Thousands flee in south Ethiopia’s deadly tribal clashes

February 27, 2009 (ADDIS ABABA) — Tens of thousands of people are reported to have been displaced after days of tribal clashes in one of a remote parts of Ethiopia’s south.

The fighting between the Borena tribes and the Gheri, Somali ethnic, was erupted earlier this month with a major battle on February 5 over land ownership, territory, water resource and grazing land.

Unconfirmed sources coming out from the area said some 300 people were killed and 100,000 residents are displaced as result of the fighting.

However the Ethiopia’s minister of state responsible for emergency and disaster planning, Mituku Kassa, has played down the report saying that this figure is over exaggerated but he acknowledges the existence of the problem.

According to sources, the tribal clashes near the town of Moyale, located near the border with Kenya, was so intense that it caused a temporary closure to the main road to the Kenyan border.

Boundary changes, continues drought, limited natural resources, drying water points and wells have made it more critical for such clashes to increase in recent years in Ethiopia’s southern regions.

There is a long standing dispute along the border between Oromiya and Benshanguel regions.

In May last year more than 20 people were killed in three days of fight over land between the Ethnic Oromos and Benshanguel ethnic groups in western Ethiopia.

Last year a similar clash between Konso and Borena tribes has claimed the lives of 36 people and left over 5000 displaced.

Despite such repeated clashes there are promising and successful efforts on going by local community leaders and government officials to resolve such continuing conflicts through traditional and comprehensive way in those areas of tribal conflict.

Fighting over grazing land and farm lands are quite common in the south and west of the horn of Africa region.

(ST)