Aid agencies turn blind eye to 'catastrophe' in Ethiopia
15 April 2013
Three new reports predict disaster in Lower Omo Valley
Three independent reports have warned that the controversial Gibe III dam,
and land grabs for plantations, risk imminent 'catastrophe' in Ethiopia's
Lower Omo Valley.
<
http://www.survivalinternational.org/tribes/omovalley> Half a million
tribal people in Ethiopia and Kenya stand to be overwhelmed by these
projects, whose immediate suspension Survival International has demanded.
-
<
http://www.africanstudies.ox.ac.uk/lake-turkana-and-lower-omo-hydrological-
impacts-major-dam-and-irrigation-developments> Lake Turkana and the Lower
Omo - Hydrological Impacts of Major Dam and Irrigation Projects published by
the Africa Studies Centre at Oxford University predicts the Ethiopian
government's <
http://www.survivalinternational.org/news/8467> Kuraz Sugar
Project alone will cause Lake Turkana, the world's largest desert lake, to
drop by up to 22 meters. Much of the lake's aquatic life will be destroyed,
including fish stocks vital to the Turkana and other peoples living by the
lake.
Bodi, Kwegu and Mursi tribespeople are now being forcibly evicted for the
Kuraz project and moved into resettlement areas. Once here, they are told
they must sell most of their herds and can only keep a few head of cattle.
The Bodi have been told they will only get food aid when they have moved.
- <
http://www.arwg-gibe.org/> Humanitarian Catastrophe and Regional Armed
Conflict Brewing in the Transborder Region of Ethiopia, Kenya and South
Sudan published by the Africa Resources Working Group concludes that 200,000
tribal people in Ethiopia and 300,000 in Kenya will suffer irreversible
impacts from the dam and plantations.
It warns that because the dam will cause the
<
http://www.survivalinternational.org/news/8228> elimination of the Omo
River's natural flood, the river's flow will be reduced by 60-70%, and the
livelihoods of the tribes who live along its banks and in its plains will be
devastated. It predicts 'major inter-ethnic conflict'.
-
<
http://www.internationalrivers.org/resources/gibe-iii-s-impacts-on-lake-tur
kana-7773> The Downstream Impacts of Ethiopia's Gibe III Dam - East Africa's
Aral Sea in the Making? published by International Rivers warns that the
hydrological changes from the dam and associated irrigation for the
plantations, which will use fertilizers, may lead to dead zones in the Omo
River.
It says that the 'destruction of livelihoods in the Lower Omo and the
coercion necessary to appropriate their lands for plantation agriculture
will severely disrupt the lives of an estimated 200,000-300,000 [tribal]
people'. It calls for funding for the dam to be halted.
DFID and USAID, the UK and US governments' aid departments, are the largest
single donors to Ethiopia. Both have received numerous reports of
<
http://www.survivalinternational.org/news/8115> human rights abuses in the
Lower Omo.
Prompted by Survival International and others, DFID sent officials to the
Lower Omo to interview Mursi and Bodi villagers in January 2012. The
officials were told about: arrests and beatings; the deliberate destruction
of grain stores; of denied access to the Omo River; and of the widespread
use of the military to intimidate people into giving up their land. There
were also numerous accounts of rape.
DFID took nine months to prepare a 'report' of this visit, which concluded
that a more detailed investigation would be required to 'substantiate' the
allegations - since when it has done nothing.
DFID continues to fund Ethiopia's 'Protection of Basic Services' program,
without which the <
http://www.survivalinternational.org/news/8174> forced
resettlement of thousands of tribal people probably could not be carried
out.
Stephen Corry, Director of Survival International, said today, 'UK money is
bankrolling the destruction of some of the best-known pastoralist peoples in
Africa. Taxpayers should be outraged, but they probably won't be surprised.
The UK government is renowned for only paying lip service to human rights
obligations where tribal peoples are concerned. When it comes to human
rights in Ethiopia, DFID's many commitments are worthless - the department
consistently ignores both its own policies and the laudable conventions it
has signed up to.'
<
http://assets.survivalinternational.org/pictures/2507/eth-omo-2012-0171_scr
een.jpg>
Three new reports predict 'catastrophe' for half a million tribal people
such as the Mursi of Ethiopia's Lower Omo Valley.
C Survival
<
http://assets.survivalinternational.org/pictures/1947/15-original2_screen.j
pg>
The Gibe III dam will stop the Omo River's natural flood, on which the
tribes depend.
C Survival
<
http://assets.survivalinternational.org/pictures/1935/3_screen.jpg>
When DFID officials visited Mursi and Bodi villages last year they were told
about arrests, beatings, the destruction of grain stores, intimidation and
rape.
C Survival
Note to editors:
Read the reports here:
-
<
http://www.africanstudies.ox.ac.uk/lake-turkana-and-lower-omo-hydrological-
impacts-major-dam-and-irrigation-developments> Lake Turkana and the Lower
Omo - Hydrological Impacts of Major Dam and Irrigation Projects by Dr Sean
Avery published by the Africa Studies Centre at the University of Oxford
- <
http://www.arwg-gibe.org/> Humanitarian Catastrophe and Regional Armed
Conflict Brewing in the Transborder Region of Ethiopia, Kenya and South
Sudan by Dr Claudia J Carr of the University of California at Berkeley
published by the Africa Resources Working Group
-
<
http://www.internationalrivers.org/resources/gibe-iii-s-impacts-on-lake-tur
kana-7773> The Downstream Impacts of Ethiopia's Gibe III Dam - East Africa's
Aral Sea in the Making? published by International Rivers
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Received on Mon Apr 15 2013 - 21:52:17 EDT
