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Post-War Narratives of Women Ex-Combatants of the Tigray People’S Liberation Front (TPLF)

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Post-War Narratives of Women Ex-Combatants of the Tigray People’S Liberation Front (TPLF) ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES INSTITUTE OF GENDER STUDIES Post-War Narratives of Women Ex-Combatants of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) BY: BEZA NEGEWO ODA A Thesis Submitted to the Institute of Gender Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Masters of Arts in Gender Studies May 2010 Addis Ababa ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES INSTITUTE OF GENDER STUDIES Post-War Narratives of Women Ex-Combatants of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) Name of the student:_________________ signature__________ Approved by __________________ ______________ ___________ Chairperson Signature Date ________ _______________ ___________ Advisor Signature Date __________________ _______________ ___________ Internal Examiner Signature Date __________________ _______________ ___________ External Examiner Signature Date Acknowledgements My appreciation first goes to the Almighty God for giving me the courage, strength and skills to reach this phase of my life. Secondly, I am indebted to my thesis advisor, Dr. Aaronette M. White, for her dedication, valuable guidance, encouragement and constructive criticism throughout the writing of this thesis. I take also this opportunity to express my heart felt appreciation to all women ex-combatants who participated in the study for their cooperation and willingness to share their life experiences. Among the many who deserve acknowledgement are my father Ato Negewo Oda and my mother W/ro Brehane Abebaw for their support, understanding and encouragement to undertake my study. I am also highly appreciative of my friend, 'Semuye', for her assistance, moral support and honest discussions about the study. Her ideas and opinions about the research were extremely helpful and pushed me to think deeply about the issues. I owe you a lot! I also want to express my gratitude to my other friends Hermy, Mendu and my colleague Betelhem Epherem for their moral support and sharing ideas. You all have a special place in my school life and my heart. Table of Contents Pages Acknowledgements Abstract Introduction................................................................................ 1. Statement of the problem......................................................... 2. Objectives of the study............................................................. 3. Significance of the study............................................................ 4. Research Methodology.............................................................. 4.1 Source of data ...................................................................... 4.2 Sample and recruitment ..................................................... 4.3 Instruments of data collection ........................................... 4.4 Data analysis ....................................................................... 5. Delimitation of the Study 6. Literature Review....................................................................... 7.1 African Women’s Participation in Anti-colonial Wars 7.2 African Women’s Participation in African Civil Wars 7.3 Ethiopian Women’s Participation in War 8. Feminist Standpoint Theory 8.1 The Standpoint of TPLF Women Ex-Combatants 9. Background Characteristics of the Sample 10. The Role of Participants in the TPLF 11. Perceptions, Challenges, and Political Positions 11.1 Perceptions of equality with men 11.2 Challenges faced 11.3 Political Positions 12. Conclusion 13. Recommendations References 14. Annex I list of the respondent 15. Annex II semi structured interview questions 16. Annex III map of the regional state of Tegray Abstract The leadership of the TPLF during Ethiopia’s civil war and their military victory over the Derg was successful for a variety of reasons. In addition to overthrowing the Derg, the TPLF efficiently organized the involvement of various members of the society during the struggle. The involvement of women in the TPLF was an important policy decision and women’s contributions to the TPLF’s success is an undeniable fact. Nevertheless, the lack of scholarly research on former women combatants and their experiences before, during and after the war has inadvertently written women out of Ethiopian history. The present study addressed this omission, using a semi-structured interview to analyze the narratives of 20 women ex-combatants living in Addis Ababa from a feminist theoretical standpoint. Standpoint theory, as a general approach within feminism, emphasizes the importance of creating knowledge based upon women's experiences and how women’s lived experiences can empower women by when analyzed in ways that validate an oppositional feminist consciousness. Interview responses indicated that most of the respondents felt that gender relations among TPLF soldiers during the war were almost equal noting that the idea of gender equity within the TPLF was a new phenomenon not only for TPLF members, but also the people in the rural areas. The roles of TPLF women went beyond the domestic, private and traditional role of women and the adjustment to women and men to such new roles was an ongoing process. However, after the war, most respondents noted a dramatic shift in the way TPLF women were treated. As a result, most respondents currently believe that women ex-combatants are not treated fairly by the government. Respondents who currently face challenges note economic, psychological, social/interpersonal, and health-related factors as ongoing problems. Respondents who experience few problems had educational and occupational skills that were transferable to civilian life. Recommendations and justifications for preferential treatment for war veterans are listed that might assist struggling women ex-combatants and that might ensure that the roles of TPLF women are not erased from history. 1. Introduction War is one of the political instruments in which a nation fulfills its national interest in the system of international relations (Edelman, 1985, p. 89). War can occur not only between two nations of the world but also between two or more groups, political actors and other different parties that are found within a particular nation (Edelman, 1985, p. 90). There is no single cause for war, but having different and conflicting ideologies, interests and political views are often the major causes. Moreover, some groups have used war as the means to attain recognition, overthrow corrupt regimes, to fight against colonialism and imperialism, to build nationalism and to improve the national economy. A number of wars were fought in Africa in order to gain independence from colonial or minority rule. For example, some of the earlier anti-colonial wars were fought in countries like Algeria, Guinea Bissau, and Cape Verde, and some of the later anti- colonial wars against settler colonialism included Zimbabwe, Namibia, Angola, Mozambique, and South Africa. Anti-colonial nationalist movements and their revolutionary armies refused to accept the authority of the European minority incumbent regimes and demanded majority rule (Clapham, 1998). Civil wars occurred in different African countries for a variety of reasons, but mainly with the goal of overthrowing indigenous governments that were often perceived as corrupt and repressive, a few examples include Uganda, Somalia, Liberia, and, of course, Ethiopia (Clapham, 1998). What makes the issue of struggles and wars even more interesting, however, is like any other life activities, women also participate with men in war. Nonetheless, it is usually assumed that men are violent and women are peaceful and the preservers of life. In fact, neo-Darwinist research suggests that males are genetically predisposed to violence. (Bouta, Frerks & Banon, 2005, p. 236). In addition masculinity is also validated by soldiering (Peterson & Runyan, 1999, p. 273). For example, war historically is associated with idealized masculinist rhetoric of virtue and glory among men. Military trainings have been viewed as the way to build the manhood of the nation (Lindsey, 2005, p. 237). Even though women participate in war as nurses, clerical help, and builders of war equipments as well as combatants, they are mainly considered “helpmates” to the men who are fighting the 'real battle' (Lindsey, 2005, p. 237). War, particularly combat, becomes the supreme guideline for defining masculinity and also becomes synonymous with ideal manhood (e.g., toughness, fearlessness, strength, and aggression) (White, 2007). Regardless of whether one supports perspectives suggesting that war activities are largely for men and peaceful activities are largely for women, women’s active participation in war is widely acknowledged (Enloe, 2004; Etienne & Leacock, 1980, White, 2007). This is especially true in different African countries; women were part and parcel of every anti-colonial war for centuries with African men (Allman, Gelger & Musisi, 2002, p. 11). Likewise, in Ethiopia starting from the earliest times, women were encouraged to participate in war mobilization and preparation efforts (Minale, 2001, p. 1). During different periods of war, men who were soldiers brought along their wives, who in turn became involved in the war as civilian participants or as military combatants. Women also participated as strategists, advisors, translators and intelligent officers throughout Ethiopian’s history of war (Minale, 2001, p. 2). In the recent history of Ethiopia, during the civil war between the Derg government and the Tigray Peoples’ Liberation Front (TPLF), women participated
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