Dear Editor | Teen Ink

Dear Editor

January 31, 2008
By Anonymous

Dear Editor,

“Three hundred soldiers marched into town and beat us, and then told us to run. When we ran, they shot us, including my boy,” Omod and Anuak tribe survivor described to In These Times editor Doug McGill. About five years ago, Ethiopian soldiers and other tribes massacred over 400 Anuak people. The soldiers claimed that it was an act of ethnic cleansing, and for the betterment of the Ethiopian people. This “cleansing” is an on-going Genocide.

According to Doug McGill, the Anuak have lived for centuries in Western Ethiopia. Active gold pits and oil reserves exist on their ancestral land, resources the Ethiopian government covets. The Anuaks want the government to share profit from the development of these resources. It is for this reason, the Ethiopian Genocide occurred.

On December 13, 2003 the massacre of the Anuaks began. The attacks lasted for one day, but the affects were astounding. Most of the 400 victims were murdered by shooting, hanging and burning, while some were thrown into a river to drown. This single day of mass murder is what sparked media attention, even with the Ethiopian government trying to cover it up.

Today, the Anuak tribe is being targeted. The Genocide watch team documented numerous instances of Highlander attackers chanting, “Let’s kill them all!” and “Now is the day for killing Anuak!” The team has also reported that hand grenades thrown into huts is a daily ‘activity’ performed by these people.

The Anuak king, King Adongo, stated, “…There is no alternative unless people sit down.” This means that citizens of every country should take action, and not just let someone else do the work. You can help by logging on to http://www.genocideintervention.net/user/register to sign up and receive newsletters and updates concerning various Genocides. Educate yourself to make a difference.


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