awkwardsituationist:

portraits by sergio carbajo, sergey agapov and hans silvester (click pic) of some of the eight tribes of the lower omo valley in southern ethiopia, land that now has been leased to a gold mining company as well as multinational companies which plan to plant biofuels and cash crops. the land and its people are further threatened by the construction of a massive hydro electric dam on the omo river.

the ethiopian government has begun the forcible removal these pastoral, semi nomadic tribes, massacring the beyahola village in december of last year. those who oppose the theft of their land are routinely beaten and thrown in jail. there have been reports of rape and further killings of tribal people by the military, who patrol the region to guard the construction and plantation workers.