4 February 2022 Humanitarian Aid UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, and partners are rushing life-saving aid to more than 20,000 refugees after they fled clashes in Ethiopia's Benishangul Gumuz. A group of Gumuz men came to our village chanting leave our land, said Sebsibie Ibrahim, 36, a shop owner in Metekel district, speaking by phone. " The Benishangul-Gumuz region borders Sudan and South Sudan. Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Abdel Ati said in a statement April 18 that Cairo submitted15 different proposals for the filling and operation of the GERD over the past years, so as to meet the Ethiopian demands without causing any damage to Egypt and Sudan. The mob killing of a Gumuz man in Chagni, on 12 April, in the heart of the town in front of government authorities, is one of many signs of uncontained chaos. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed headed a meetingof Ethiopias National Security Council on April 24 to discuss the developments in Benishangul-Gumuz. The country is facing an annual water deficit and is estimated to be categorized as water scarce by 2025, according to the United Nations. The GERD is expected to make the country a major power exporter in the region. Alessandro Triulzi, "Asosa", in: Siegbert Uhlig (Hrsg.). An aerial view of the Nile is seen during World Water Day in Cairo, March 22, 2023. If you dont influence it now then the circumstances will build so that there are more and more refugees coming.. They have ritual specialists called gafea. Over 100,000 people, mainly a large proportion of Amhara and Agaw people, have been displaced, the majority fleeing into Chagni, Ranch camp. For the entire region 174,445 households were counted, which results in an average for the Region of 4.5 persons to a household, with urban households having on average 3.6 and rural households 4.7 people. The cocktail of factors driving the worsening trend in food security for the whole of eastern Africa, will leave 7.74 million people (62.7 per cent of the population) across the country, facing IPC Phase 3 levels, or worse, of acute food insecurity during the lean season between April and July, according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis. UNHCR, partners rush to aid thousands of refugees in Benishangul Gumuz CAIRO Violence has been ongoing in Ethiopia's western region of Benishangul-Gumuz where the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is located, with Ethiopiaannouncing April 26 that more than 200 people were killed and thousands were displaced in the ongoing clashes between the government forces and armed groups. According to the regions constitution, the Benishangul-Gumuz State Council should have less than 100 seats. Getting people out of harms way and shielding them from serious protection risks also requires that their food needs are adequately addressed.. Advertisement . More and more children below the age of five years are experiencinghigh levels of stunting and wasting, as they lack the nutrients to grow and develop., Families do not know where their next meal will come from and are taking on huge debt, selling off what they can, or sending their children to work, added the Regional Director. Join the Middle East's top business and policy professionals to access exclusive PRO insights today. Before picking a side, it is important to put the agreement between the militias and the regional government into perspective. 1993. This is a good article. Main photo: PM Abiy Ahmed and Benishangul Gumuz regions president Ashadli Hassan at a public conference in Benishangul on peace and security situation in Metekel; 22 December 2020; Office of the Prime Minister. Guba is the closest district to Sudan. A general view of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in Guba, Ethiopia, Feb. 20, 2022. These traders married into the Berta upper class and thus gained political influence. January 6, 2021, 4:10 AM On Dec. 22, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed visited the vast lowland territory of Metekel in Ethiopia's far western region of Benishangul-Gumuz, the so-called. The problem is not against the principles of a peace dialogue; rather, it is with the points missed and incorporated into the agreement. But attacks and tensions remain high. This was followed by the killing of over 80 people in a place called Daleti in Metekel Zone. Sudan: Blue Nile State Profile (Updated March 2022) - Sudan Finds attributing them to the Berta date from the 17th to 20th centuries and are mainly located on mountains, hills and in rocky areas that are easy to defend. In 2021, Egypt and Sudan held joint military exercises to showcase security ties between the two countries in response to the ongoing conflict, the Associated Press reported. The Gumuz also hunt wild animals, such as duikers and warthogs, and gather honey, wild fruits, roots and seeds. 