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We Need Your Help to Fight Forced Evictions and Human Rights Abuses in Ethiopia

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Dear friends,

On July 17, the Oakland Institute exposed USAID and its UK equivalent DFID's role and responsibilities in the perpetuation of forced evictions and human rights abuses against indigenous communities in Ethiopia.

Our two reports as well as recorded interviews with affected communities on the ground strongly connected US and UK aid funds with the repression and human rights violations involved in relocating villagers for the development of agricultural plantations. With hard evidence and in-depth research, we showed that international development assistance is complicit with the implementation of violent and abusive so-called "development policy." Worse, we showed how once international pressure pushed USAID and DFID to do an investigation into allegations of rape, coercion, and other threats against primarily ethnic groups, the donors ignored their own findings.

We work hard to give a voice to those who cannot freely speak for themselves, and with these reports we succeeded in exposing the reality on the ground in spite of donor entities turning a blind eye.

Our goal is to put pressure on governments who--with our tax dollars--are making terrible decisions that are doing immense harm right now. Irrefutable evidence shows that USAID and DFID deny and hide the reality of large-scale abuses and also support the policy of the Ethiopian regime that destroys the lives and livelihoods of millions in the country. With this exposure, we accomplished what we set out to do. We took the stories of the people most harmed in the South Omo region of Ethiopia and reached an audience of hundreds of thousands, building to perhaps millions, by getting coverage in the BBC, Christian Science Monitor, the Guardian, Bloomberg News, IPS News, and more.

Now we need to continue this work and to push even harder, with more research, publications, and advocacy. Bulldozers are crushing homes and tearing up fields and it is urgent to stop them. We need your help for this and I hope we can count on you to support our work.

Our goal is to have a lasting impact in defense of voiceless people and of the natural resources they rely on for their survival. The Ethiopian government and its western supporters must respect the rights and dignity of the tribes of Lower Omo. Please give a donation of any amount to our Ethiopia campaign today.

Thank you.

Anuradha Mittal

Executive Director, Oakland Institute

P.S. We appreciate ALL donations but if you can give $35, $50, $100, $250, $1,000 or more, you will help us the most at this pressing time. Thank you! 

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