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Assessment of Conflict Dynamics in Somali National Regional State of Ethiopia

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Journal of Public Policy and Administration 2018; 2(4): 40-48 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/jppa doi: 10.11648/j.jppa.20180204.11 ISSN: 2640-2688 (Print); ISSN: 2640-2696 (Online) Review Article Assessment of Conflict Dynamics in Somali National Regional State of Ethiopia Abduselam Abdulahi Mohamed Research Directorate, Kebri Dehar University, Kebridehar, Ethiopia Email address: To cite this article: Abduselam Abdulahi Mohamed. Assessment of Conflict Dynamics in Somali National Regional State of Ethiopia. Journal of Public Policy and Administration . Vol. 2, No. 4, 2018, pp. 40-48. doi: 10.11648/j.jppa.20180204.11 Received : September 15, 2018; Accepted : September 27, 2018; Published : December 10, 2018 Abstract: This article intended to assess conflict dynamics in Somali region based on secondary data, personal interviews and group discussions that was held in Gode, Kebridahar, Jigjiga and Dendema towns. Accordingly, the root causes of the post 1991 ethnic conflicts in Ethiopia associated with nation building process and centralization of power in Ethiopia and power sharing conflicts. The theoretical ground of this study claims that the conflict in Somali region is a clash between conflict actors over scarce resources and political power. After 2016 the conflict dynamics and the reasons for internal displacement in Somali region was changed since it was triggered by conflict between Somali-Oromia over access resource and regional boundaries. Data from IOM in 2018 indicate that around 61,907 internally displaced households due to Somali-Oromia conflict live in government collective centers majority in Qoloji (Babile), Moyale and Dire-Dawa. From the beginning the main actors of the conflict in the region includes armed clans, clan elders, local administrative, ONLF force, WSLF force, OLF force, regional polices, and federal military. In the general context, the Somali region conflict dynamics can be affected in the future by Oil and minerals extraction potential of the region, land resource and ownership, inequities in levels of development between and within regions of the country, Woreda or administrative distributions among the Somali-clans, political power division, and regional volatile political issues. Keywords: Conflict, Ethnic Conflict, Government, Resources, Somali, Ethiopia 1. Introduction 1.1. Background Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) that resulted in the creation of nine regional states and two city administrations. Four of Violent conflict is the norm in the Horn of Africa. Conflicts these regions are Somali, Afar, Benishangul-Gumuz and are waged at various levels: state, regional, and local. Conflict Gambella which are considered as Developing Regional in the Horn of Africa involves various actors: governments, States (DRS) due to their historical marginalization and low nationalist groups, religious groups, and community or levels of development in comparison to more advantaged identity groups with significant backing from external forces. regions of the country [23]. It is a common for conflicts in the sub-region to promptly The Somali regional state 1 located in the eastern acquire a sub-regional dimension, thus transcending national Ethiopian lowlands borders the Ethiopian regions of borders by attracting kinsmen from across the border in the Oromia and Afar to the west, as well as Djibouti to the north, Horn of Africa [21]. Somalia to the north, east and south and Kenya to the Ethiopia is a land locked country of 91.73 million people, southwest. Somali regional state has 11 administrative located in the Horn of Africa and bordered by Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Sudan and South Sudan. Following the political transition of 1991, Ethiopia introduced the Constitution of the Federal Democratic 1 In August, 2018 the name of the region has been changed to “Somali State” 41 Abduselam Abdulahi Mohamed: Assessment of Conflict Dynamics in Somali National Regional State of Ethiopia zones and made up of 93 woredas 2 and six administrative which has been compounded by an influx of refugees. Somali towns [24]. The region is almost entirely inhabited by people also have several protracted trans-boundary conflicts people of Somali ethnicity (95.6 percent) which is with the regional states of Afar and Oromia. The districts of predominantly Moslem pastoralists (85 percent), total Moyale, Meiso, Babile, Mayu-muluko, and Tulli-Guled are population of the region was estimated as 5.37 million [6]. the most active conflict sites between Oromia and Somali, The population size of Somali region is highly disputed, with currently ongoing conflict. with allegations that the 1994 census findings were reduced from as