Anuak Justice Council challenges human rights violations

Along with concern about needs of the Anuak, the Anuak Justice Council advocates worldwide to challenge the human rights violations against the Anuak. 

It has a website and produced a DVD documentary on the genocide and what has followed.  The professionally produced DVD, “Betrayal of Democracy:  Ethiopia,” tells of the suffering and genocide not only of the Anuak but also of other ethnic/racial groups in Ethiopia.

Obang Metho of Saskatoon, the director of international advocacy, has shown the DVD in 22 U.S. and Canadian venues since September.  He speaks to Anuak and other Ethiopians, urging them to work together. 

Along with testifying at hearings in Washington, D.C., in the European Union Parliament and before a committee of Canadian policymakers, he has met with the World Bank representative for Ethiopia.

“When he speaks, he speaks on behalf of all Ethiopian ethnic groups,” said John Frankhauser, treasurer and webmaster for the Anuak Justice Council. 

“Ethiopia is divided by ethnic turfdoms.  Although the Anuak are the lowest of the low, the smallest of the small ethnic groups and the darkest skinned, they are providing the message and leadership that identify the pain all ethnic groups suffer,” he said. 

“The Anuak call for all to work together for national healing.  The message is being heard, because the Anuak are so small and powerless they are not a threat to other ethnic groups in Ethiopia.

“Those groups are benefitting from our advocacy work,” said John, who is motivated by his compassion for people and by his love for the local Anuak.

 John adds new stories every week to the website at anuakjustice.org.

“Through our website, one-tenth of a percent of the population of Ethiopia has become a source of information for all ethnic groups through testimonies, speeches and links to other websites, such as Genocide Watch and Human Rights Watch,” John said.

A recently released Harvard University Law Clinic report of its investigation of the continuing violence is on the website.

 “We cover the Anuak genocide as part of our overall concern about genocide and human rights violations and have as many as 14,000 visits to the site each month,” John said.

The Anuak Justice Council is independent but supported by churches, private donations and grants from foundations.

For information, call 448-0805 or visit www.anuakjustice.org

 

Mary Stamp - The Fig Tree - © January 2007