"Struggle for Existence, Respect, and Acknowledgment: The Anywaa People's Battle for Identity in Ethiopia"
In the heart of Ethiopia, the Anywaa People, an indigenous ethnic group primarily inhabiting the Gambella region, have been facing significant challenges to their rights and cultural survival. The Anywaa, who reside around Gambella town and along the Baro River, have been impacted by governmental policies like development-induced displacement, such as villagization programs targeting the Anywaa Zone[1][3]. These programs often result in forced relocations and the loss of traditional lands, negatively affecting the community's cultural and socioeconomic wellbeing.
One organisation advocating for the rights of the Anywaa people is the Ethiopia Minorities and Indigenous Peoples Rights Organization (EMIPRO). Established in 2022, EMIPRO is the first legally registered civil society organisation dedicated to the rights of Indigenous and minority populations in Ethiopia[2]. The group works to raise awareness and push for the protection of indigenous rights, confronting challenges such as marginalization, lack of political representation, and land dispossession[1]. EMIPRO documents human rights violations and mobilises both local and international attention to the plight of the Anywaa and other indigenous communities in Gambella[1].
The Anywaa's struggle is emblematic of broader indigenous rights issues in Ethiopia, where ethnic minorities often seek recognition, protection of their ancestral lands, and meaningful participation in the political process. Despite legal frameworks at the national level aimed at protecting minority rights, implementation remains inconsistent, leaving indigenous groups vulnerable to displacement and marginalization[1].
Indigenous Peoples around the world number more than 476 million, speaking over 4,000 languages and caring for 80% of the planet's biodiversity[4]. In Africa, an estimated 50 million Indigenous people live primarily in ecologically fragile zones[5]. The Anywaa language is one of the most critical and vulnerable battlegrounds in the struggle for cultural survival, as children are discouraged from learning or using it due to a lack of economic advantage.
The Majang forest, home to the Majang people, is being rapidly destroyed for tea plantations and carbon offset projects. The Anywaa continue to uphold and protect their cultural systems, even in displacement, including the crowning of a new king in 2024. However, systemic racism shapes everyday life for the Anywaa and other Indigenous communities in Ethiopia, including discriminatory practices in bureaucratic systems[6].
Women, children, and persons with disabilities often face multiple and overlapping forms of marginalization within Indigenous communities in Ethiopia, including infanticide due to traditional beliefs and gender-based exclusion from education and leadership roles. The Ethiopian State has neither ratified ILO Convention 169 nor adopted the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into its legal system. Moreover, Ethiopia's ethnic federalism model has failed to legally recognise Indigenous Peoples or protect their lands and territories[6].
EMIPRO continues to call for urgent and equal protection of Indigenous communities, urging the Ethiopian government to coordinate with South Sudanese authorities to prevent further incursions and facilitate the return of abducted children. The organisation advocates for national funding dedicated to Indigenous women's empowerment and the creation of rural education initiatives that include cultural sensitivity and disability inclusion. EMIPRO is also calling for the enactment of national legislation that explicitly prohibits and criminalizes racial discrimination, including in government offices, border control, and education systems.
On April 6, 2024, a well-armed militia from South Sudan massacred more than 100 Anywaa civilians in Jor district, and similar attacks have occurred in other regions. The Anywaa's ancestral rivers are polluted by toxic gold mining, adding another layer of complexity to their struggle.
The ongoing struggle of the Anywaa people within Ethiopia’s complex ethnic and political landscape underscores the importance of organisations like EMIPRO in promoting indigenous rights. The organisation's work is crucial in raising awareness, documenting abuses, and advocating for change, ultimately working towards a future where Indigenous Peoples can live with dignity, equality, and the protection of their ancestral lands and cultures.
The Anywaa's fight for their rights and cultural survival in Ethiopia incorporates advocacy in various fields of human endeavor, including science, as they document and address environmental degradation caused by activities like tea plantations and carbon offset projects that threaten their Majang forest home [4]. In the realm of education-and-self-development, EMIPRO champions rural education initiatives that embrace cultural sensitivity, disability inclusion, and the preservation of indigenous languages, such as Anywaa, to ensure the survival of indigenous cultures [6]. Additionally, the sports sector is essential in fostering unity and solidarity among the Anywaa community, promoting a healthier lifestyle, and showcasing their cultural identity on a larger scale [unspecified].
