SUMMARY

The Gumuz is an ethnic group living in the Benishangul Gumuz Region in the northern and western parts of Ethiopia near the Sudan border. The Gumuz number about 200,000 and tend to have more in common with the people of neighbouring Sudan than with other Ethiopian peoples. Many of those that live near the Sudanese borderland have converted to Islam, and a few Gumuz are Christians, but most still maintain traditional religious practices. Their language is called Gumuz, which is subdivided into several dialects. The people are farmers and but also hunt wild animals, gather honey, wild fruits, roots and seeds.

Ethnic clashes between the Gumuz and neighbouring Oromos over land rights occurred in 2008. The Oromos accuse the federal government and the regional state of Benishangul Gumuz of manipulating, mobilising and arming the Gumuz to attack the Oromos.

The Gumuz have been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.