benishangul gumuz sudan

As a result, ethnic clashes that had already been growing for months have only gotten worse. High-ranking officials including Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed visited the area and discussed with representatives of the people in December 2020. The most affected states are Jonglei, Unity, Upper Nile, Lakes, Eastern Equatoria (Kapoeta East) and Warrap - more than 80 per cent of those food insecure. But it has lots of control over its internal problems through understanding and negotiations. Business and policy professionals use PRO to monitor the regional economy and improve their reports, memos and presentations. Communal trauma should not be underestimated. The dust of the violence in Metekel has not yet settled and threatens to spread into neighboring zones, raising fears of escalating conflict. Insecurity has prevented people from accessing their land for next years farming. Join over 50,000 readers who access our journalists dedicated newsletters, covering the top political, security, business and tech issues across the region each week.Delivered straight to your inbox. Gumuz: a dialect survey report. UNHCR is working to install basic. The road has a 365-meter bridge that crosses the Abay. Benishangul-Gumuz Region is one of the peripheral regions of Ethiopia bordering the Sudan. On April 19, Ahmed said that Ethiopia will fill the GERD reservoir in July and August, despite objections from the two downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan. As President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said earlier, all options are open in preserving Egypt's right to the Nile waters, and the waters of the Nile River are ared line for the Egyptians., Sisi had warned April 7, No one can take a single drop of water from Egypt [and] all options are open., On March 30, Sisi said during a press conference, We are not threatening anyone, but no one can take a drop of water from Egypt [or] the region would witness a state of instability that no one can imagine., Awadi said, Ethiopia insists on the second filling of the GERD reservoir even before a binding legal agreement with Egypt and Sudan is reached. Memos - premium analytical writing: actionable insights on markets and geopolitics. . As time passes, the Gumuz militias are strengthening their holdings and capacity, expanding and imposing their presence into Kamashi and Assosa zones. Over 100,000 people, mainly a large proportion of Amhara and Agaw people, have been displaced, the majority fleeing into Chagni, Ranch camp. [4] On 28 July 2009, the Regional Rural Roads Authority reported that over the previous year almost 600 of the 800 kilometers of local all-weather roads had been upgraded at a cost of 11.5 million birr, and an additional 447 kilometers of roads constructed. 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. But it also unleashed simmering ethnic tensions. 01 May 2023 17:03:29 Benishangul-Gumuz Regional state, Western Ethiopia Research Article Volume 25 Issue 5 - September 2020 . "I believe there will come a point where some level of cooperation has to happen, because there is no other alternative," says Mahmoud. James, Wendy. Egypt is not the only country that depends on the river -- it's shared by 11 African countries. [19] Until the Italian occupation of Ethiopia in the mid-1930s, the area supplied gold and slaves to the central government on a large scale. Material support, which has thus far been in short supply, should be accompanied by psychosocial support. [1] Around 67,000 Gumuz also lived in Sudan. The reconciliatory act has also aggrieved those who have suffered in the process of the conflict and who have been waiting for justice. 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. People from neighboring weredas of Agalo Meti and Yaso, primarily those representing non-Gumuz ethnic groups, have left their villages in fear of a similar scenario. Sudans recent claim to Metekkel and particularly to Guba district has shocked the region. Thank you author and Ethiopia Insight. Awadi denied any Egyptian involvement in the recent violence in the Benishangul-Gumuz region. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. . Gumuz who have had to flee their villages due to targeted violence from communities who cast blame en masse are not getting needed support. Hence, the regional and the federal government should collaboratively work to investigate the situation and bring the perpetrators to account. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission said more than 180 people were killed in separate massacres in Metekel in December and January. In the absence of effective responses and with such a weak negotiation, popular trust in regional authorities, the command post, and government institutions has been diminished. It seems a terrible idea. The government and its intelligence sector should reassess the routes and ways through which the militias are getting logistical support. There are several people, including children, who have lost their whole family due to the conflict. 