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Ethnic Conflict: Perceived Causes, Actors and Consequences….. College of Education and Behavioral Studies School of Psychology Ethnic Conflict: Perceived Causes, Actors, Psychosocial and Economic Consequences and Challenges of Displaced Persons The Case of Sululta Site IDP Shelters By:- Negussu Abebe Advisor:-Dame Abera (PhD) March 2021 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Ethnic Conflict: Perceived Causes, Actors and Consequences…. Addis Ababa University College of Education and Behavioral Studies School of Psychology Ethnic Conflict: Perceived Causes, Actors, Psychosocial and Economic Consequences and Challenges of Displaced Persons The Case of Sululta Site IDP Shelters By: Negussu Abebe Contact address: Email: [email protected] A Thesis Submitted to the School of Psychology, Addis Ababa University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Social Psychology Advisor: - Dame Abera (PhD) March 2021 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia i Ethnic Conflict: Perceived Causes, Actors and Consequences…. DECLARATION I submitted this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Social Psychology, to the School of Psychology, College of Education and Behavioral Studies at Addis Ababa University. I hereby declare that the thesis on the title “Ethnic Conflict: Perceived Causes, Actors, Psychosocial & Economic Consequences and Challenges of Displaced Persons. The Case of Sululta Site IDP Shelters” is my original work and has not been presented in any other university or college for examination purpose. All scholarly matters that are included in the research have been acknowledged through citation. Declared by: Name: Negussu Abebe GSE /3086/10 Signature: ____________________________ Date: _____________________________ Confirmed by Advisor: Name: Dame Abera (PhD) Sign: _________________________ Date: _________________________ March 2021 ii Ethnic Conflict: Perceived Causes, Actors and Consequences…. Approval Page Ethnic Conflict: Perceived Causes, Actors, Psychosocial and Economic Consequences and Challenges of Displaced Persons The Case of Sululta Site IDP Shelters By:-Negussu Abebe Approval of Board of Examiners Advisor Signature Date _________________________ _________________ ________________ Internal Examiner Signature Date ___________________________ _______________ __________________ External Examiner Signature Date ___________________________ _______________ ___________________ March 2021 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia iii Ethnic Conflict: Perceived Causes, Actors and Consequences….. Acknowledgments First and foremost, all praise be to the most gracious and merciful Almighty God. Next, this research work has come to an end not only by the effort of the researcher but also with the support of many individuals and organizations. To begin with, I would like to thank Dr. Dame Abera, my advisor, for his support, direction, encouragement and constructive guidance throughout my research work. Secondly, my heartfelt thank goes to Professor Habtamu Wondimu, Doctor Dawit Mekonen, Doctor Samson Sahle, Ato Tesfaye Deksisa and Ato Fasil Berhe (from Haremaya University) for their constructive comments in the process of validation of the data collection instruments. Moreover, I will never forget the relentless efforts of my colleagues Yonas Tadesse and Adane Berhe for travelling continuously with the researcher to the study site i.e. Sululta IDPs shelter in order to distribute the questionnaire, conduct the household observation, oral interview and FGD discussions with the research participants. Besides, I will never forget the contribution of my colleagues Ato Daniel Mekonen, Ato Asrat Eshetu, Ato Yetsedaw Wolle, Ato Temesgen Zewdu, Ato Amare Hambeka and other colleagues for their unreserved idea throughout the research process. Furthermore, I’m grateful to the Sululta City Administration, Mayor Office for the cooperation they rendered by writing a letter of permit to get access to contact and hold discussions with the IDPs community and their leaders at their camp sites. Moreover, I would also like to thank the site administration for their cooperation during the data collection process. Furthermore, all the participants who were engaged in responding to the questionnaire, interview & FGD discussions should be honored greatly for their keen cooperation to participate in the study. Finally, two young enumerators, Alamudin Fares and Esmael Ahmed who also helped the researcher in conducting an interview & FGD with the participants, in addition to distributing the questionnaire to the sample respondents and in collecting back the responses need to be acknowledged for their keen interest to devoting their time and energy based on the guiding principles of the researcher and research ethics. i Ethnic Conflict: Perceived Causes, Actors and Consequences…. Abstract The conflict that took place between the Oromo and Somali communities in Ethio-Somali region between 2017 through 2020 was one among the many waves of conflicts that displaced citizens. The present study attempted to examine the perceived causes, main actors psychosocial, consequences and challenges of those people who were displaced from their habitual places of residence and resettled at three Sululta IDP camp sites. The study has employed concurrent triangulation research design which means both qualitative & quantitative data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Participants were selected using stratified random sampling technique, and a representative sample size of 297(only 220 responses returned back) adults were drawn through simple random sampling technique for the quantitative data and purposive sampling was employed for the qualitative data. The quantitative data was collected through a questionnaire, and the qualitative data through FGD, unstructured interview questions and household observation. As to the method of data analysis, the thematic approach was used for the qualitative data, and the quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages with the help of SPSS Version 24. The result of the study revealed that ethnic based systematic conspiracy of political authorities at local, regional and central levels were mostly found to be one of the main causes and major actors for the conflict and gave way for their eviction from their original places of residence. Furthermore, economic impoverishment, malnutrition, shortage of potable pipe water, poor housing, lack of health facilities & sanitation and absolute poverty were mentioned by the respondents to be their present critical economic problems, and loss of lives of loved ones; feeling of negative emotions like hopelessness; despair & bitterness; separation from family & relatives; lack of trust in the state; feeling of distress & development of victim mental attitude & traumatic mental experiences have been marked as the most serious psychosocial problems they faced at their campsite and that need an urgent call of both the GOs & NGOs in order to prevent their life from further deterioration to a more severe economic and psychosocial disorder levels. Key words: ethnicity, ethnic conflict, politicized ethnicity, ethnic mobilization. ii Ethnic Conflict: Perceived Causes, Actors and Consequences…. Table of Contents Page Acknowledgments............................................................................................................................ i Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... ii List of Tables .................................................................................................................................. v List of Abbreviations & Acronyms............................................................................................ VIvi CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 1.1. Background of the Study ............................................................................................. 1 1.2. Statement of the Problem ............................................................................................. 4 1.3. Research Questions ...................................................................................................... 8 1.4. Objectives of the Study ................................................................................................ 9 1.4.1. General Objectives ................................................................................................ 9 1.4.2. Specific Objectives ............................................................................................... 9 1.5. Scope of the Study ....................................................................................................... 9 1.6. Significance of the Study ........................................................................................... 10 1.7. Operational Definition of Key Terms ........................................................................ 11 1.8. Organization of the Thesis ......................................................................................... 12 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ...................................................... 13 2.1. Conceptual and Theoretical Frameworks on Conflict ............................................... 13 2.1.1. Defining Concepts & Terms: Ethnicity, Ethnic Group, Ethnic Conflict ...........