The Historical Origins and Territorial Claims of the Nuer in Ethiopia
The Nuer people are historically indigenous to regions of present-day South Sudan, not Ethiopia. There is no evidence that the Nuer possessed ancestral lands within Ethiopia’s borders before the modern period. Their earliest connections with Ethiopia were not based on settlement or territorial claims but emerged through trade relations, particularly during the late 19th century.
The relationship between Ethiopia and the Nuer developed primarily through the booming ivory trade between 1882 and 1898. During this period, states from Kefa to the Benishangul Gumuz region began to offer ivory and gold in exchange for firearms from Emperor Menilek II. The trade routes extended through borderlands where the Dinka and Nuer played key roles as middlemen.
Among the Nuer involved were Gaajak Magician practice of (Wal) leaders such as Mut Dung and Koryom Tut, who facilitated the flow of ivory from the Sudanese interior to Ethiopia. These leaders acted as cultural and political intermediaries, but crucially, they were never based in Anywaa (Anuak) territory, which is now identified with the Gambela region of Ethiopia. Their base of operations was near Asosa, on the Sudanese side of the frontier.
Notably, Mut Dung, a well-known spiritual figure and magician, was utilized as a bridge between Ethiopian agents and ivory traders in Sudan around 1882 and 1889. His spiritual influence among the Nuer was exploited by Ethiopian officials to increase ivory flow, sometimes through illegal channels, bypassing British colonial restrictions.
This trade, however, led to unintended consequences. As the Nuer and Dinka groups received more firearms, they intensified local conflicts and became better armed than neighboring groups. The situation became problematic for the British colonial administration in Sudan, prompting them to enforce stricter border controls. In 1929, the British administration in Khartoum prohibited unauthorized border crossings by the Nuer into Ethiopia. They asserted that all Nuer should be considered Sudanese subjects, not Ethiopian citizens.
Despite British efforts, Ethiopia continued to seek influence over the Nuer for economic gain. In 1931, Majid Abud, an Ethiopian frontier agent, was appointed to oversee areas on both banks of the Baro (Openo) River, spanning Wellegga and Illubabor provinces. These areas included Nuer pastoralists who grazed their cattle seasonally in Ethiopia, though they resided primarily in Sudan.
In a strategic move, Ethiopia appointed Koryom Tut as a local Nuer leader to legitimize their influence and retain control over the ivory trade. In 1935, Koryom Tut was taken from Asosa to Addis Ababa, symbolizing Ethiopia’s continuing interest in the ivory economy. However, his authority and movements remained rooted in Asosa, and there is no historical link between his activities and Gambela or Anywaa territory.
The Anglo-Ethiopian Treaty, signed on May 15, 1902, formally demarcated the boundary between Sudan and Ethiopia. This treaty effectively divided the Anuak people’s ancestral lands between the two countries. At the time of this demarcation, no Nuer settlements existed on the Ethiopian side of the border. The entire stretch along both banks of the Openo (Baro) River, then and now, was recognized as Anywaa land.
The contemporary Nuer presence in Gambela is a result of conflict-driven migration, rather than ancestral land claims. Two significant events shaped this migration: The Sudanese Civil War (1950s–1970s), which displaced thousands of Nuer and other South Sudanese who sought refuge in Ethiopia. The conflict between South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and his vice Riek Machar, which began in December 2013, triggered another massive influx of Nuer refugees into Gambela. Some Nuer refugees exploited seasonal grazing patterns and long-standing relationships with the Anuak to settle more permanently in Ethiopia. Over time, many began to claim Ethiopian citizenship, leading to tensions within local communities, particularly as refugees gained access to government positions and administrative power.
The growing complexity of the Nuer presence in Ethiopia is exacerbated by weak governance and oversight of refugees. In practice, many Nuer individuals move freely between refugee camps and towns. Merely stepping outside a camp can serve, in effect, as a claim to citizenship. This fluid status blurs the legal distinction between refugees, residents, and citizens, raising serious questions about the legitimacy of some claims to land or governance roles in Gambela/Ethiopia.
Conclusion
The Nuer people have no documented historical claim to land within Ethiopia. Their interactions with the Ethiopian state were based on economic partnerships in the ivory trade, rather than on political loyalty or permanent settlement. Their modern presence in Gambela is rooted in refugee flows caused by civil wars, and not in indigenous status.
To better understand the sociopolitical landscape of the Gambela region, it is essential to recognize the distinction between Anywaa ancestral lands and Nuer refugee settlements. Acknowledging this historical and legal boundary is key to fostering lasting peace, fair governance, and mutual respect among the region’s communities.