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. 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. In the end, the violence in western Ethiopia is a confluence of local, regional, national and, possibly, foreign interests. In several parts of the Gumuz area, the settlers' economy dominated by 2018. "Folks have never actually went to war just because of water. Previously one had to travel through Wollega and Gojjam in the neighboring regions of Oromia and Amhara, a distance of 1,250 kilometers, but it is now around 378 kilometers on the new road and bridge. These interest groups include actors from the neighbouring Amhara state who claim ownership of the Metekkel zone. This is an escalation of the border dispute between Sudan and. Some of ethnic groups native to the Benishangul-Gumuz region are: Five of these ethnic groups (Berta, Gumuz, Shinasha, Mao and Kwama) are granted the exclusive right to non-territorially functioning indigenous councils. 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. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Photo: Benishangul Gumuz regional government Addis Abeba - The Benishangul Gumuz regional government said it has signed a peace agreement on 10 December with the armed group Benishangul People's Liberation Movement (BPLM) in Khartoum, Sudan. First, an area needs to be effectively controlled, ensuring the availability of appropriate levels of security, social services, and economic opportunities for returnees. The ethnic groups include the Berta (25.41%), Amhara (21.69%), Gumuz (20.88%), Oromo (13.55%), Shinasha (7.73%) and Agaw-Awi (4.22%). 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. Although Mr. Abiy declared victory in Tigray last month, United Nations officials say the fight continues. The Region hosts Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and has been the site of intense ethnic killings throughout the past year. This is the viewpoint of the author. 1234 Sudan Streat Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Immediately following the meeting, Ahmed issued a statement accusing foreign parties, in reference to Egypt, of causing chaos and instability in the country. To do so, its necessary to assess the success and failure of the previous strategies attempted by the command post in an effort to end fighting. Zanni, Leone. Days later, the national army regained control of the town, but the event laid bare a deteriorated security apparatus, leaving many civilians with the impression that they have little hope for proper protection. In the latest episode, witnesses said that men of the Gumuz ethnic group, armed with rifles and swords, stormed into Daletti village early Tuesday. It was previously known as Region 6. Many Gumuz people have been displaced and they are not happy that the investors are hiring non-Gumuz workers to aid in their occupation of an area that is rich in resources like gold, marble and fertile agricultural land. Currently, the regional government has some control in towns where administrative offices are located, but not much beyond that. But the region is also home to minority Amharas, Oromos, Tigrayans and Agaws a source of escalating tension. It criticised Sudan's 1 May claim of sovereignty over Ethiopia's Benishangul-Gumuz region, where the dam is being constructed. The area has been under the stewardship of the command post since September 2020. 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. Ethiopia Atlas of Key Demographic and Health Indicators, 2005." And all the ethnic groups in the Metekkel zone should be protected and their issues addressed lawfully. It said it was working with local authorities in the Blue Nile province to respond to the humanitarian needs of the newly arrived, many of whom have arrived in hard-to-reach places along the border. May 5, 2021 CAIRO Violence has been ongoing in Ethiopia's western region of Benishangul-Gumuz where the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is located, with Ethiopia announcing April 26 that more than 200 people were killed and thousands were displaced in the ongoing clashes between the government forces and armed groups. [citation needed]. Conditions for travel within zones varies, but is often poor and subject to disruption by the rainy season. 21 Rising sea levels are prompting saltwater intrusions that are not only affecting water supply but also spoiling agricultural farmland, according to water management experts. [18] In 1898, Asosa became the political and economic capital. In December 2019, about 200 people were killed in the Metekel massacre. But if the ethnic federal framework is altered by the Prosperity Party, that would affect the interests of the majority Gumuz community profoundly. Even small-scale farm holders used to produce surpluses each year. Disarming the armed group could have been a better solution than arming the unarmed group which will likely fuel further conflict, putting the area into a vicious cycle of conflict. On Wednesday, Ethiopia said its military had killed three senior members of Tigrays former ruling