Policy-driven Inter-ethnic Conflicts in Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Persistent inter-ethnic conflicts in southern Ethiopia have created a crisis in security of customary land tenure in the grazing lands. This article explores the links between government administrative policies and inter-ethnic conflicts on grazing resource borders by discussing the historical relationships between contesting pastoral groups, their perceptions of resource borders and how the groups used government policies of ethnic-based decentralisation and referendum to claim ownership rights to grazing lands. The article contextualises the discussions within the politics of land use. Inter-ethnic conflicts have interfered with customary resource allocations by undermining customary institutions for resource sharing. There is a need for urgent dialogue between the government and different pastoral communities for negotiating access to key resources supported by conflict resolution in the southern rangelands of Ethiopia.

Acknowledgement

The authors are grateful to the Research Council of Norway (NFR project number 161359/S30) for funding.

Notes

The petition was addressed to the House of Federation, Office of the Prime Minister, House of Peoples’ Representatives, Ministry of Federal Affairs, Office of the National Electoral Board, the Council of Oromia, and Office of the Neighbouring Regions’ Affairs in the Council of Oromia. The following documents, all written in Amharic, accompanied the petition and are available from the authors: (1) Minutes dated 6 Nehase 1973 EC (August 1981) regarding the transfer of the portion of the Walenso plain to SORDU for a grazing reserve. Three Borana elders on behalf of the pastoralists of Hadhessa PA signed the transfer. (2) Minutes written on 14 Tikimt 1977 EC (October 1985) addressing community complaints regarding the width of the Walenso ranch and request to minimise it so that the pastoralists could get enough pasture en route to Hadhessa traditional wells. (3) Minutes produced on 7 Miazia 1979 EC (April 1987). This meeting at the Walenso ranch addressed pastoralists’ complaints and decided that the ranch size should be reduced to allow pastoralists adequate space. (4) Minutes documenting a meeting that the Walenso ranch committee held on 6 Yekatit 1980 EC (February 1988). The committee discussed various administrative issues regarding the ranch. (5) Letter number 151/220/227 dated 15 Miazia 1979 EC (April 1987) addressed to Liban District Office from the head of Plan Ketena Tsifet Bet (Office of Regional Planning) on conflicts between the pastoralists from Hadhessa and Qoratti PAs and the ranch personnel over water and pasture. (6) Letter number 32/9/121 signed by the Borana Provincial Administrator on 23 Sene 1980 EC (June 1988) instructing the SORDU branch in the town of Nagelle Borana to seek to promptly settle the disputes between Hadhessa and Qoratti PAs and the ranch over resources in the ranch. (7) Site map of the Walenso ranch.