The National - News

ETHNIC VIOLENCE TRIGGERS CRISIS IN SOUTH ETHIOPIA DESPITE PM’S EFFORTS

▶ About 1.2 million people have been forced to flee their homes since April in densely populated region, UN says

- CHARLIE MITCHELL

A crisis is bubbling in southern Ethiopia, where 1.2 million people have been displaced since April by ethnic violence, according to a United Nations report.

In the past month, 800,000 have been forced to flee their homes. The Ethiopian government said last month that US$117.7m (Dh432m) was urgently needed to alleviate the crisis.

The situation underlines a key challenge for Abiy Ahmed, who became Prime Minister in April after mass protests sparked the resignatio­n of his predecesso­r, Hailemaria­m Desalegn.

Mr Abiy has embarked on a sweeping reforms to transform Africa’s second most-populous country and ease ethnic tensions. In doing so, he has drawn praise from internatio­nal observers and spurred great enthusiasm within the country.

But for all his success, endemic ethnic tensions, decades in the making, present a persistent challenge.

With more than 100 million people, Ethiopia is extraordin­arily diverse. After taking power in 1991 following a bloody civil war, the ruling EPRDF coalition establishe­d regional states based on ethnicity.

But residual tensions between different ethnic groups sporadical­ly spiral into communal violence – generally driven by resource scarcity and land disputes.

The fighting is localised in the border areas of Gedeo – in the Southern Nations, Nationalit­ies and Peoples Region – and West Guji in Oromia state.

“The violence is small-scale but significan­t when you take into account other border conflicts in Ethiopia,” Ahmed Soliman, research fellow in the Africa Programme at Chatham House, told The National.

The violence, in which about 200 have died since last month, has developed into a crisis in one of the country’s most densely populated regions.

Water, food and health services are stretched beyond capacity, while overcrowdi­ng at camps for the displaced have raised fears of gender-based violence.

“The EPRDF government responded swiftly to prevent escalation, with Mr Abiy visiting the region and urging reconcilia­tion,” said Mr Soliman.

But the episode signifies the challenges faced by Ethiopia’s energetic young leader, its first from the large but economical­ly and politicall­y marginalis­ed Oromo ethnic group.

The pace of his reforms has taken many by surprise.

Last month, he announced his government was willing to abide by a 2002 peace deal with Eritrea, ceding a stretch of land in the process, potentiall­y ending one of Africa’s longest and bloodiest wars.

“It is unlikely Mr Hailemaria­m was ever sufficient­ly secure in his position to surrender territory to Ethiopia’s arch-rival,” said Ed Hobey-Hamsher, senior Africa analyst at the global risk consultanc­y Verisk Maplecroft. “Mr Abiy has sufficient­ly consolidat­ed power to do so. This bodes well for his political and economic reform programme.”

The prime minister has released thousands of jailed politician­s, activists and protesters and on Wednesday fired scores of senior prison officials over harrowing allegation­s of torture in Ethiopian jails.

Mr Abiy has also taken steps to liberalise the country’s tightly controlled economy by allowing foreign investors to acquire stakes in state firms, including Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s most successful airline.

The liberalisa­tion was epitomised by the opening of the country’s first Pizza Hut in its capital, Addis Ababa, in April.

Impressive developmen­t is expected from what was once Africa’s fastest-growing economy.

“The size of the Ethiopian market, the country’s competitiv­e labour and energy costs, the reform potential of Mr Abiy and the fear of missing out will encourage investors,” said Mr Hobey-Hamsher.

But all the while, the violence in the south serves as a reminder of a problem even Mr Abiy will struggle to overcome.

 ?? Reuters ?? Ethnic tensions are a key challenge for Abiy Ahmed, who became Prime Minister in April
Reuters Ethnic tensions are a key challenge for Abiy Ahmed, who became Prime Minister in April

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