Alemitu Responsible for the death of ENDF and Federal Police Personal in Gambella
By Pam Chuol Joack, Gambella Vision Contributor and Analyst on Gambella Affairs
If Ethiopia operated under the same standards of accountability and law enforcement expected in Australia, Western Europe, the United States, or Canada, President Alemitu Omot would face serious questions about her handling of the violence in Gambella.
Depending on the evidence, any credible allegations of obstructing investigations, concealing information about wanted suspects, or facilitating armed groups could expose a public official to serious legal consequences.
In democratic societies governed by the rule of law, public officials are not supposed to stand above the law. Those who knowingly obstruct justice, conceal evidence, or assist wanted criminals face prosecution. When the accused holds public office, the political consequences can be equally severe.
The experience of former US President Richard Nixon illustrates the consequences of abuses of executive power. Nixon resigned in 1974 amid the Watergate scandal after evidence of a cover-up emerged and impeachment became increasingly likely. His case demonstrated that even the highest office in the country does not guarantee immunity from political accountability.
The allegations surrounding Alemitu Omot and the continuing violence in Gambella deserve similarly serious scrutiny. Federal police officers, Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) personnel, and civilians have lost their lives in the region. The critical question is whether these deaths could have been prevented through better regional leadership, timely intelligence-sharing, and decisive cooperation with federal security institutions.
Who Is Protecting the Armed Groups?
One of the most troubling questions facing Gambella is whether armed groups accused of attacking civilians are operating with the knowledge, tolerance, or support of individuals within the regional administration.
Alemitu Omot’s critics allege that the regional government has failed to provide adequate information about the whereabouts and activities of armed groups accused of carrying out attacks.
Some go further, alleging that the administration has enabled these groups to continue operating.If armed groups are indeed maintaining organised bases, supply networks, and weapons stockpiles, investigators must establish how these operations are sustained and whether any public officials have assisted them. No regional administration should be exempt from answering these questions.
The Question of Camps, Weapons, and Logistics
Reports and allegations concerning armed-group camps in Abol, Akada, Apanya, Itang town, and Pino raise further questions about security and accountability. The author alleges that these locations have served as bases for militants associated with the Anyuak GPLM and Lwa Chiri movements.
The fifth camp in 04 Kebele was destroyed during an ENDF operation. An armed group cannot sustain a prolonged campaign without resources. Food, transport, weapons, communications, recruitment, and safe access to operating areas all require some form of logistical support. Establishing where these resources originate is therefore essential to understanding the conflict.
Questions about the economic circumstances of different communities, including the availability of livestock, diaspora contributions, and other sources of funding, should not substitute for evidence. Investigators must follow the actual financial and logistical networks rather than assume responsibility on the basis of ethnicity.
If armed groups are receiving supplies or protection from people connected to government institutions, those responsible must be identified and held accountable through lawful processes.
Peace Protests Cannot Replace Accountability
Another question concerns the reported organisation of peace demonstrations by members of Alemitu Omot’s community while allegations about armed-group activity remain unresolved.
Peace demonstrations are legitimate expressions of public concern. However, no demonstration, political declaration, or community mobilisation should be used to divert attention from credible allegations of violence or to shield suspected perpetrators from investigation.
If the regional government is genuinely committed to peace, it should cooperate fully with federal investigators, disclose relevant information, support lawful security operations, and ensure that civilians can live without fear of attack.
Peace cannot be achieved by addressing public relations while leaving the underlying security questions unanswered. Nor can lasting peace be built by treating one community’s suffering as less important than another’s.
Why Has Accountability Been So Difficult?
The most serious question is whether the regional administration has done everything within its authority to prevent attacks against civilians and assist federal security institutions.
If federal police and ENDF personnel repeatedly requested information about armed groups and received inadequate or misleading responses, those circumstances should be examined independently. Investigators must determine what information was available, who possessed it, what was communicated, and whether any deliberate obstruction occurred.
If the evidence establishes that a public official knowingly concealed information, obstructed lawful operations, or assisted individuals responsible for serious crimes, the consequences should be determined under the applicable law. If the evidence instead demonstrates failures of competence, judgment, or leadership, those failures should attract political scrutiny and appropriate institutional accountability.
The Human Cost of Insecurity
For ordinary people in Gambella, these questions are not merely political. They concern the right to travel safely, use public transport, access medical care, and live in their neighbourhoods without fear of being attacked.
Allegations of attacks against passengers travelling by bus or ambulance, as well as violence in residential areas, demand urgent and impartial investigation. Every victim deserves justice, regardless of whether they are Nuer, Anyuak, Habesha, or from another community.
No ethnic group should collectively bear the blame for crimes allegedly committed by particular individuals or armed organisations. Equally, no individual or organisation should escape investigation because of ethnic affiliation, political influence, or connections to people in power.
The claim that Nuer civilians are being targeted with confidence because perpetrators expect to avoid arrest is particularly grave. It must be addressed through credible investigations, effective protection for threatened communities, and the prosecution of those against whom sufficient evidence exists.
Gambella Needs Leadership, Not Excuses
Gambella does not need leaders who merely condemn violence after lives have been lost. It needs leaders who cooperate with investigators, protect civilians, confront armed groups through lawful means, and ensure that allegations of official complicity are examined without interference.
Alemitu Omot, as regional president, should be prepared to answer legitimate questions about the security situation under her administration. What does the government know about the armed groups operating in the region? What measures have been taken to identify their bases and disrupt their supply networks? What assistance has been provided to federal authorities? And what independent investigations have been initiated into attacks against civilians and security personnel?
These are not unreasonable questions. They are fundamental questions of public accountability.
If evidence establishes that the regional administration has knowingly protected perpetrators or obstructed lawful investigations, those responsible should face the full consequences of the law. If the administration has failed through incompetence or negligence, the people of Gambella deserve an honest explanation and meaningful political accountability.
The people of Gambella cannot afford another cycle of violence, denial, and impunity. Every life matters, every allegation of serious wrongdoing deserves impartial investigation, and no public office should be a shield against justice.
