The Sufi–Salafi Interactions in South Wollo, Ethiopia (1991-2017): Competition, Intolerance and Conflict
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Date
2020-03
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AAU
Abstract
This study examines the context, dynamics and predicaments of the Sufi-Salafi interactions in
the context of South Wollo of Ethiopia from 1991 to 2017. Nonetheless, it is confined only on
some negative aspects of their relations characterized by competition, intolerance and
conflict. In doing so, the researcher employed a qualitative research method to gain insight
into the Sufi-Salafi interactions as it allows the participants to interpret their social reality.
Data generated through this approach are analyzed using discourse analysis, conflict
mapping, conflict tree-model and onion-model of conflict analysis. Although agents of Islamic
revivalism in the history of South Wollo were different (Sufis as agents of the nineteenth
century Islam while Salafists for the contemporary), both utilized revivalism as a tool of
maintaining the religious orthodoxy of Islam in subsequent centuries. This would refute the
conventional knowledge which associates revivalism as the monopoly of Salafists. The
nineteenth century Sufi revivalism was far more radical as it applied Jihad to address the local
religious and political grievances while contemporary Salafi revivalism has a peaceful
puritanist missionary agenda in South Wollo. Empirical evidences from Sufi-Salafi discourse
revealed that the Sufi-Salafi competition is primarily triggered by the need to win converts,
control organizational resources and disseminate doctrinal preferences. The absence of
cooperation which is expressed in the form of obstruction, misperception, deception and
manipulation between Sufis and Salafists hinders peace in the Muslim community of South
Wollo. The study also finds that passive tolerance which is expressed in the form of
marginalization, xenophobic attitude and emotional attacks using pejorative and derogatory
terms impedes peaceful coexistence between Sufis and Salafists in South Wollo. Analysis on
the intervention of external actors reveals that the interference of the government and
Ahbash complicates the Sufi-Salafi relations through transforming the dormant conflict into
active violence in South Wollo. The US government under the pretext of countering terrorism
indirectly interfered in the Sufi-Salafi conflict through funding Sufi institutions. Although
Islamic NGOs as external actors were allegedly accused of promoting Salafism in South Wollo,
it could not be substantiated with evidences. A scrutiny on the causation of the conflict
identifies structural, proximate and immediate factors responsible for the Sufi-Salafi conflict.
The structural factor is related to actors’ distinct interpretation of Islam, the proximate factor
evidenced by the imposition of Ahbash as the ideology of mejlis, and the 2012 controversial
mejlis election and the killing of a Sufi cleric as the triggering factors for the Sufi-Salafi conflict
in South Wollo. Although impartial intra-religious dialogue and negotiation was variously
suggested as tools of resolution, it had been sabotaged by the government and Ahbash. This is
evidenced by the interference of the government in the 2012 mejlis election and the eventual
ascendancy of Ahbash leadership to the zonal mejlis. The realist security orientation of the
government was also incompatible to resolve identity based intra-religious conflict in South
Wollo as it ceded preference for its own state security. The researcher argues that the
effectiveness of intra-religious peace and the transformation of the Sufi-Salafi conflict in South
Wollo should be governed by the principles of non-interference, cooperation and peace
building.
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Keywords
Sufi-Salafi interactions,South Wollo,intolerance and conflict,