Addis Ababa University School of Graduate Studies College of Social Sciences State and Society on Ethiopia's Northwestern Bord
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Addis Ababa University School of Graduate Studies College of Social Sciences State and Society on Ethiopia’s Northwestern Borderlands: Chilga Awraja, 1935 -1991 By Setegn Getaneh Eyassu Submitted to The Department of History in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History Advisor Belete Bizuneh (PhD) July 2020 i ii Table of Contents Page List of Maps, Pictures and Tables……………………………………………………..……i Abbreviations and Acronym ………………………………….…………………..……….ii Glossary of Terms ………………………………………….……………………..……... iii Key to the transliteration system ………………………….………………….…………..vii Acknowledgements ………………………………………..................................………. viii Preface ……………………………………………………….…………………………...ix Sources and Methodology ………………………………………………………………...x Organization of Chapters ………………………………………………………………….xvi Abstract ………………………………………………………………………….……….. xviii Introduction ……………………………………………………………….………….…….1 CHAPTER I: Historical Background …………………………………………………….…..14 Geographical Setting ………………………………………………………………….…..14 Peoples, Settlement and livelihood …………………………………………………….….22 The Incorporation of the Area West of Lake Ţana into the Christian Highland Kingdom ………………………………………………….….30 Local Administration from 1889 to1935 ………………………………....…………….…40 Trading Activity from 1880s to 1935……………………………………………….….….50 Italian Subversive Activities in Bägémder ………………………………………….…...54 CHAPTER II: Chilga Sub-Province during the Italian Occupation, 1935 to 1941…………...58 Italian Invasion and the Mobilization of Bägémder Army ………….……..………….…59 Italy‟s Colonial Policy ……………………………………………………….……….…..65 Anti-Italian Resistance and Italian Strategies to Control it ……………………………. 75 The Intensification of Anti-Italian Resistance Following the Arrival of Azaž Käbädä Täsäma and the British Army………….……………………..……90 CHAPTER III: The Imperial Government and Society in Chilga Awraja, 1942 to the Early 1960s ……………………………………………………………...105 Local Administrative Challenges, 1942 to 1946 ………………………………..……....106 i Administration of Chilga Awraja, 1946 to the early 1960s …………..…………….…...127 Taxation and Tribute ………………………………………………………………….138 The Bétä Israelites ………………………………………………………………........148 Trading Activity ……………………………..……………………………………….151 The Government and Mahbärä Selasé Monastery …………………………………...158 CHAPTER IV: Socio-Economic Conditions in Chilga Awraja, from early 1960s to 1974 ……………………………………………………….....168 Community Development Works ………………………………………………….....169 Commercial Farming in Mätäma and Mahbärä Selasé …………………………..….173 Factors that Hindered Commercial Farming ……………………………………..…..182 The Impact of Ethio-Sudan boundary Negotiation and Agreements on Commercial Farms …………………………………………………….….....192 Banditry and Local Instability ………………………………………….……..…….205 Contraband Trade ……………………………………………………..……….….….222 CHAPTER V: Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Chilga Awraja, 1974 to 1980 ..…….230 Causes and Exacerbating Conditions of Local Opposition against Därg ..…………..231 Course and Basic Features of the Counter-Revolution …….……………….....…..…246 Consequences …………………………………………………….………………..…276 CHAPTER VI: Därg, Its Socialist Projects and Opponents in Chilga Awraja, 1980-1991 …………………………………………………………..………....….282 The Early Challenges of the EPRP/A …………………………………….……..…..282 Quara: EPRA‟s Last Fortress ……………………………………….…………….....289 Därg and its Projects ……………………………………………….……….…….…294 Local Administration and Road Construction ………………….………………..…..294 The End of Mofär Zämät and Land Distribution………………………………..….. 300 Agricultural Producers Cooperatives (APCs) and Service Cooperatives (SCs) …....305 Resettlement and Villagization ……………………………………………………...310 The Triangular Fighting, 1989 to 1991 ……………………………………………..319 Epilogue …………………………………………….……………………………….325 Bibliography …………………………………………………….……………….….338 ii List of Informants …….…………………………………………………………..…362 List of Maps, Pictures and Tables Map 1. Map of Chilga Awraja ……………………………………………………..………. 15 Map 2. Map of Ethio-Sudan disputed areas in Mätäma and its surrounding since 1960s …………………………………………………………….. 333 Picture. 1. The Relative location of Chilga Awraja …. ………………………….………….. 16 Picture. 2 Däjjazmač Hagos Täsäma, governor of Quara Abägaz (1942-45) and Chilga awraja (1946-1951) …..………………………………………….……129 Picture. 3. Water Transport on Lake Ţana …………………………………………………..155 Picture. 4 Sätit-Humera farmers‟ demonstration against Sudanese takeover of their lands on 18 May 1967 ……………………..……………..…..…….200 Picture.5 Fitawrari Ayälä Täsäma, governor of Chilga Awraja (January to August 1977)…………………………………………………………… 260 Table 6.1 Number of districts and sub-provinces to be established in 1982 based on the Study ………………………………………………………..