Anuak or Pan-Gambellan Organizations

Nyikani in North America (NNA)

Aim: Work with people in Nyikani area to improve its security and the region developmental services

Core Base: Anyikani area and its natives in Diaspora

Head: Obang Obang

Contact: 763-489-1025

Online: No official website yet

Anuak United Youth Association

Aim: Work to build a Community Center, Daycare Center and provide other Services

Core base: United States

Head: Obang Gilo

Contact: 952-4964014

Online: No official website yet

Akobo County (AC)

Aim: Work with people in Akobo and Anuak people elsewhere to improve security and developmental prospect

Core Base: Akobo County and its natives in Diaspora

Head: Choul Opiew

Contact:

Online: No official website yet

Anuak Women’s Community (AWC)

Aim: work towards improving lives of Anuak women

Core Base: Anuak women in Diaspora and their males and foreign friends

Head: Abang Lero

Contact: 651-330-5871

Online: No official website yet

Partners in Africa (PIA)

Aim: Spread Christianity in East Africa

Core Base: United States and East Africa

Heads: Director Paul Lindbergh & President Opiew Omot

Contact: partnersinafrica@yahoo.com

Online: www.partnersinafrica.org

Pochalla County (PC)

Aim: Work with people of Pochalla County to improve their lives

Core Base: Pochalla and natives of Pochalla in Diaspora

Head: Simon Omot

Contact: 712-213-1536

Only: No official website yet

Anyuak Media

Aim: Report news, “express and share our joy and sorrow”

Core Base: North America

Head:

Contact: webmaster@anyuakmedia.com  

Online: www.anyuakmedia.com

Gambellan People United Democratic Party (GPUDP)

Aim: work with other Ethiopian people to overthrow the current regime

Core Base: North America & Kenya

Head: Obang Okumu
Contact:

Online: No official website yet

Anuak Justice Council (AJC)

Aim: Protect rights of Anuaks

Core Base: North America

Head: Akuthi Okoth

Contact: info@anuakjustice.org

Online: www.anuakjustice.org

Anyuwaa Community Association of Kenya (ACAK)

Aim: work with relief organization in Kenya to help Anuak refugees

Core base: Kenya

Head:

Contact:

Online: No official website yet

Gambela Relief Organization (GRO)

Aim: improve social and economic situation of Anuak and other Gambellans

Core Base: East Africa and West

Head: Apee Jobi

Contact: pochalla@yahoo.com

Online: www.gromn.org

Key Liberation Movements in Ethiopia

Gambella People Liberation Movement/Front (GPLM/A)

Aim: liberate the people of Gambella

Core Base: Gambella, & Gambellans in Diaspora  

Head:

Contact:

Online: no official website yet

Oromo Liberation Front (OLF)

Aim: liberate Oromo people

Core Base: Oromo region and Oromos in Diaspora

Head: Dawud Ibsa Ayana

Contact: olfinfodesk@earthlink.net

Online: www.oromoliberationfront.org

Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF)

Aim: Liberate the people of Ogaden

Core Base: Ogaden

Head: Mohamed O. Osman

Contact:foreign@onlf.org

Online: www.onlf.org

Sidama Liberation Front (SLF)

Aim: Liberate the people of Sidama

Core base: Sidama people

Head: Vice Chair Betana H. Hamano -

Online: www.sidamanational-liberation.org

Key National Political Parties in Ethiopia

Ethiopian United Democratic Forces (EUDF)

Aim: Establish a democratic and federal Ethiopia

Core Base: South Ethiopia and some other pockets of the country

Head: Acting Chairman Girma Shumie

Online:www.hebret.com/index.htm

Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF)

Aim: Establish an ‘ethnic Federalism’ (the ruling party)

Core Base: Tigre region and some individuals in other parts of the country

Head: Meles Zenawi

Online: www.eprp.com

Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD)

Aim: Establish a unitary political system

Core bases: Amhara region and Addis Ababa

Head: Hailu Shawel

Online:www.kinijit.org/

Gambella Important Highlights

Administrative Divisions:  Districts/Warada

Regional Government Key Positions

Governor: Obang Olom Omot.  Note: Omot was one of the masterminds of the December 13, 2003 genocide against Anuaks and he was awarded the post as a governor precisely for that.

