Resettlement and Conflict Over Land Use in Southern Nations and Nationalities People Region (SNNPR): The Case of Dawuro Zone Resettlement Site
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Date
2009-06
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Addis Abeba university
Abstract
Resettlement has been used as a rural development program with other objectives to reduce rural
poverty and tackle food insecurity. In Ethiopia also it has been used with different explicit and
implicit objectives. This thesis aimed Ilt assessing the prevalence of conflicts in resettlement areas
and their causes by taking one resettlement area of Essern woreda of Oawuro zone.
The study used both qualitative and quantitative data collected through household survey, FGO,
key informants interview and personal observation. These data were analyzed and interpreted in
line with the objectives of the study.
The study findings Ilre thnt in selected resettlement area, the prevalence of conflict is high due to
different factors. These factors include ethnic differences, resource competition, poor planning
and implementation, lack of good governance at kebele level, population inflow and illegal land
sale. Among these fac tors, ethnic difference is the main cause. It is found that the implementing
body of the program overlooked ethnic differences of resettlers and hosts and it led to antagonistic
relation between hosts lind resettlers. The program resulted in twofold effects for resettlers,
providing land for them, and then making them food secured; and making the life unsecured due
to antagonistic relation with hosts. For the hosts in turn it contributing nothing but cleared the
nearby fores t and crea ted competition on grazing lands.
It is found that conflict resolution means used so far were not effective. They were not
participatory and not addressing the root causes. The real features of the relations between hosts
and resettlers are overlooked by the government. Ignoring the ethnic differences and failing to
handle it properly may further create ethnic conflicts not only in the study area but also in other
parts of the region. Having so many ethnic groups in a given state is neither blessing nor n
curse, it depends how they are handled
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Nationalities People Region