Omo Valley

Hello,
Any news from Southern Ethiopia? I'll be in Addis from July 19th,was planning to go to Arba Minch and, from there visit some tribes. I've been told is not safe, since there are problems with the construction of the new water dam in the land of some tribes.

Anybody is been there or planning to go these days?

Any information will be welcome

Thanks in advance

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wow

I've have emailed you

thanks for the info aratkilo

aratkilo, Lonely Planet has not been owned by the BBC for a couple of years.

They often hold posts with lots of links for review, to prevent link spammers from taking over the place. They also don't look at every TT post, so may not even see your comment. Try the Community FAQ branch if you want to know what happened.

Hello Enat,
I have been getting the weekly UN security report for Ethiopia for the past 1.5 years and there's always something going on in Omo valley. Usually clashes between tribes about cattle raid or similar stuff. Can't remember any incidences with tourists. Arba Minch should definitely be no problem. Yet you might want to consider that the rainy season is about to start, which (until the end of September) might render roads difficult to pass.
Kind regards,
7stern

ps: report from 2 weeks ago (last one I deleted I think):

1. OVERVIEW OF COUNTRY SITUATION

The overall security situation in the country can be considered as fair. The Shilabo area of Kebridahar is still unstable and it is restricted for UN missions at this time. The Borena area around the border with Kenya needs caution. SNNPR is still unstable in places and the Government has restricted travel to some of the areas.

1. SOMALI REGION

Korahe Zone

The Regional President together with Senior EDF Command visited the conflict zone (Shilabo) and EDF troops are reportedly on the way to restore order. UN travel restrictions in the area remain in place until the conflict comes to an end.

· 29 May 15; fighting between the RSPF and the Habargidir clan militia, allegedly supported by AS, continues. According to unverified casualty reports, 19 RSPF soldiers were killed with dozens injured in the initial fighting. Other unconfirmed information indicates that there may have been more RSPF dead, up to 14 more.

Shebelle Zone

The security situation in the Shilabo District of Korahe Zone and Ferfer District of the Shabelle Zone was reported to be very tense due to the fighting on-going for almost a week. The fight is between RSPF and clan militias supported by Ahlusuna Waljamaca and possibly Al-Shabab. Due to the tense situation, Shilabo District of Korahe Zone and Ferfer and Mustahil Districts of Shabelle Zone are still restricted areas for UN missions until the situation is normalized.

· 30 May 15; a Government owned vehicle was involved in an RTA in Berano District and according to the locals the Head of Security of Raso District died in the accident.

· 01 Jun 15; a heavy fight between the RSPF and the ONLF was reported in Abakorow village of the East Imay District. According to locals, casualties were reported on both sides, and reportedly the dead bodies of four ONLF members were displayed in public in East Imay. The situation in the area is reported to be very tense.

· 02 Jun 15; armed men suspected to be Hawadle clan of Hawiye shot and killed a woman and injured two others in Burdhille village of Ferfer District 10km to the west of Ferfer. Reportedly the assailant were looking for men, but due to the fighting the men were in the bush which left the women in the village.

Liben Zone

· 01 Jun 15; sources say that at approximately 1300hrs in the bush on the other side of Dawa River, between Rhamo and Mubarak, the KDF were searching for suspected AS elements. It is said that the AS met local people and requested their moral and material support. Many Ethiopian local militia who were deployed alongside the river for patrolling (between Suftu and Sadey).

1. OROMIYA REGION

In the Zone the movement of insurgents in the areas along the Kenya border is still being reported.

· 29 May 15; during the night there was an exchange of gun fire in Moyale town around the immigration office (near to the customs check point) between the security forces and OLF insurgents, allegedly. During the exchange of gunfire, two were killed from the insurgent side and one injured from the security force side.

· 31 May 15; in the night there was again an exchange of gunfire in Moyale town and later in the vicinity of Miyo.

Bule Hora University is now calm. Likewise, the conflict that occurred in the Yabello District at the place called Dedertu and the area around Arero is now calm. The elders from the Borana, Guji and Gabra were called together to discuss with the community the issues and come to some resolution. According to Police, the suspect that killed the Guji man from Borana has been detained and they are working on the other (that killed the Borana man from the Guji side). In addition, the property that was looted from both sides during the conflict is in process of being returned.

1. GAMBELLA REGION

· 28 May 15; at around 1800hrs, several bullets were fired into air by a member of the RSPF who was reportedly intoxicated. During the firing, the Police officer ended up accidently shooting himself due to his intoxicated state. He was sent to Gambella Hospital where he is getting treatment.

· 29 May 15; at 1200hrs, an IOM rental bus carrying refugees in the last convoy from Leitchuor to Jewi swerved off of the main road around Gambella National Park. The bus diverged and overturned on the road side. Passengers on-board panicked and some of them started breaking the windows to jump out of the bus. Five refugees sustained minor injuries and another two were moderately injured by the broken glass. The two with moderate injuries were admitted to Gambella Hospital where their condition was reported as stable.