Vice:  

Security Head: Sunday Simon

Humanitarian Head: Olero Opiew

Gambellans in senior positions in the Country

Ojulu Ochalla, Former Ethiopia First Secretary in Geneva, Switzerland  

Cham Oriet, Ethiopia Ambassador, Ghana & former Ambassador to Uganda

 Kong Tut Olam, Former Ethiopia Ambassador, Japan

Major Towns

Gambella Town

Dimma Town

Pinyudo Town

Important Areas

Jor: Oil, fishery, and important military strategic

Dimma: Gold mines

Abobo: Dam & arable land

Major Rivers

Akobo

Gilo

Openo (Baro)

Alworo

Gambella Important figures

Cham Adhom

Attended American University in Beirut, Lebanon where he studied Theology …. He worked for many years as a popular English High School teacher and a curriculum developer in Gambella. 

Dr. Owar Ojwato

Attended Medenalem high school, Deberezit veterinary college graduate and earned his doctorate from Russia republic and poisoned 2003 in Gambella hospital by EPDRF government.

Kwot Ojwato

Attended Medanalem High School in Addis Ababa and was both co-founder of the Gambella People’s Liberation Movement (GPLM) & the Gambella Education Welfare Association (GEWA).  He also worked as political cadre under Dergue regime and executed by the government in 1986.

Agwa Alemo

Attended Mekene yesus seminary theology in Addis Ababa and went on job political training in Cuba. He was the co-founder of GPLM & GEWA. He worked as political cadre, district governor, chairman of GPLM, primary school teacher, Gambella regional governor and assassinated by some GPLM troops.

Ojulu Ojwok co-founder of GEWA

Attended Jimma Agriculture College and went on job administration training in Russia republic. He worked for Ministry of Agriculture, organized many farmers associations, cabinet member in Dergue government, district governor and shot dead by EPDRF soldiers.

Philiph Opiew Ochadhco co-founder of GEWA

Attended a Teacher training institute and went on job administration training in Russia republic. He worked for ministry of education as school teacher, director, and regional governor. He managed to upgrade Gambella education from primary school to junior Sec. School.

David Oduru Ojulu co-founder of GEWA

Attended Jimma Agriculture College and went on job training in Nigeria. He worked for ministry of Agriculture as Agricultural expert, Head of Agriculture research institute under EPDRF government, district governor under Dergue regime.

Abuya Omot Women Rights Fighter

Attended Gambella High School and organized Gambella women Associations in many districts under Dergue regime and currently working in women affair office fighting for women rights.

Peter Deng Ojwato co-founder of GPLM

Attended Jimma Agriculture College and went on job training on rice farming in Japan. He worked for the ministry of Agriculture as agriculture expert for many years. He was killed by EPDRF military in December 13, 2003 Anuak genocide.

Kwot Agade

He worked along Oleme who was the key founding member of the GPLM and the key commander during the first liberation war GPLM engaged in from 1983 up to 1991. He left Gambella after it became clear to him that the principles he fought was being encroached by the EPDRF. He fought in some keys battles in defense of genocide survivals and he was advised to leave GPLM in 2005 and his whereabouts remains mysterious.

(List of important Gambella figures still in the process)

Vital Gambella Historical Events

1902: Britain & Ethiopia started negotiations on the status of Gambella

1956: British gave Gambella to Ethiopia

1960s: Southern Sudanese made Gambella as their base for liberation war against Northern Sudanese

1983: Gambellans created the Gambella People Liberation Movement for independent struggle

1983: Southern Sudanese once more made Gambella their base and started the 21-year civil war against the Northern governments

1982: Ethiopia settled a large number of Highlanders in Gambella in what Gambellans saw as depopulation politics.

1991: GPLM troops arrived in Gambella under the umbrella of Ethiopia People Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF)

1994: Gambella made a state under the coalition agreement

1994: GPLM troops was attacked and destroyed. Surviving troops relocated in Pochalla and other areas

2003: On December 13, 2006 Ethiopia Troops and their Highlander allies started killing Anuaks