Ethnicity and Identity: More complex than recognized by the Ethiopian Constitution

Dagmawi, of Ethiopian News and Views is one of my favorite bloggers on the web when it comes to Ethiopian issues. He is is very well informed and objective in his commentaries and new analysis. I am a frequent reader of his commentaries and follow through any articles he is discussing. ENV is a very resourceful blog to dig through.....I wish Dagmawi had a feature in which I and many others could express our thanks to his contribution to a mature and civilized and discussion...

Today, Dagmawi has posted an interesting article titled, Neither Ethiopian nor Kenyan, just Gabra, Garre or Borana which is about communities South of the Ethiopian (Northern Kenyan) border who are at Limbaugh of their citizenship. Their case is similar to what is happening to the people of Welkayt Tegede.

Dagmawi puts his analysis in an eloquent comment in a way that he can only do.

"The Ethiopian constitution does not recognize the Boran, Gabra or Garre. Nor does it recognize the rights of individuals to choose how to express their national identity themselves. The constitution has taken that power away. It establishes pre-defined Oromo and Somali nations and assigns all Boran, Gabra, or Garre political membership in either of these nations. These are the only identities that are given national political rights. There is no other option. Thus, key issues regarding the livelihoods of these people are now wrapped up in the agenda of ethnic nationalist elites in far-away Jigjiga or Addis Ababa.

The primary objective of these Oromo and Somali ethnic nationalists is to preserve the territorial integrity of their nation. This objective is translated into reality in the mixed ethnic regions inhabited by the Borana, Gabra, and Garre. These ethnic groups have had a long-history of interaction and two-way assimilation. They are now being forced to "purify" themselves and reduce their identity to either Oromo or Somali. There is no middle ground.

The Ethiopian constitution does not recognize regional identities. It does not recognize the existence of mixed communities sharing the same area. Thus ethnic boundaries are being sharpened and the ideals of harmony between ethnic groups and peaceful coexistence are threatened. The cut-and-paste application of Soviet nationality theory to the Ethiopian constitution is having deadly results,"

As Dagmawi stated it above the indigenous people of Welkait Tegede did not get a chance to choose to which administrative region to be part of. The only single reason for TPLF to annex this regions into to Tigray was simply because the people spoke Tirigna. All other factors such as culture, social identity, historical background and and above all the right of the people to express their choice was simply never even considered.