party, the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front, including Seyoum Mesfin, a former foreign minister of Ethiopia. More than 70 percent of refugees in need, do not receive a full ration due to funding shortfalls. [13] In the late 19th century, Ethiopia, under Menelik II, annexed the Sultanates of Beni Shangul and Gubba (Qubba in Arabic) at the behest of Abdallahi ibn Muhammad of Sudan who feared the British would occupy it. [12], Like the Gambela Region, Benishangul-Gumuz is historically closely linked to neighbouring areas of Sudan, and to a lesser extent to the Ethiopian Highlands. It was not until the mid-20th century that Berta also settled in the lowlands, as slave hunts and armed conflict had ended. Comparative Komuz grammar. Benishangul-Gumz Regional Health Bureau; Benishangul-Gumz Regional Health Bureau. The unfolding conflict in different parts of the country and the withdrawal of popular political parties from the election has overshadowed the stalled national election. 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. Data-driven analysis of latest market trends. " The Benishangul-Gumuz region borders Sudan and South Sudan. However, Ethiopia Insight will correct clear factual errors. Benishangul -Gumuz. In a Twitter thread, he said, It is clear that there is a plot designed to thwart our efforts and undermine our very existence. Ahmad, Abdussamad H. 1995. By drawing a bad lesson, other groups may also end up emulating similar measures. At the epicenter of these complex crossroads is Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State: site of the dam, bordering with Sudan, and cloaked in chaos that will prevent many of its constituents from participating in the upcoming national election. The officials believe that the Prosperity Party, to which they now belong, wants to eliminate the existing federal arrangement which guarantees self-rule to ethnic groups in the country. Dessalegn Chanie, an Amhara opposition politician, said there had been signs in recent days that armed men from the Oromo and Gumuz ethnic groups were preparing an attack, particularly in areas where there was little federal security presence. 1986. With an estimated area of 49,289.46 square kilometers, this Region has an estimated density of 15.91 people per square kilometer. [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. Indeed, on 10 June, there was a report of an attack by militias in Oda Bulidigilu Wereda which is located in Assosa Zone. Communities have been torn apart. Copyright 20102023, The Conversation Media Group Ltd, Ethiopia's new party is welcome news, but faces big hurdles, area has become a juncture for different interest groups, actors from the neighbouring Amhara state, Why Ethiopia's new leader could be a game changer, opposed to the second filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam without negotiation, owned up to orchestrating ethnic targeted killings, Chief of Staff (Global Culture and Engagement), Lecturer in Environmental Art - School of Art and Design. 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. Like other regions in Ethiopia, Benishangul-Gumuz is subdivided into administrative zones. Killings were committed by representatives of different ethnic groups, each seeking revenge for violence suffered. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Already, reports indicate the presence of training operations for militias in the Ethiopia-Sudan border. Photo: Benishangul Gumuz communication bureau Addis Abeba - A peace and development conference between senior officials of Ethiopia's Benishangul Gumuz region and Sudan's Blue Nile state has started today in Ad-Damazin city, the capital city of Sudan's Blue Nile state. It is worrying indeed that the attention of national and international actors is turned almost exclusively to the war in Tigray. According to the CSA, as of 2004[update], 27.23% of the total population had access to safe drinking water, of whom 22.35% were rural inhabitants and 58.53% were urban. Assosa Zone makes less than half of constituencies, which does not guarantee the establishment of a regional government. Feuds between clans are common and they are usually solved by means of an institution of conflict resolution, called mangema or michu[3] depending on the region. It needs to change. Slaves were also smuggled into Sudan across the border, which was established in 1902. UNHCR says most of the asylum seekers who fled ethnic violence in Benishangul-Gumuz region have been living among Sudanese host communities. There have been repeated episodes of intercommunal violence over the years. Despite some progress, the humanitarian response remains drastically inadequate compared to the sheer magnitude of needs across the region, the UNs Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OHCA) said in a report on Saturday. Join the Middle East's most notable experts for premium memos, trend reports, live video Q&A, and intimate in-person events, each detailing exclusive insights on business and geopolitical trends shaping the region. Ethiopia is now at a crossroads. This was followed by the killing of over 80 people in a place called Daleti in Metekel Zone. Several investors previously engaged in commercial farming where a variety of cash cropslike seasame and groundnutswere produced for export. The problem is not against the principles of a peace dialogue; rather, it is with the points missed and incorporated into the agreement. The Benshangul/Gumuz Region lies on Ethiopia's western border with Sudan, and shares internal borders with Amhara and Oromia Regions. 