1994. What's causing the violence in western Ethiopia - The Conversation The Benishangul-Gumuz conflict was an armed conflict mostly in the Metekel Zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region in Ethiopia that started in 2019, until peace agreement signed between the rebel groups and the government of Ethiopia in October 2022. The growth in needs here mirrors what we see happening around the globeand we implore the world not to turn its back on this region and, in particular, the extremely vulnerable communities of refugees who have limited access to livelihoods and rely on WFP to survive.. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said he was sending more soldiers to secure Ethiopia's restive Benishangul-Gumuz area after armed gunmen killed more than 100 civilians. Ahmad, Abdussamad H. 1999. Ahmed said that these parties seek to plunge the country into chaos. Isnt your residence enough for identity and language service purposes? What are their hopes and their fears? The Gumuz practice shifting cultivation and their staple food is sorghum (Wallmark 1981). In December 2019, about 200 people were killed in the Metekel massacre. The Amhara claim should be handled through constitutional means; not by force. 12/24/2020. In the past decade the number of refugees in eastern Africa has nearly tripled, from1.82 million in 2012 to almost five million todayincluding 300,000 new refugees last year alone. Simmoons, Frederick. Benishangul -Gumuz. Although the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) confirmed that elections in Kamashi and Metekel zone will be conducted on 6 September, it is not clear if that is possible in light of continuing security crisis, mounting fear escalation in neighboring zones, and several people displaced. Alessandro Triulzi: "Beni angul" in: Siegbert Uhlig (Hrsg.). There are also Sudanese and Egyptian interests to consider. The road has a 365-meter bridge that crosses the Abay. All Gumuz are organized in clans. The number of hungry people in the Sahel and West Africa hasquadrupledover the last three years, currently reaching41 million, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) reported on Friday. That means the election will only take place in Benishangul-Gumuzs Assosa Zone. Both countries are opposed to the second filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam without negotiation. By the middle of the century, the wawi, the descendants of Arabs and Berta, had become the new ruling class. Attempts by the governments of Sudan and Ethiopia to increase control over the circulation of artisanal gold in their borderland regions have largely failed. Control of the area must be regained. In other words, the upcoming election will be conducted in 46 regional constituencies, and will not take place in 53 constituencies due to security reasons. Like other regions in Ethiopia, Benishangul-Gumuz is subdivided into administrative zones. The Indigenous World 2023: Ethiopia - Academia.edu However, Ethiopia Insight will correct clear factual errors. The rights group said the Gumuz set the homes on fire and stabbed and shot residents. Associate Professor of History, Colgate University. Benshangul/Gumuz Region/ - Ethiopia Peace Observatory What are the historical and social contexts? The access situation in Benishangul-Gumuz and parts of western Oromia has evolved since OCHA's map from late January - some improvements but still large areas "hard-to-reach" due to the security situation & related restrictions. News: Benishangul Gumuz, Blue Nile States hold peace and security "Experimenting with Non-Territorial Autonomy: Indigenous Councils in Ethiopia". The committees head, Abdallah Hamo, said that the committees investigation found that Sudan and Egypt support violence in the region, and that the armed groups received training and illegal weapons at the border with Sudan. Live Video Q&A - Hear from our top journalists and regional experts. At the same time as Ashadli Hassan, the regional president, and the command post were signing agreements with unnamed leaders of the Gumuz militia in Gilgel Beles and the administrative center of Metekel Zone, militia members were attacking the Almahal town in Guba Wereda. It even considers that it is the only country entitled to the Nile waters, which Egypt totally rejects. Even small-scale farm holders used to produce surpluses each year. The CSA of Ethiopia estimated in 2005 that farmers in Benishangul-Gumuz had a total of 307,820 head of cattle (representing 0.79% of Ethiopia's total cattle), 65,800 sheep (0.38%), 244,570 goats (1.88%), 1,770 mules (1.2%), 37,520 asses (1.5%), 732,270 poultry of all species (2.37%), and 166,130 beehives (3.82%). driven curation of top business stories accross 12 industries in the region. Sudans recent claim to Metekkel and particularly to Guba district has shocked the region. Egypt's population of 109 million is projected to grow significantly in decades, further straining the demand for water in the region. The Amhara regional state and Amhara activists say that Metekkel was forcibly included under the Benishangul-Gumuz regional state after the Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front took power in 1991. However, due to increased population which has led to the widespread destruction of the canopy, authorities announced a campaign on 8 June 2007 to plant 1.5 million seedlings over the next two months to replenish this resource. Ethiopia started filling the dam, which is over 70% complete, in July 2020 and is getting ready for the second filling in July 2021. Returning people to their previous villages without ensuring these preconditions may result in renewed rounds of displacement and devastation. In the absence of justice, peace cannot prevail. Time is not on Ethiopias side;it is on the side of Egypt and Sudan.I suspect that they may have hands in almost all conflict areas in the country. Ethiopia-Sudan border tensions must be de-escalated to Separately, a European Union envoy warned the crisis in Tigray appears out of control, after visiting Ethiopia on behalf of the bloc. It is worrying indeed that the attention of national and international actors is turned almost exclusively to the war in Tigray. But it has lots of control over its internal problems through understanding and negotiations. Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights. ", The following day, Ethiopias Irrigation Minister Seleshi Bekele referred to plots against his country, due to the GERD. Intimate in-person access to policy and business VIPs. Ethiopia: Joint situation assessment mission to Benishangul-Gumuz [10], Religion in Benishangul-Gumuz Region (2007)[11]. But it also unleashed simmering ethnic tensions. They also began to spread Islam among the Berta. They said that many of the victims were ethnic Amharas and Agaws, who are a minority in that region. That is why we must all persevere and do our part., Ethiopias parliamentary committee tasked with appraising the dispute over the GERD officially accused Sudan and Egypt on March 5 of standing behind the violence in the Benishangul-Gumuz region.. People are not receiving the humanitarian support they need and the attention they deserve. 1981. The region has 20 weredas and two Special Weredas making three Zones of the region. This is an escalation of the border dispute between Sudan and. The remaining four seats belong to the Mao Komo Special Wereda. Insecurity has prevented people from accessing their land for next years farming. No one surrendered per the deadline. High-ranking officials including Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed visited the area and discussed with representatives of the people in December 2020. Ethiopians know that state institutions are weak and can easily imagine how the justice system in a place like Benishangul-Gumuz would be ill-equipped to investigate mass killings and bring perpetrators of atrocities to full account. Part of this work requires addressing the underlying factors that have fuelled the crisis. In a Twitter thread, he said, It is clear that there is a plot designed to thwart our efforts and undermine our very existence. Moussa said that the Benishangul-Gumuz region was part of Sudan in the past, and that there is an Egyptian-Sudanese escalation in light of Ethiopias intransigence in the GERD file. Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesmanMansour Bouladresponded to the Ethiopian accusations on March 5, saying in apress statement, Sudan has no intention to invest in violence in its relations with other countries.. And as a result, the Nile delta becomes the second most susceptible place on earth to climate change impacts in terms of sea level rise," says Karim Elgendy, an associate fellow at the Chatham Institute think tank. Haavisto, who met Abiy during his visit to Addis Ababa this month as part of a fact-finding mission, said Ethiopias leadership had failed to provide a clear picture of the situation in Tigray including the widely documented involvement of forces from neighbouring Eritrea. What are the policies of neigbouring states toward the BSG region? Topographically, the . Grottanelli, Vinigi, L. 1948. Egypt has long been called the "gift of the Nile" as it has historically depended on the river for survival. The question of Eritrean troops is extremely sensitive, so we dont get the clear answer about the whereabouts or magnitude of the Eritrean troops, he said. Similarly, Ethiopian asylum seekers have been crossing from the Benishangul-Gumuz region into Sudan's Blue Nile State. There have been reports that the Ethiopian National Defense Forces took measure on up to 500 youths reportedly coming from Sudan with training and armament. Benishangul Gumuz regional authorities have shown solidarity with refugees and identified a new temporary site with capacity to accommodate 20,000 people. 