There have been recurring conflicts between Afar and Somali communities in the eastern parts of Ethiopia
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Toronto – Ethiopia has seen an unprecedented level of conflict over the past six years. These conflicts have been inherently ethnic-based as ethnic nationalism took root with supportive administrative structure.
As in other parts of Ethiopia, the Afar and Somali regions of Ethiopia have been experiencing deadly conflicts involving the two ethnic groups : Afar and Somali.
Reports from Human rights organizations, as reported by DW Amharic, indicate that the conflict has caused human rights violations including killings.
In June 2024, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission expressed concern over the humanitarian crisis in the area due to the conflict and called on Ethiopia’s Federal government and the regional states to play a positive role towards ending the conflict in the region.
The human rights commission does not seem to have detailed information regarding the level of damage the conflict brought about to the region. DW Amharic cited the Somali region coordinator as saying “Other than the plan we have to investigate the level of humanitarian crisis ,so far what we know as a commission is deaths of civilians and displacement. We have heard from the media that the leaders of the two regions have reached an agreement for peace to prevail in the area.”
Afar and Somali-Issa have been in conflict for many years. Active conflict has been observed over the past six years. It was a dispute over land that caused the conflict. Adaytu, Gedamaytu and Embito localities within the Afar regional state have been at the center of the conflict.
DW Amharic cited a Afar region resident as saying “although the three localities are within the Afar region, they have sizable Somali-Issa communities and they think the localities should be under Somali region”
Ethiopia’s Ministry of Peace Initiated the agreements reached between the leaders of Afar and Somali regional states, according to DW Amharic report. Awol Arba and Mustafa Mohammed spoke to journalists after reaching an agreement.
“What we have agreed to is to stop the conflict and hold public discussion to bring about peace in a legal and democratic way,” DW Amharic quoted Awol Arba, Afar regional state president, as saying. Mustafa Mohamed, Somali region president, has confirmed it. “In the first stage, we agreed to stop the conflict to avoid bloodshed. Next, in order to avert resurgence of the conflict, to work on grassroot level and work, in a manner from from conflict, to rehabilitate the displaced.”
A similar agreement was reached in May 2022, but it did not take root. There have been several conflicts after the 2022 agreement and the Federal government of Ethiopia under Abiy Ahmed is proved incapable or unwilling to end the conflict.
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Excellent and uplifting news. These two noble people have all it takes to sort the nagging issues that led them to exchanging senseless blows leading to deaths and destruction. Clashes between these two upright people have been going on for decades and decades. There were similar clashes between my own Itu clan on my mother’s side and Afars before I was born. I remember some of our villages in outline areas behind the majestic Asabot Mountain being visited by Afar Asaymara riflemen to rustle cattle. It was not due to competition for grazing land but solely for cattle grabbing.
My own Itu clan was not completely innocent either. If that young man is hard pressed for cattle to use as a dowry, all he has to do gather up his posse and head to an Afar village. That Afar and Issa young man did the same. But there is another element that added fire to such rustling clashes. Since the colonization of the Djibouti and Berbera coasts, it has created permanent settlements there that founded sizeable urban areas. Those settlements had to have a sufficient supply line for food products. When cattle rustling raids used to be once or twice a year but now they have become a weekly news.
Your cow that was rustled away from a village behind Asabot Mountain today, there is a chance you can find that same cow at the slaughtering house in Djibouti in three or 4 weeks later or even faster depending the time of the year. It has become a lucrative business for cattle rustlers since the 1880’s.
The meeting and the commitment they made is commendable. But I highly suggest to them bringing Brother H.E. President Ismaïl Omar Guellé into the dialogue. This is something we should all wish them success. Insha’Allah!!!