| Publication |
2012.
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| Summary/Abstract |
The politics of ethnicity was formally institutionalised in Ethiopia in 1991 with the introduction of ethnic federalism. This study deals with emerging ethnic identities and the dynamics of the inter-ethnic relationship between the Guji and Burji peoples in south Ethiopia. The article argues that, following the enunciation of ethnicity as a leading political order in 1991, identities have been articulated in such a way that past historical incidents and memories have been reactivated and old labels have been redefined by ethnic entrepreneurs for various motives. This promotes (re)construction of ethnic identities and inter-group polarisation. In the Guji-Burji case, it is this fragile relationship that is easily changed into inter-ethnic conflict as a result of competing interests over resources. The article concludes that while the cause of the current Guji-Burji conflict is primarily economic in nature, it took on an ethnic dimension within the context of politicised ethnic identities that hardened group boundaries. Synchronising past relationships - both conflicting and harmonious - with the contemporary scenario, the article tries to shed some light on the dynamics of the Guji-Burji relationship, focusing particularly on the post-1991 political order in Ethiopia and its local implications.
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