1958. In particular, the proposed power-sharing arrangements with the militias has raised many eyebrows. All the cooking and brewing is carried out in earthen pots, which are made by women. The Benshangul/Gumuz Region lies on Ethiopia's western border with Sudan, and shares internal borders with Amhara and Oromia Regions. I do not think the article addressed why the Gumuz rebel. As "Shanquella", they are already mentioned by Scottish explorer James Bruce in his Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, published in 1790. Thisis the first time, however, that an armed group takes full control of several cities in the region, in light of the security forces failure to counter it. [15] Archaeologists have found sites that they date to the end of the 1st millennium BC or the beginning of the 1st millennium AD and assign them to the forerunners of today's Komuz-speaking ethnic groups. From aboriginal to frontier society in western Ethiopia. I have no confidence in the proposed solution. The Benishangul Gumuz Peoples Liberation Movement (BPLM) was Sudan based rebel group built its operational zones in Benishangul Gumuz Region around remote areas of Assosa zone. "It will determine the impact of this disruption and the reduction to the volumes of water that goes to Egypt," he said. Ethiopia Atlas of Key Demographic and Health Indicators, 2005." UNHCR says most of the asylum seekers who fled ethnic violence in Benishangul-Gumuz region have been living among Sudanese host communities. Bambasi (also known as Abba Moti) is a town in western Ethiopia. Cereal crops are kept in granaries decorated with clay lumps imitating female breasts. Clashes had occasionally erupted in the past in the region that is home to various ethnic groups, including Gumuz, Agaws and Shinasas and the Amhara. Ethiopias former ruling coalition, the Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front. The Involvement of External Forces behind Metekel Conflict - The Reporter Thank you author and Ethiopia Insight. Text Alerts - Be the first to get breaking news, exclusives, and PRO content. In, James, Wendy. It has been over six months since more than 207 people were massacred in a single day on 24 December 2020 in Bakuji, a small kebele in Bullen Wereda. Firstly, government-sponsored reconciliation efforts were made since the eruption of the violence which, unfortunately, failed to produce the expected outcome. Often the Gumuz' lands were allocated to transnational or domestic investors. In the end, the violence in western Ethiopia is a confluence of local, regional, national and, possibly, foreign interests. Globally, floods and droughts are becoming more frequent and intense, severely impacting countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan, and worsening food insecurity. This is because the Blue Nile, which originates from Ethiopia, supplies up to 80% of the Nile waters. The Amhara state wants the right to administer Metekkel because it wants to control the zones mineral deposits and arable lands. Material support, which has thus far been in short supply, should be accompanied by psychosocial support. Lauren Blanchard on Twitter: "The access situation in Benishangul-Gumuz Originally, all Gumuz adorned their bodies with scarifications, but this custom is disappearing through government pressure and education. UNHCR is working to install basic. The massacre in Benishangul-Gumuz region, along the border with Sudan, is the latest challenge to the regime of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who came to power in 2018 promising to unite. Unseth, Peter. Besides the country is on the verge of being labeled as a pariah state, due to the conflict it has been ignited with western powers.It could be wise of the government, to step down from its rigid and jingoistic stance and try to accommodate to a certain degree, the interest of these three entities. It is becoming unsafe to present identity cards that show the holders ethnicity, even at security checkpoints, as this may result in persecution. All premium Industry Newsletters - Monitor the Middle East's most important industries. Metekkel residents, including the majority Gumuz community, are opposed to Amhara occupation. I think Marx has correctly identified the weakness of this article. Bambasi has a longitude and latitude of 945N 3444E with an elevation of 1668 meters above sea level. Relatively low-lying but with an annual rainfall in excess of 1,000mm, this remote and poorly developed area . Gumuz who have had to flee their villages due to targeted violence from communities who cast blame en masse are not getting needed support. Many of those who are still in the region are not getting humanitarian aid. Benishangul-Gumuz (Amharic: , romanized:Benangul Gumuz) is a regional state in northwestern Ethiopia bordering Sudan. The Berta rebels instead allied with the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which overthrew the Mengistu regime in 1991 with the coalition EPRDF. Tsega Etefa does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. The Ethiopian Prime Minister called out his neighbors for fueling the recent round of violence in Ethiopia's western Benishangul-Gumuz region where the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is located. Al-Monitor.com is a trusted