Ethnic Groups' Conflict in Majang Zone, Gambella/Ethiopia

Abstract

In dealing with Ethnic groups' conflicts require much hinges on the conflict handling capability of public administrators by virtue of their roles, responsibilities and accountability in dealing with civic and social strife. Yet the local administration faces challenges to its successful delivery of services and there is no consistency in application of strategies that address ethnic groups’ conflicts. The problem addressed in this study is armed inter-ethnic groups' conflict between Majang people and Highlander people in Majang Zone of Gambella, Ethiopia. This research is mixed research type. It employed concurrent triangulation research approach. The data were collected using questionnaire, interview and focus groups discussion. The sample size was 100. The sampling technique was more of purposive. The data were analyzed, described, discussed and qualified using explanatory means, interpretation, logical arguments and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. The findings indicated the hostile relationship between communities stemmed from absent of the rule of law, selling of the land, capital in balance, and land ownership. The villagization and the Highlander people conspiracies to remove indigenous people from their home land by using their money also were mentioned as other causes of the conflict in the Majang zone. The findings revealed the conflict resulted in displacement, poverty, mass killing, destruction of the properties, imprisonment and in Majang community’s children school dropout. Therefore, the governments at all levels have to work to bring good governance and stop land exchange and resettle the displaced people and make redistributive justice.

Keywords: Indigenous, land exchange, conflict, ethnics, governance