……297 Table 6.2 Number of the APCs in the districts of Chilga Awraja in 1989 ……..……...…… 306 Table 6.3 Number of SCs in the four districts in 1989 ..………………………….…………308 Table 6.4 Resettlement villages and their total population number in Mätäma and Humära in March 1989 ……………………………….………..………315 Table 6.5 number of villages established and their total people in 1987 and 1988 in Chilga sub-province ………………………………..…………….318 iii Abbreviations and Acronyms AAU Addis Ababa University AAUP Addis Ababa University Press ANDM Amhara National Democratic Movement APCs Agricultural Producers Co-operatives DMUAC Debre Markos University Archive Center EDU Ethiopian Democratic Union EPDM Ethiopian People‟s Democratic Movement. EPLF Eritrean People‟s Liberation Front EPRDF Ethiopian People‟s Revolutionary Democratic Front EPRP Ethiopian People‟s Revolutionary Party EPRA Ethiopian People‟s Revolutionary Army HoF House of Federation HSIU Haile Sellassie I University IES Institute of Ethiopian Studies ILRI International Livestock Research Institute NALAE National Archives and Library Agency of Ethiopia NGAZRO North Gondar Administrative Zone Record Office OAU Organization of African Unity PA Peasants‟ Association PMAC Provisional Military Administrative Council SCs Service Co-operatives TGE Transitional Government of Ethiopia TPLF Tegray People Liberation Front WMTMAC Wolde Mesqel Tariku Memorial Archive Center WPE Workers Party of Ethiopia iv Glossary of Terms Abba – a religious father in Amharic Abägaz - an official who governed roughly a district or a little greater in the early 1940s. Abujädid –imported cotton sheets (often ofAmerica or Japanese make) used for making clothes Abun - bishop. Afänegus -- “mouth of a king”, chief of justice under the king Afersata – a system when a crime was committed, all the inhabitants of a locality were gathered and confined in an enclosure until the guilty person was discovered Aläqa – a title given to a head of a major church or a monastery, a learned priest, a title often bestowed on scholars versed in traditional education Asrat- a tax tithe Ato – a title equivalent to „Mr‟ Aţebiya Daňa – unpaid official with minor judicial power in a locality Aqeň – the first gult holder granted by the state and they are ancestors of balabats Amolé – bar salt. Amesa Aläqa -- Sergeant Aser Aläqa - Corporal Awraja – In the early 1940s it was a region later called governorate-general (province); in post 1946 it roughly mean Sub-province Azaž - „commander‟, chief of the imperial court Bäjerond - royal treasurer Balabat – originally hereditary owners of rest land Balambaras - low level administrative title, „head of a step flat topped hill‟ Banda – Ethiopians who supported the Italians in the occupation period as fighters Baša – a low-level government official title given by the Italians in the occupation period Belata – a title generally signifying learning, given in the 20th century to government officials Berr- the standard Ethiopian currency unit Bimbash -- a Sudanese (Egyptian) title equivalent to Major or Company officer v Bitwädäd - most favored courtier, imperial counselor, army commander Buda – to possess the power of evil eye Chäw – salt Chiqa mar – about one gundo (about 19 kilogram) honey tribute that a Chiqa šum used to pay to the state at the end of his tenure Chiqa qolo – a tribute that a Chiqa šum collected for himself from the peasant, about one quna grain from each farmer in his domain Chiqa šum - an official who had the lowest link between the government and the peasant Commissario - Italian sub-provincial governor Däbtära – unordained clergy, a learned cleric often with attributes of astrology and intrigue Däjjazmač –„commander of the gate‟, a politico-military title below ras Dar (Arabic) -- land or home of people Därg – military government of Ethiopia Dawula – a sack made of goat skin, a unit of grain measurement, it was equivalent to 20 quna Echägé - the highest Ethiopian ecclestical until the appointment of bishops in 1929 Endärasé – „in my place‟, a viceroy or representative of a higher authority Etägé - a title reserved for queens and queens mother Färäsäňa or Gult gäž – a governor of a specific local place or a non monastery parish Fitawrari - „commander of the vanguard‟, a title below a Däjjazmač Gäbäya – market place Gäbäz – a church official who manages its internal affairs, the secular overlord of a church Gäbbar - tribute paying peasant, owner of rest land Gaša – a unit of land measurement made from skin and one gaša had 66.75 meters long rope, equivalent to 40 hectares. Gäž - governor Gemjabét –treasury Gerazmač – „commander of the left‟, a politico-military title above balambaras Gult - it was a non-hereditary right given to individuals and institutions to collect tribute and taxes from peasants of a given land Gundo – a unit made from clay,