and award-winning independent source of Middle East news and analysis, founded in 2012. Ethnic violence poses a major challenge to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed as he tries to promote national unity in a country with more than 80 ethnic groups. It borders the Amhara and Oromia states, and Sudan. Ethiopian army 'kills militants' behind village massacre - DW Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Under Ethiopia's 1995 federal constitution, the region is autonomous and administered by locals, which was not the case under the Derg military regime or . [14], Under the regime of Mengistu Haile Mariam, who ruled Ethiopia from 1974, some 250,000 drought- and famine-stricken peasants from the highlandsmostly Amharas from Wollo provincewere relocated to Benishangul-Gumuz from 1979 and especially in the mid-1980s. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Those living near the Sudanese borderland converted to Islam and a few are Christians, but most Gumuz still maintain traditional religious practices. Paulos Chanie, "Clientelism and Ethiopia's post-1991 decentralisation", Young, "Along Ethiopia's Western Frontier", p.334, Learn how and when to remove this template message, List of districts in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab", "Along Ethiopia's Western Frontier: Gambella and Benishangul in Transition", Census 2007 Tables: Benishangul-Gumuz Region, "Households by sources of drinking water, safe water sources", "2008. UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said that spiralling costs of food and fuel were adding to the toxic mix. As many social institutions and homes are destroyed, things like infrastructure building and support for reconstructing homes need to be considered. Box 61 Assosa, Ethiopia Telephone: +25125-7-754738 . Now, we could be at the point in history where that changes," says Mohammed Mahmoud, a director of the Climate and Water Program at the Middle East Institute. James, Wendy. Rashid Abdi on Twitter: "Until yesterday, 3,364 people from 62 Indeed, on 10 June, there was a report of an attack by militias in Oda Bulidigilu Wereda which is located in Assosa Zone. It was previously known as Region 6. The proposition of arming civilians to curb the violence divided opinions. Sorghum is used for cooking porridge (nga) and brewing beer (kea). They are looked down on and insulted as shankila. The EU has joined the United States in demanding Eritrean troops withdraw. Those who supported the agreement argued that negotiation and compromise are positive by their nature and should be appreciated. Already, reports indicate the presence of training operations for militias in the Ethiopia-Sudan border. 1975. In 2019, the Metekel conflict began. Violence in the Metekel Zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz region is separate from the deadly conflict in Ethiopias northern Tigray region, which has sent more than 61,000 Ethiopians into Sudans provinces of al-Qadarif and Kassala since fighting erupted in November. More than 100,000 people have been displaced and 7,000 people have fled to Sudan. Slaves were also smuggled into Sudan across the border, which was established in 1902. Benishangul-Gumuz is also home to the government's prestige $5 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Klausberger, Friedrich. Why Ethiopia's new leader could be a game changer. Studies in Gumuz: Sese phonology and TMA system. Some of the reasons for the attacks include neighbouring Amhara states claim to ownership of the Metekkel zone. Several investors previously engaged in commercial farming where a variety of cash cropslike seasame and groundnutswere produced for export. James, Wendy. Most Gumuz members live in a bush-savanna lowland environment. The regional government announced the signing of an agreement with the militia group on 18 May in Gilgel Beles town. BDP also expressed frustration over the regional governments willingness to share power with militias while imprisoning and persecuting legally organized political parties in the region. The Bega (Gumuz) of Wellega: Agriculture and subsistence. Spirits are called mus'a and are thought to dwell in houses, granaries, fields, trees and mountains. Bender, M. Lionel. Nilotic ethnic group in Ethiopia and Sudan, https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican1275-84, "12 killed in latest attack in western Ethiopia", "Benishangul: At least 60 civilians mostly women, children killed", "More than 100 killed in latest ethnic massacre in Ethiopia", Field recordings from 1980 of traditional music, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gumuz_people&oldid=1144297259, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2008, "Related ethnic groups" needing confirmation, Articles using infobox ethnic group with image parameters, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0.
Jury Coordinating Part Kings County,
Nick Saban Son Wedding,
Cost Of Wedding At Hotel Lbi,
Tyquan Ford Baltimore Age,
Articles B