Ethnicity and Conflict Generation in Ethiopia: Some Problems and Prospects of Ethno-Regional Federalism

J. Abbink focuses on some problems and prospects of ethno-regional federalism in Ethiopia. The issue of land and access to land is currently playing a major role in the Ethiopian conflict dynamic. Land is the most important resource, and historically it had major existential and identity aspects for people. Some contradictions as to the delineation of units and the powers of federal versus regional authorities are not resolved. The majority of conflicts in rural Ethiopia emerged from disputes on land and on boundaries of districts and zones between the newly defined ethnic or linguistic groups. Perceived cultural-historical differences, ethnic ranking, perceptions of disadvantages and grievances are there, and are resuscitated under the leadership of aspiring local ethnic elites. Reportedly, federal police or army forces even let some conflicts rage without interfering decisively because of this perception of their being suppressed 'traditional' or 'age-old' rivalries.