Conflict patterns in the Horn of Africa in post cold war periods
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Date
2013-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The Horn of Africa is one of the most strategic areas in Africa and the world both
in economic and political spheres. As a result, it had been the stage of a number
of deadly conflicts which had regional and international ramifications. The fall of
the Berlin wall and resultant end of the cold war which brought about a change
in the global political landscape, had witnessed the collages of a number of
government is the horn of Africa as well. These and other similar political
developments that were unfolding in the sub- region had ushered a scenes of
hope among many scholars and political activates that the gloomy scene of
conflict would end of the Horn of Africa would extricate itself out of the social,
economic and political morass bogged down for decades. However, things began
to make uturn and most, if not all, of the state of the sub- region begin to mire in a
state of vicious intra & interstate conflicts. Hence, conflicts in the Horn are very
rampant: their sources are diverse and complex which involves numerous forces
having wide – ranging and incompatible interests likewise to the pre – 1991
period. A number of factors are responsible for those situation to happen among
which unsettled boundary problems created by colonial powers, the
monopolization of state power by certain groups and to the exclusion of others
which the challengers demands a number of political concessions starting from a
redefinition of the state’s image, to power sharing or decentralization &
devolution to self determination in various forms, object poverty, the proliferation
to “political Islam” and terrorism a conflict escalated under the pretext of control
over meager natural resource and of the problem of statelessness in Somalia are
the most important despite all this turmoil and political upheavals there are some
efforts exerted by regional and continental organizations geared towards
resolving same of the persistent conflict not ably that of the problem of southern
Sudan and Somalia. The peace process in the Sudan seems to be on the right
track, while the problem of in Somalia has deteriorated and escalated particularly
with the coming induced the military involvement of Ethiopia. Ethiopia and Eretria
still in a no war, no peace situation. Hence, regional co- operation and peace
seems to be very gloomy as the prevailing situation of the sub-region clearly
shows
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Horn of Africa