The Day the Anyuak will not forget

By Obang Jobi

November 30, 2007 — The Anyuak and non Anyuak across the world are preparing the memorial for December 13, 2003 massacre. December 13, 2003 is the day when the Anyuak perished in numbers at the hands of the EPRDF Government in Ethiopia. More than 400 people, mostly educated, were counted dead on that day of December. The killing continued into the villages. More than 2000 people simply disappeared. Families could not trace them. The genocide changed the course of events for the Anyuak and will be remembered as a dark time in their history for generations to come.

When the military started killing innocent Anyuak in Gamella town, Okello Akway, the exiled former Chief Administrator at the time, tried his best to stop the killing. He at that time was at the military camp when this butchering of Anyuak by the military happened. He was sitting next to the military commander in the region, Tsegaye Beyene, when he got the call from Barnabas Gebre-ab who was the minister of federal affairs for Gambella, on December 13, 2003 that he gave “the order to the local military.”

However, there is hope as God opens the hearts of people to their plight. In Kenya the Anyuak community and members of Anyuak community friends across Kenya are getting ready to honor the Day that the Anyuak will not forget.

In Northern America, the chairperson of the Anywaa Community Association (ACANA) said even if the super power governments are not paying attention to the Anyuak problem, the Anyuak and their non Anyuak friends every year on December 13, 2003 will come together and celebrate to honor the massacre. December 13, 2003 for Anyuak in North America had become the day everyone takes vocation from their work place to remember those who lost their lives simply because they were Anyuak. In Canada and Australia too, they are preparing big gatherings.

The Anywaa Community Association in North America (ACANA) chairperson stresses that “even though justice is not served for the victims of December 13, 2003, including those family members who are still traumatized by that barbaric act, they will always observe a memorial day until justice is served.” This event has become the day where Anyuak all over the world get together to console one another. At this moment we will be joining hands together with survivors who are currently in Southern Sudan at Pochalla, Pibor, Malakal, Juba refugee camps and in Kenya Ifo/Dadab refugee camps.

We are also appealing to peace loving people across the world, as we observe this day, to pray especially for the family members who are still traumatized by the death of their loved ones who were taken away from them on that day.

It is also with great thanks to many of human rights advocates and reporters who have shed light on the crime committed against the Anyuak by the TPLF defense forces for their bold determination to reach the inaccessible parts of the Gambella region forbidden by the government secret services. They have gone where no one could get through for fear life and threat by the ruthless TPLF forces. Again who thank you for putting your life on line in order to expose the hidden TPLF crime against humanity. Without your effort what has been known today, wouldn’t have been known to mankind across the globe. To the Anyuak survivors of the December 13, 2003 massacre, you are their heroes and Radar. Through you, we want to ask the International Community never to forget us. We are part of the human family.

The month of December is here again like in all the past years and those to come. The Anyuak know it. Everybody is preparing to remember and honor December the 13th. It is time for reflection of the past, the present and the future. It is time to recharge the batteries for Unity. The Anyuak are one. There is no boundary. The Anyuak are one huge family.

Finally, may the victims of the Gambella genocide rest in peace. May our waking hours be lastingly altered by their sacrifice. And may we all reach beyond this tragedy and work together to recognize our common humanity.

* Obang Jobi is based in Minnesota, USA. He can be reached at [email protected]