Kebede Lemu Bekelcha and Aregash Eticha Sefera, GJR 2019,1:2 Research Article GJR 2019,1:2 Global Journal of Religions (DOI:10.28933/GJR) The Role of Customary Conflict Resolution Mechanisms Among the Oromo: In Case of Dawo District of South West Shewa Zone Kebede Lemu Bekelcha1, Aregash Eticha Sefera2 1 Lecturer at Bule Hora University, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Social Anthropology Department, Bule Hora, Ethiopia. 2 Lecturer at Bule Hora University, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Department of Social Anthropology, Bule Hora, Ethiopia. ABSTRACT This study deals with the role of customary conflict resolution *Correspondence to Author: mechanisms in Oromia region with particular emphasis on Dawo Kebede Lemu Bekelcha district of south west shewa zone. Hence, the (i) purpose of this Lecturer at Bule Hora University, study was to examine and explore the significance of customary Faculty of Social Sciences and Hu- conflict resolution mechanisms in anthropological perspectives manities, Social Anthropology De- in the study area. The (ii) intent of the study was to identify the partment, Bule Hora, Ethiopia types of customary conflict resolution mechanisms and cause of conflict in Dawo district. The (iii) purpose of the study was to describe the structure and procedure as well as advantage and How to cite this article: disadvantages of customary conflict resolution mechanisms. Kebede Lemu Bekelcha, Aregash Finally, the purpose of this study was to provide information to Eticha Sefera.The Role of Custom- understanding about the study area. To achieve this objective, ary Conflict Resolution Mechanisms both primary and secondary data was used. This study applied Among the Oromo: In Case of qualitative data. The data used in this study were generated Dawo District of South West Shewa from one- one interview, focus group discussion, case study Zone. Global Journal of Religions, and document analysis. In anthropological studies, analysis is 2019,1:2 an instrument to extract meanings from the information obtained during the field work. In such a manner, data were presented in a qualitative type. By using this methods, the study revealed that conflict in this research area emanate from land issues, theft and competition over resources. eSciPub LLC, Houston, TX USA. Website: https://escipub.com/ Keywords: Conflict, Customary, Dawo, Conflict resolution GJR: https://escipub.com/global-journal-of-religions/ 1 Kebede Lemu Bekelcha and Aregash Eticha Sefera, GJR 2019,1:2 1.1. Background of the Study has identified a set of approaches that are applied to the resolution of conflicts. These are Conflict is not a recent phenomenon in human coercion, negotiation/bargaining, adjudication, history. Rather, it is as old as human history. mediations and arbitration. [4] further Since the appearances of human beings on this categorize conflict resolution mechanism into planet, they have been competing for resource two. These are the violent and the peaceful. and dominance. These controls of resources and dominance of one group over the others or The violent include, war, self-help and duel, one individual over the other create what whereas the peaceful incorporated avoidance, conflict. burying the dispute in the symbolic process, negotiation, mediation, arbitration and Conflict is a broad term and that is widely adjudication. Usually, people have valid employed in scientific literature to indicate a customs to manage conflicts in their societies. state of disagreement or opposition [1]. Conflict is defined as disagreement or dissonance [3] asserts that customs appears to exacerbate within or between social entities [2]. According or restrain conflicts from destroying the fabric of to [3], conflict is a struggle over values or social order. In societies where there are no claims to status and scarce resources in which offices with established authorities to control the aim of the conflicting parties is not only the quarrels and to enforce formal laws, there desired values but also neutralizes, injures or were/are well-established and recognized eliminates their rivals. Conflict is an expression codes or laws of convention and rituals. of the heterogeneity on interest between two or Relatively speaking, there are various more individuals/groups [4]. indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms worldwide. Particularly, Africa which consisted [5] have stated that, it is from down of human multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, and multi-linguistics history that communities have been competing societies possessed various indigenous for resource controls and dominance. These mechanisms of managing conflicts. competitions inevitably led individuals as well as social, political, economic and religious On the basis of a given belief in a given society, groups to conflict. It is true that conflict would the conflicting parties are abided to be have devastating effects and it is undesirable. governed by their traditional codes. Ignoring However, conflict is unavoidable and it has a these traditional laws would invite risks