From: wsargeant@IGC.ORG (Winslow L. Sargeant)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: IPS:Ethiopia, unrest in the east
Date: 16 Apr 92 15:43:00 GMT

/* Written 12:05 am  Apr 16, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
/* ---------- "ETHIOPIA: UNREST IN THE EAST" ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Title: ETHIOPIA: UNREST IN THE EAST


an inter press service feature

by obinna onyadike

dire dawa, ethiopia, apr 13 (ips) -- ten months after the
overthrow of mengistu haile mariam, the ethiopian people's
revolutionary democratic front (eprdf) is still struggling to
bring order to a war-ravaged country.

while there is now peace in the northern areas of eritrea and
tigray, after years of large-scale conventional warfare against
black africa's largest military machine, the interim eprdf
government is faced with serious unrest in the eastern province
of hararghe.

despite eprdf crackdowns, attacks on vehicles along the road
are common and inter-communal tension runs high as several
ethnic-based movements continue to function.

ironically, these organisations' new-found freedom to operate
is a result of the eprdf's deliberate encouragement of ethnic
self-determination which has lifted the lid on the nationality
question, kept forcibly sealed by mengistu's regime.

since taking power in may, the epdrf has sought to broaden
its base by including all the ethnic-based armed movements in
the country in a coalition government until elections in 1993.

but in the east, home to several competing ethnic groups, the
policy of ethnic self-determination has been a recipe for
anarchy.

the eprdf soldiers, rather than being welcomed as conquering
heroes, are greeted with suspicion. the unforgivable crime of
the eprdf is the balkanisation of the country, implicit in their
approach to the nationality issue.

''they didn't include every (anti-mengistu) group in the
eprdf. only those representing ethnic groups. national feeling
is being eroded. this gradually creates the same problems as in
somalia and yugoslavia,'' one man explained to ips.

according to the theory of the ''hidden agenda'', repeatedly
mentioned here, the main goal of the eprdf (essentially the
tigrean liberation front) is to pave the way for the
independence of eritrea followed by tigray.

after next year's referendum in eritrea, annexed as the
14th province by emperor haile selasie in 1962, the ''hidden
agenda'' is certain to succeed. (more/ips)


ethiopia: unrest (2)

in the national elections, which will be fought on purely
ethnic lines, tigray could well follow suit and trip the
break-up of the country.

''if it is the decision of the people we will accept it. our
aim is that any ethiopian people should be able to stand on
their own feet. what is unity? if its based on slavery i'm
against it,'' an eprdf cadre in dire dawa told ips.

but in this capital of hararghe province, there are eight
organisations which claim to represent the region.

apart from a number of somali clans, the oromos -- the
largest ethnic group in the country -- consider hararghe as well
as addis ababa and most of the fertile land as their own.

victims of imperialism in the last century, their language
and culture banned, they have taken to the concept of ethnic
self-determination with vigour and a renaissance of ethnic
pride, but without a unified voice.

the oromos are divided between the oromo liberation front
(olf), islamic front for the liberation of oromia (iflo) and the
eprdf's own creation, oromo people's democratic organisation.

both members of the interim government, olf and iflo accuse
the eprdf of not taking their demands for independence
seriously. over the past few months the olf and the iflo have
been engaging the eprdf militarily.

party secretary of the somali clan-based issa gurgura
liberation front, mohamed boha, says ''i don't think there will
be peace. all parties are claiming the area. now there is
democracy but no peace. after the elections it will probably get
worse.''

but the insecurity in the region is more than just a
reflection of political competition. it is also a product of
basic banditry where young men, nominally belonging to an
organisation, can pick up a gun and loot vehicles on the road.

''the thieves and hijackers are not a political problem.
there has been a great drought in this country and they say they
are hungry. it's difficult to control them,'' boha admits.

''it is difficult to say whether ethiopia's first exercise in
democratic politics will be a success because what the eprdf
thinks is not what the people think,'' an ethiopian aid manager
said.

''there are so many economic and social problems. if they do
it wisely there is no reason why we can't have peace and
democracy, if not the consequences will be very dangerous,'' he
explained. (end/ips/oa/tvh/ar/92)