Itang
Itang
Ittang, Etang[1] | |
|---|---|
Town | |
  Itang Location within Ethiopia | |
| Coordinates: 08°12′N 34°16′E / 8.200°N 34.267°E | |
| Country |  Ethiopia |
| Region |  Gambela |
| Special woreda | Itang Special Woreda |
| Elevation | 480 m (1,570 ft) |
| Population (2005) | |
• Total | 3,601 |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (EAT) |
Itang (Ethiopic: ኢታንግ[2]), also spelt Etang and Ittang, is a town in the Gambela Region in western Ethiopia. Within Gambela, Itang belongs to Itang woreda which forms a special woreda (district).
History
[edit]The town's importance can be traced to Article IV of the treaty signed by Emperor Menelik and the British minister, Harrington, in May 1902, which defined the boundary between Ethiopia and Sudan and designated the Itang area as a British trading enclave. However, Itang was too far from the Ethiopian Plateau, and after the Ethiopian government authorized the transfer on 8 October 1904, the concession was moved upstream to Gambela.[3]
In the 1980s, the Second Sudanese Civil War led to the influx of refugees from Southern Sudan, with the Itang camp becoming the largest refugee camp in the world for some time.[4] The camp was supported by UNHCR and the supplies sold by the camp's refugees were a major resupply source for the Sudan People's Liberation Army.[5]
Itang was partially flooded by the Baro River, on which it is located, in mid-1998 and July–August 1999.[1]
Description and demographics
[edit]Itang is also spelt Etang[6] Ethiopic: ኢታንግ[2] and Ittang.[1] It is located on the Baro River (also known as the Openo River or the Upeno River).[citation needed]
Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this town had an estimated total population of 3,601 of whom 1,929 were males and 1,672 were females.[2] The 1994 national census reported this town had a total population of 2,106 of whom 1,176 were males and 930 were females.
According to the 1994 national census, its total population was 2,106. The ethnic breakdown was 53.7% Anuak, 28.54% Nuer, 6.79% Oromo, 6.41% Amhara, 1.57% Tigray, and 3% all others.[7]
Notable people
[edit]Commander William Nyuon Bany, a co-founder of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), lived at Itang for some time.[8] His daughter Nyadol Nyuon, Australian lawyer and human rights activist, was born in the Itang refugee camp.[9]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 "Local history of Ethiopia - Intada - Izha". Nordic Africa Institute.
- 1 2 3 CSA 2005 National Statistics Archived 2006-11-23 at the Wayback Machine, Table B.4
- ↑ Bahru Zewde, "An Overview and Assessment of Gambela Trade (1904-1935)", International Journal of African Historical Studies, 20 (1987), pp. 79f
- ↑ John Young, "Along Ethiopia's Western Frontier: Gambela and Benishangul in Transition", Journal of Modern African Studies, 37 (1999), p. 331
- ↑ Alastair Scott-Villiers; Patta Scott-Villiers; Cole P. Dodge (April 1994). "Repatriation of Sudanese Refugees from Ethiopia: A case study in manipulation of civilians during civil conflict". Refuge. 14 (1): 19–20. doi:10.25071/1920-7336.21801. ISSN 0229-5113. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
Itang camp was established in June 1983 [...] UNHCR was able to provide for their basic needs [...] The status of Itang [...] was also facilitated by the substantial relief inputs distributed to the refugees. UNHCR was able to attract significant donor support [...] resulting in a food surplus which found its way into southern Sudan. Itang replaced the Arab trading class and was an important safety net for people economically affected by the war. Equally, the market at Itang was a major resupply source to the SPLA.
- ↑ "Census 2007" Archived 2012-02-14 at the Wayback Machine, first draft, p. 81
- ↑ The 1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Gambela Region, vol.1 Archived 2008-11-19 at the Wayback Machine, p. 36
- ↑ Teresa; Zoalk, Yonanis (21 June 2019). "Brief Biography and Facts About Major(Cdr). Late William Nyuon Bany Machar". City Scrollz. Archived from the original on 19 June 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
- ↑ Rayson, Hannie (24 May 2019). "I feel free: Lawyer Nyadol Nyuon's journey from horror to hope". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
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