The Ethiopian government reported 196 miners killed by January 30th by what they called “Anyuak armed group”. No independent source has verified this allegation. The Anyuaks know that it is one of those ploys by a tyrant government which wants to make a pretext to kill a tribe so weak and so poor as the Anyuak. It is way to mask the wise world to know the truth. No armed group without name. Meles was a fighter and his group had a name.

The truth is that the government troops went to the mines to disarm the Anyuak miners. But the word leaked ahead of them. The Anyuaks then ran into the bushes for safety. As they did the highland miners attacked them [Anyuaks] with the hope that the troops will soon arrive to help. The highlanders were overwhelmed. The troops arrived and found no Anyuaks at the mines. With all the frustration the troops went back to Dimma town and killed all the Anyuak officials. Three officials escaped to the refugee camp to hide. Those are the witnesses. The 196 dead were not the highlanders but Anyuaks and some Sudanese refugees caught on the market at Dimma. The troops have no way to distinguish the Nilotics as Anyuaks or others.

The Anyuaks have no organized force to fight a mighty government. They do have such capacity leave alone sustaining a rebellion.. The people who fought and fled from the mines were simple miners as the highland miners. Compare this with what happened in Gambella town weeks earlier. At Dimma without immediate troops involvement the Anyuaks were not slaughtered like animals. In Gambella town the troops orchestrated the killings. That was why large numbers of Anyuaks perished without fighting back. Similarly at Dimma town more than 40 Anyuaks officials were killed by troops. Other Anyuaks who were caught in the market are not known. The game tactics by the government each time now is to kill civilian Anyuaks who live and work in town to compensate for their frustration and failure.

What frustrates the government is their scanty knowledge of the region, especially the hostile natural environment. When the Anyuak miners fled into the nearby bushes the troops did not know which way to go. No guide. All Anyuaks in that area kept their distance.

While the world waits to hear of more Anyuak deaths the environment is helping out. As troops go deeper the more the trees and grasses become unfriendly and changing from micro-area to another, the hyenas and the lions roar nearby, the rivers are crocodile infested, the mosquitoes, snakes and hot muggy weather are unbearable to outsiders. Sending troops to Gambella region has some pain in it. Because they find nobody it is such a shame and irritation to the strong force. It is unthinkable for a government wanting peace with itself to station more than 20000 troops in such a small region which has no capacity to wage a war. Is the world not surprised?

It was simple and still is if the Ethiopian government is genuinely seeking peace in the region. It can win by:

1. Releasing all prisoners now in all prisons.
2. Withdrawing the troops from the region.
3. Arresting the killers among troops, others and those who issued orders to kill the Anyuaks in Gambella nad Dimma.
4. Leaving the internal affairs and security in the hands of the local people than troops. No sense for the troops to settle a case of broken eggs on the market.
5. Giving back [genuinely] the constitutional rights to the Anyuaks to live with those that co-exist with them, like the Komo, Opuo. Let the Nuers who rival for land go home to their region to establish themselves. They have agreed to go but the government is holding them back to intimidate the Anyuaks as a shield for the highlanders. This has been the case for a long time.

The above simple elements are in the core of the present problems. The Anyuaks see nothing to convince them to return home from Pochalla or from hidings. As much as the government remains repressive the more the problem becomes too far from solution and will wear everybody out.

The Anyuaks hope that the International Community will remain vigilant to help them from extinction. In the future any peace arrangement without the UN and International Community involvement will not be trusted by Gambella people. Those who escaped death will not risk to return home through a simple game.