of character of persistence in one way or another. exclusion from that society. Elders play a central role in these mechanisms, reconciling No society in this world loves conflict. However, the conflicting groups according to the norms as long as people live together, work together, and forms prevalent in their respective areas and interact with each other, disputes remain [7]. inevitable between sub-groups or individuals in a group, or between different groups. When Similarly, Ethiopia is a land of varied nations, these disputes are fuelled by emotion and nationalities and people possessed complex become unsolvable, they develop into intra and cultural make-ups in which each deserves its inter-group conflicts. The source of the conflicts own peculiar cultural, socio-political and course could be the incompatibility of the objective or of historical development [3] and [8]. subjective interests of the groups or individuals Among these diverse ethnic groups, Oromo is [6]. This implies that, in the interactions, one one of the Cushitic people and the largest may violate the interest of the others and could ethnic entity in the country [9]. Like other ethnic cause damages to them. groups, Oromo people have their own The forms of conflict resolutions are likewise as indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms. diverse as those forms of social conflicts. [4] Among these, Jaarsa Biyyaa institution GJR: https://escipub.com/global-journal-of-religions/ 2 Kebede Lemu Bekelcha and Aregash Eticha Sefera, GJR 2019,1:2 (community elders), Qaalluu institution, Gumaa 1.4.1. General Objective (blood compensation), and Seera Kakuu (law of The general objective of the study is to examine oath) are practiced as mechanisms of conflict the role of customary conflict resolution resolution in Dawo district, which is the subject mechanisms in Dawo district a of Oromia of this research. Dawo district is located in national regional state. south west shewa zone of Oromia National 1. 4.2. Specific Objectives Regional State its capital is Busa town, located 96 km from Addis Ababa. The specific objectives of this research are; 1.2. Statement of the Problem 1) To identify the causes of conflict in Dawo district. Conflicts among the Oromo have been handled 2) To examine the types of customary at the grass root levels by societies themselves conflict resolution mechanisms in the by using several conflict resolution study area. mechanisms. Oromo people for so long years 3) To find out the role of customary conflict have developed own unique political or resolution mechanisms in the study area. administrative, economic, social, and judicial 1.5. Significance of the Study systems. The study may serve as useful input for those Similarly, the Dawo district people practice and interested researchers to practice their studies use several customary conflict resolution on related topics. It may contribute to the mechanisms in order to solve conflicts which understanding of the characteristics of these have occurred in social life, and to address the indigenous institutions of conflict resolution. cause of conflict and seek to build solidarity, peaceful and good relationship within 1.6. Limitation of the Study themselves and their neighboring societies. I am an Oromo and a native speaker of Oromo There is no anthropologist studied the area and language. Thus, I had no language constraints role of conflict resolution mechanism of Dawo and culture barriers. Nevertheless, it does not district here before. No attempts have been mean that I accomplished my study without made to study of Jaarsummaa, Qaalluu, Kakuu encountering any problem. Time constraint was and Gumaa in anthropological perspective in the major problem. I only had one fieldwork Dawo district. Therefore, the study’s primary which is too short time for an anthropological intention will be to fill these gaps and to study. Hence, due to shortage of time in increase the understanding of how the fieldwork, it was difficult to cover all kebeles in customary conflict resolution mechanisms the district. Also, the translation of data from manage the conflicts among the people of Afan Oromo to English was consumed more Dawo district. time and difficult task for me. 1.3. Research Questions 2. Materials and Methods I addressed the following questions in my 2.1. Research site research; Dawo district is one of the districts in south 1) What are the causes of conflict in Dawo west shewa zone among the districts of south district? west shewa of Oromia regional state. Dawo 2) What are the major customary district is bordered in the south west, by Waliso, mechanisms of resolving conflict in in the west and north by Dendi, in the east by Dawo district? Elu and in the south east by Bacho. It lies 3) What are the roles of customary conflict between 8045’N Latitudes and 38010’E resolution mechanisms? Longitudes. The capital town of Dawo is Busa. 1.4. Research Objectives Dawo district has estimated area of 426.88 GJR: https://escipub.com/global-journal-of-religions/ 3 Kebede Lemu Bekelcha and Aregash Eticha Sefera, GJR 2019,1:2 square kilometers.