· 30 May 15; at around 1600hrs, an INGO rental truck dedicated to delivering water in Kule Camp smashed into a shop in Zone A. The bystanders(refugees), who mistakenly thought someone died in the shop, stoned four vehicles busting their windows. One INGO staff was seriously injured and three other staff sustained minor injuries. The situation was brought under control when ARRA intervened with the help of the RSPF.

1. SNNP REGION

During the week heavy weapons fire was reported in the vicinity of Ocholech and Fejej Kebeles of the Dasenech Woreda. Two Dasenech deaths were reported. According to the information issued by the Dasenech Woreda, the conflict was between the Dasenech and armed Hamer communities. Reportedly, the conflict was provoked because of raiding of cattle of the Dasenech community by Hamer and also due to pasture issues. The Dasenech Woreda Administration has organized peace builders to visit the area to discuss the issue with the Hamer communities. The main road from Jinka to Dasenech or Gnangatom and vice versa was closed.

1. TIRGRAY REGION

· 29 May 15; at about 0940hrs, in May-Tsemry town near the Ad-Harush Refugee Camp, 83km south of Shire town, a security guard working for the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, May-Tsemry Branch, killed 2 guards and seriously injured one female guard and the cleaner. Then, he entered inside the bank killed the bank's manager. He immediately, closed the door and start burning the bank’s money. Police and Militia arrived at the scene, and cordoned the bank, then, they tried to save the lives of the remaining bank workers under his custody and the bank's property, but they were unable to succeed. Federal Police arrived to the scene and after long hours of exchanging gunfire and negotiation, at about 1500hrs, the suspect surrendered himself to the police. When the scene was investigated, all the bank workers under his custody had been killed. According to the witness, the number of dead was reported as seven and three were severely injured. According to the information, the reason for the killings was that the suspect had been issued a termination letter from his job.

1. MEDIA REPORT

Sudan Tribune reporting under the caption on June 06, 2015 – “Ethiopia: Abducted two rebel negotiators freed” An Ethiopian rebel group, the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) welcomed the release of two delegates allegedly abducted in Nairobi by the Ethiopian government. Sulub Ahmed and Ali Hussein were senior negotiators for the ONLF in the peace talks being brokered by the Kenyan government. In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Saturday, ONLF said two negotiators are now freed and reunited with their families living in Kenya. The rebel group previously said that the two rebel delegates were abducted on 26 January, 2014 in Nairobi and brought in to Ethiopia’s Moyale town, near the Kenyan border. Two Kenyan officers were then accused of abducting and forcing the two to the Ethiopian border and handing them over to the Ethiopian security officials, an accusation the officers denied. The rebels then accused the Ethiopian government of being behind the kidnapping and later pulled out of the peace talks. “After their abduction on January 26, 2014, they were taken to Ethiopia and detained in an undisclosed facility for one year and four months,” the group said. The group added the two rebel officials were freed on June 1, 2015 following sustained diplomatic efforts by the Kenyan government and members of the international community in support of calls by the ONLF for their release. The Kenyan government had for years been facilitating the peace dialogue aimed to end the rebel’s over two decades-long insurgency in the Ogaden region. In the latest statement, the Ogaden rebels said they are committed to continuing the peace process in pursuit of a just and durable political solution to the crises in Ogaden, an ethnic Somali region in Ethiopia. The rebel group further said the move taken by the Ethiopian government is a positive development that removes an important obstacle to progress to the stalled peace talks. A splinter faction of the ONLF has signed a peace deal with the Ethiopian government in 2010 but the other one has continued its armed struggle. Since the 1970s, the ONLF rebels have been fighting for independence to the troubled Ogaden region. Ethiopia has long designated the ONLF group as a terrorist entity along with the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and Ginbot-7 movement.

http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article55244

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Currently I traveld to Omo valley with local guide. You know There are some questions about the land in Omo but it doesn't mean insecure for traveling through the tribes. I have got a nice experience in my life in traveling arround the region , I have got the chance to see special events in Hamar village of the region when a young boy jumps over bulls to pass the age level. If you have any questions you can message me.

My friends forget the report. Some of the incidences are not even worse than what happened in Paris, in London or in Madrid. Be just practical. Some of the reports about the conflict are just a copy from the websites of some political media. Avoid travelling to Somali Border. That means the border Provinces of Ethiopian Somalia region. That could be unsafe. Beside this, all tourist destinations from South Omo to north historical circuit as well as from Denakil depression and Harrar (East historical destination) up to west part of the country are safe.
The tribal conflict is an avoidable cultural conflict between the tribes living in this region because of fighting for grazing lands and cattle looting. It doesn’t affect the other visitors. The folks on this region are used to have such a conflict for many generations as well as they used to resolving the conflict without intervention of external parties.

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