Ethiopia:
Giving peace a chance in South Omo
( IRIN )
TURMI, 21 May 2009 (IRIN) - Zuga Sherdo grew up in a community
that was constantly fighting its neighbours in southern Ethiopia.
said. "I was born from a Bena mother, but was fighting members of
that community."
This year, all that changed when he decided to represent the pastoralist
Malee community, one of 16 such groups in South Omo, at a peace
conference.
The meeting, in Turmi town on 8-9 May, brought together government
officials, NGOs and community leaders. It was organised by the
Ethiopian Research and Development Association.
"I am now rewriting my life story," he told IRIN.
About half the 577,000 people in South Omo are pastoralists living in a
relatively less developed region of the country. They are part of the nine
to ten million (12-13 percent) of Ethiopia's population whose livelihoods
depend heavily on livestock.
According to Oxfam UK, marginalisation, harsh climatic conditions,
poor basic services, conflict over pasture and water resources and
recurrent droughts have made these communities particularly vulnerable.
Resource questions
Local leaders in South Omo said the arid climate had depleted resources,
especially pasture and water, leading to clashes between pastoralists.
Cattle rustling was also rampant.
"The generic cause of the conflict is related to problems of
development," Nigatu Dansa, chief administrator of South Omo zone,
told IRIN. Official statistics, he added, showed that the zone faired
worse than others in terms of education, health and potable water
coverage.
Education coverage in the pastoralist areas of the zone, for example,
was 15 percent four years ago. While this had improved to 45 percent,
it was still far below the 78 percent average in other areas.
As a result, Nigatu said, misconceptions, old traditions and harmful
practices had flourished. For example, people who stole cattle from
another ethnic group were regarded heroes.
"One of the reasons for cattle theft is the amount of dowry needed for a
marriage," he added. "A person who does not have the required amount
is forced to steal cattle from other areas."
Positive impact
The peace meeting, which was also attended by communities from
neighbouring Kenya, delved into the main causes of the conflict and
possible solutions. The use of a third party to organise the meeting
helped to ease tensions.
Such meetings, participants said, were having a positive impact.
"Conflicts are not [increasing] these days," Abashare Jilo, an elder from
the neighbouring Borena community, told IRIN.
The Borena from Oromia region were often involved in recurring
conflicts. Whenever someone from their community was killed, they
often responded violently - a situation that is now changing.
"A year ago, members of the Hamer [community] killed six of our
men," Abashare said. "We did not rush to counteract. Instead we went
through government bodies and the perpetrators are now in custody."
Without giving figures to illustrate the decline in inter-communal
violence, Nigatu said the communities now discussed issues and solved
their problems.
Kenyan officials at the meeting agreed the situation was improving.
"Now we can see [the] Dasenech from Ethiopia and Gabra from Kenya
willing to surrender what they raided from each other," Charles Njinjy,
the Kenyan police commander at Illeret station, Lake Turkana, said.
"We have tackled the bigger things," he told IRIN. "When we have
peace, security forces do not have a problem. [Without] peace, we are
always chasing criminals and law-breakers."
Illegal arms
Skirmishes between Kenyan Turkana and Ethiopian Nyangtom or
Sassenach communities are frequent, mainly because of cattle rustling.
The large number of small arms owned by these populations fuels the
skirmishes.
According to the International Action Network on Small Arms,
Ethiopia's 80 or so ethnic groups have different customs relating to
possession and use of firearms.
Many are strongly attached to their firearms. Despite government
strategies on gun control, illegal firearms pose a major threat to public
safety in the country, as is the case throughout Central and East Africa.
Nigatu said Ethiopia was now lobbying for a regional approach to
control arms trafficking. "We [have] tried to control illegal arm
trafficking," Nigatu told IRIN. "However, the pastoralists have linked
arms to their survival.
"The [issue] should be seen in a regional perspective," the South Omo
administrator added.
