gambella bridge, resulting to response by Nuer students and the clashes ensued.
The
clashes lasted for hours inside the regional capital resulting to killing of
unspecified number, but an eyewitness said dozens of bodies were found on the
ground and many more unaccounted for.
The
whole Anyuak population which resided in areas inside the main town have fled
across the river, southwards, as their houses were reportedly set on fire by
angry Nuer youth members.
There
are reports that the fighting also escalated to nearby villages inhabited by
the two ethnic groups in the region.
Government
officials said the situation was arrested, but remained tense as the Anyuak
could be returning for further attacks.
An
official, who preferred to be referred to as Bol, said the state government has
deployed police forces throughout the town to restore calm and allow the Anyuak
population that fled the town to return.
“We
have deployed police forces in the town and the situation is now calm,” he
said.
He
said he suspected that a long time militia group from the Anyuak, who have been
against the Ethiopian government and allegedly supported by the South Sudanese
government could be behind the instigation.
He
however said an investigation was being carried out to ascertain the cause of
the renewed enmity between the two communities, who despite being foes in the
past, had successfully mended their relations for many years.
President
[governor] of Gambella region, Gatluak Tut Khot, a Nuer, is said to have gone
on a peace mission outside the capital to the areas inhabited by the two ethnic
groups in order to reconcile them and restore peace and stability.
Gambella
region is located west of Ethiopia, and it is 777km from Addis Ababa, the
national capital. It is close to the South Sudanese border.
The
two ethnic groups also share languages and cultures with their neighbouring
communities across the border in Jonglei and Upper Nile states of South Sudan.
(ST)
Source:
Sudan Tribune
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