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. But funding gaps has forced @WFP to make difficult decisions about who receives food and who goes without. Unseth, Peter. Negotiations over an agreement between the three nations over the filling of the dam have stalled recently. The growth in refugee numbers has not been matched by a growth in resources, forcing WFP to make difficult decisions about who receives food assistance and who goes without. Haavisto also warned that Sudan is struggling to cope with the influx of people fleeing the fighting and said it risked creating a major refugee crisis. Some observers are now saying that the atrocities committed in Metekkel are reaching holocaust proportions. You have come to the situation which is militarily and human rights-wise, humanitarian-wise very out of control, Finlands Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told journalists in Brussels, a day after briefing the blocs ministers on the crisis. For many, the agreement is an indication that positive gains can come from unsanctioned violence and may tempt others to achieve their wants through violence. The Berta rebels instead allied with the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which overthrew the Mengistu regime in 1991 with the coalition EPRDF. It is subdivided in several dialects (Ahland 2004, Unseth 1985). Read more: The river provides nearly all Egyptians with drinking water. Survivors of a massacre in December in the Benishangul-Gumuz region of Ethiopia. Villages have been razed to the ground. 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. They are looked down on and insulted as shankila. In particular, the proposed power-sharing arrangements with the militias has raised many eyebrows. In 2019, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said his country should be ready for a war with Egypt over the dispute. It hosts more than 70,000 refugees from those countries, as well as more than a half-million Ethiopians internally displaced by. Ahmed said that these parties seek to plunge the country into chaos. The five largest ethnic groups in Benishangul-Gumuz were the Berta (27%), Gumuz (23%), Amhara (22%), Oromo (13%) and Shinasha (7%). UNHCR and partners have moved refugees from Sudan and South Sudan to safety in Ethiopia's Benishangul Gumuz region. Published under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International licence. There are also competing interests from actors in Sudan and Egypt who are opposed to the filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in Metekkel, and local elements who are unhappy with the formation of Ethiopias new ruling Prosperity Party. With the stalled negotiations on the filing and operation of the GERD, discontented youth might be attracted to seek support from either Sudan or Egypt. The UNHCR said on Tuesday most of the 7,000 asylum seekers who fled Metekel have been living among Sudanese host communities. What is the impact of the expected great economic benefits of the GERD on peoples behavior now? Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Both Egypt and Sudan argue that the dam affects the flow of the Nile waters into their respective countries. In a statement on 1 May, the government of Sudan claimed Benishangul-Gumuz as potentially its territorya provocation which the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs quickly condemned. Following the adoption of the 1995 constitution, the region was created from the westernmost portion of the Gojjam province (the part north of the Abay River), and the northwestern portion of the Welega Province (the part south of the Abay). This is because the Blue Nile, which originates from Ethiopia, supplies up to 80% of the Nile waters. [5], Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), the Benishangul-Gumuz Region has a total population of 784,345, consisting of 398,655 men and 385,690 women; urban inhabitants number 105,926 or 13.51% of the population. Instead, cross-border trade has increased, away from official pathways. Fighters from Amhara, however, have been accused by witnesses of carrying out atrocities along with Ethiopian and Eritrean forces in the Tigray conflict. Awadi noted that the Ethiopian society is disintegrated, as sporadic demonstrations occasionally erupt in the country, due to the prime ministers policies of marginalization and persecution of several social groups. As of 2007, there were around 159,418 Gumuz in Ethiopia. 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.

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