Source
Giving peace a chance in South Omo
( IRIN )
TURMI, 21 May 2009 (IRIN) - Zuga Sherdo grew up in a community
that was constantly fighting its neighbours in southern Ethiopia.
- As a young Malee man, he lived
through conflict between his
community and the Bena, Tsemai
and Ari, in which his uncle's family
killed his brother and his father's
clan killed his mother's relatives.
said. "I was born from a Bena mother, but was fighting members of
that community."
This year, all that changed when he decided to represent the pastoralist
Malee community, one of 16 such groups in South Omo, at a peace
conference.
The meeting, in Turmi town on 8-9 May, brought together government
officials, NGOs and community leaders. It was organised by the
Ethiopian Research and Development Association.
"I am now rewriting my life story," he told IRIN.
About half the 577,000 people in South Omo are pastoralists living in a
relatively less developed region of the country. They are part of the nine
to ten million (12-13 percent) of Ethiopia's population whose livelihoods
depend heavily on livestock.
According to Oxfam UK, marginalisation, harsh climatic conditions,
poor basic services, conflict over pasture and water resources and
recurrent droughts have made these communities particularly vulnerable.
Resource questions
Local leaders in South Omo said the arid climate had depleted resources,
especially pasture and water, leading to clashes between pastoralists.
Cattle rustling was also rampant.
"The generic cause of the conflict is related to problems of
development," Nigatu Dansa, chief administrator of South Omo zone,
told IRIN. Official statistics, he added, showed that the zone faired
worse than others in terms of education, health and potable water
coverage.
Education coverage in the pastoralist areas of the zone, for example,
was 15 percent four years ago. While this had improved to 45 percent,
it was still far below the 78 percent average in other areas.
As a result, Nigatu said, misconceptions, old traditions and harmful
practices had flourished. For example, people who stole cattle from
another ethnic group were regarded heroes.
"One of the reasons for cattle theft is the amount of dowry needed for a
marriage," he added. "A person who does not have the required amount
is forced to steal cattle from other areas."
Positive impact
The peace meeting, which was also attended by communities from
neighbouring Kenya, delved into the main causes of the conflict and
possible solutions. The use of a third party to organise the meeting
helped to ease tensions.
Such meetings, participants said, were having a positive impact.
"Conflicts are not [increasing] these days," Abashare Jilo, an elder from
the neighbouring Borena community, told IRIN.
The Borena from Oromia region were often involved in recurring
conflicts. Whenever someone from their community was killed, they
often responded violently - a situation that is now changing.
"A year ago, members of the Hamer [community] killed six of our
men," Abashare said. "We did not rush to counteract. Instead we went
through government bodies and the perpetrators are now in custody."
Without giving figures to illustrate the decline in inter-communal
violence, Nigatu said the communities now discussed issues and solved
their problems.
Kenyan officials at the meeting agreed the situation was improving.
"Now we can see [the] Dasenech from Ethiopia and Gabra from Kenya
willing to surrender what they raided from each other," Charles Njinjy,
the Kenyan police commander at Illeret station, Lake Turkana, said.
"We have tackled the bigger things," he told IRIN. "When we have
peace, security forces do not have a problem. [Without] peace, we are
always chasing criminals and law-breakers."
Illegal arms
Skirmishes between Kenyan Turkana and Ethiopian Nyangtom or
Sassenach communities are frequent, mainly because of cattle rustling.
The large number of small arms owned by these populations fuels the
skirmishes.
According to the International Action Network on Small Arms,
Ethiopia's 80 or so ethnic groups have different customs relating to
possession and use of firearms.
Many are strongly attached to their firearms. Despite government
strategies on gun control, illegal firearms pose a major threat to public
safety in the country, as is the case throughout Central and East Africa.
Nigatu said Ethiopia was now lobbying for a regional approach to
control arms trafficking. "We [have] tried to control illegal arm
trafficking," Nigatu told IRIN. "However, the pastoralists have linked
arms to their survival.
"The [issue] should be seen in a regional perspective," the South Omo
administrator added.
Source
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