Voices from the Lower Omo Valley

The ancestral homes of Ethiopia’s Omo river tribespeople are being destroyed by vast sugar cane plantations. Now, the authorities plan to evict those who stand in the way of these ‘developments’.

'We were born in this place, and we have lived here for years. I just want to be here, on my land, in my country. It is _our_ land.'

’We were born in this place, and we have lived here for years.

I just want to be here, on my land, in my country.

It is our land.’

© Survival

'The government says cattle and people have to move from the Omo valley to where there is no grass and no crops. So that means we and the cattle will die together.'

’The government says cattle and people have to move from the Omo valley to where there is no grass and no crops.

So that means we and the cattle will die together.’

© Survival

'We are Mursi and we stay on our land. The government is collecting all the people in the Omo Valley to put in one place. We have a big, big problem with the government about the sugar cane plantations. Everyone is against them.'

’We are Mursi and we stay on our land. The government is collecting all the people in the Omo Valley to put in one place.

We have a big, big problem with the government about the sugar cane plantations. Everyone is against them.’

© Fiona Watson

'I feel that I want to throw my body in the river and die. The government is killing our land.'

‘I feel that I want to throw my body in the river and die. The government is killing our land.’

© Survival

'The government is taking the land by force. There are many machines clearing the bush. Now there are no trees left. The rhino and giraffe have no shade.'

’The government is taking the land by force. There are many machines clearing the bush.

Now there are no trees left. The rhino and giraffe have no shade.’

© Survival

'We are crying now. You have to help us, please. If nobody helps us, we are waiting to die. You have to talk with your government, in order to help us.'

’We are crying now. You have to help us, please. If nobody helps us, we are waiting to die.

You have to talk with your government, in order to help us.’

© Survival

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