The Ethiopian government is constructing the Gibe III dam on the Omo River with little regard for the disastrous consequences that this will bring. Hundreds of thousands of indigenous people depend on the Omo River for water and food and it is the lifeline of the region. According to a report by International Rivers, if the dam is completed, it will cause mass hunger and will spark widespread conflict over other natural resources.
Furthermore, the Gibe III dam will severely reduce the amount of water that Lake Turkana receives as it depends on the Omo River for 90% of its water. Over 300,000 people depend on Lake Turkana alone for food, water and protection.
With droughts and famines getting more severe and occurring more frequently, the Gibe III dam puts additional and unnecessary pressure on declining water resources.
Tell the Government of Ethiopia and the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation to stop this devastating and crippling project.
We the undersigned, urge you to stop the Gibe III Dam project as the consequences of building such a harmful dam will be irreversible and will devastate the people of Ethiopia. As the Omo River is such a vital source of food, water and protection for hundreds of thousands of people, we demand that the cessation of the project happen immediately. Water resources such as the Omo River should be protected and preserved, not destroyed.
Please do what’s best of the Ethiopian people and stop this project.
Thank you.
