Conflict Dynamics and Youth-targeted Peacebuilding Process in Oromia National Regional State since 2014: The Case of Nekemte Town
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Date
2020-06
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Addis Ababa University,
Abstract
Centered on the Oromo protests since 2014 and taking Nekemte town as a reference point, this
thesis studied the dynamics of conflicts in relation to youth targeted peacebuilding process. This
study was purely qualitative and employed an exploratory and evaluative approach. To that end,
observation, interview and documentary analysis were used as data collection methods. The youth
broadly known by the name Qeerroo in Oromia revolted for structural, intermediate and triggering
issues from 2014 to 2018. Since the advent of “reforming agents” and the 3
rd Prime Minister (Abiy
Ahmed Ali) of the FDRE in April 2018, some political, legal and economic reforms (peacebuilding
initiatives) have been launched. These peacebuilding activities includes, but not limited to,
releasing all political prisoners, conducting peace agreement with the Oromo Liberation Front
(OLF) followed by disarming the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) and establishing peace and
reconciliation commission. However, findings showed that the implementation of the 2018 Asmara
peace agreement is was problematized hence led to violent conflicts between the regional ruling
Oromo Democratic Party (ODP) and OLF. As a result, the disarming process was miscarried,
reconciliation initiative became rhetoric thereby youth engagement in the ongoing peacebuilding
was overlooked. And this led the youth into a condition of frustration, rejection and befuddlement
triggering them to engage in violent protests. In this case, the ongoing peacebuilding was found
out ineffective in preventing a relapse into conflicts. To that end, the study figured out that lack of
negotiated „road map‟, absence of transparency and neutral third party in the 2018 Asmara peace
agreement, lack of trust and evenhandedness in the disarming process of the OLA, failure to
devise an effective healing approach and inattention towards an effective youth engagements are
the major gaps in the peacebuilding process underway. In this way, the current dynamics in the
study area showed that three political parties in Oromia (ODP, OLF and OFC) and affiliated youth
wings are the key actors in conflict. Particularly, the study also identified two key emergent armed
actors uncommon before 2018 in Nekemte town namely, the disconnected OLA and the
clandestine “Hit squad‟ group locally known as “Abba Torbee”. As such, conflict mapping of key
actors‟ interactions divulged that armed and unarmed actors are interacting in an interdependent
and complex way in Nekemte town in the post-2018 period. In view of the findings, the regional
ruling party ODP (Oromia PP) need to make a meaningful departure from the post 1991 order‟s
„non-negotiated‟, hostile and intolerant mode of dealing with the OLF and OFC and be committed
to engage in a genuine and fully transparent peace negotiation and political consensus. Equally,
the regional ruling ODP (Oromia PP) must go beyond rhetoric in devising an effective justice and
reconciliation approach so as to sufficiently heal traumas and end mistrust and animosity
generated from past conflicts thereby enabling the key political actors and affiliated youth wings
„to work harmoniously together‟ in the study area.
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Keywords
Qeerroo, youth, conflict dynamics, peacebuilding, ODP, OLF, OFC, OLA, Abba Torbee