much as 9.2 or 7.5 3 million to 4.5 4 million, the 1.2. Objectives and Methodology basic reason of this much differences in the population size This Article assesses the conflict dynamics in Somali is not known. regional state of Ethiopia, with particular emphasis on the Historically, the Somali-inhabited area of Ethiopia has 5 potential drivers of conflict and instability, causes of conflict been known as the Ogaden region . The name Ogaden and makes policy recommendations to the regional and federal belongs to the largest Somali sub-clan living in the Somali Governments. The design of this study was based on region. It also gave its name to the war between Ethiopia and qualitative research conducted in Somali regional state in July Somalia in 1977/78. After 1991 the name of the region has and August, 2018. It combines field research conducted in the been changed in to Somali Regional State, also known as Gode, Kebridahar, Jigjiga and Dendema (Babile Somali) Region 5. based on interviews with community elders and significant The pattern of conflict in the Somali region is complex, literature review on conflict in the region. with several factors contributing to the perpetuation of conflicts. The region is affected by long standing conflicts shaped by a number of factors including its peripheral location, 2. Discussions inequities in levels of development between and within region, 2.1. Ethnic Federalism in Ethiopia the volatility and influx of refugees from border countries, recurrent flooding and drought, the presence of multiple Ethiopian federalism approach and country’s constitution political interest groups (Ethio-Somalia issues 6 , ESDP 7 , has given greater autonomy to ethnic communities that help ONLF 8, WSLF 9, others), weak governance, and limited social them to manage their affairs [8]. The EFDRE constitution services. This has weakened the legitimacy of the Ethiopian sanctions decentralized and autonomous regional state amongst the population in this region and low levels of administrations; however, political praxis has been at odds social cohesion have undermined community resilience with these principles. against various shocks and stresses. Ethiopia’s ethnic regions generate continuing controversy The region is undergoing a gradual but important transition regarding their long-term effects on the country’s integrity in that has multiple implications concerning violent conflict. past since 1991 and for the coming future. At one extreme, There are many implications of shift at multiple levels of some predict that the centrifugal dynamics of Ethiopia’s society; which is community-based conflict and leads to new exclusive sub national identities will lead to the country’s drivers of conflict in addition to conventional drivers in the disintegration, because of the new Ethiopian constitution future [7]. Conflicts in Somali region revolve around article 39 guarantees Ethiopian National Regional States the governance, economics and social inequality. Clan dynamics right to self-determination up to secession. strongly resemble ethnic divisions elsewhere and are the Abdi Ismail (writer) cite the “former Soviet Union as a major underlying barrier to social cohesion. Clans disagree model: First, when central government is weakened internally on regional power of politics and allegiances. authoritarian and ethnically divided societies inter into Identity conflicts between clans take on a dimension of racial ethnic-based conflict. Second, supporters of the ethnically or occupational discrimination 10 . based dispensation note that the new federalism is a novel Scarcity of resources (mainly water, grazing land) has departure for Ethiopia that cannot be reversed despite teething increased hostilities and violence between pastoralists and problems. Third, other critics claim that the dominant party at agro-pastoralists in Somali region and neighbouring regions. the center has reneged on its democratic promise by illegally Growing populations of both people and livestock have not subverting free ethnic political mobilization”. been matched by equal expansion of social services, a problem All three claims have their own advantages and disadvantages. An implosion of the federal system could become a reality if national leaders and regional authorities 2 Woreda is a unit of administrative structure in Ethiopia and it has equal weight are unable to produce a legitimate political and economic with district system that matches the aspirations of different ethnic groups 3 Data from 1999 census conducted by Ethiopian Statistical Agency in the country. Evidence from current studies suggests that 4 Data from 2004 census 5 The name of the region before 1991 those in power in ethnic organizations in the regions have their 6 The idea of Great Somalia own regional independence agendas [19]. 7 Ethiopian Somali Democratic
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