Diversity and state-building in Ethiopia

In multi-ethnic Ethiopia, diversity has been a serious obstacleto statebuilding. In fact, the process of state-building hasbeen chequered with ethnic tensions, squabbles and conflicts.Although ethno-regional identity politics, at least in its mostviolent manifestation, is a relatively recent phenomenon inthe country, its seeds had been sown with the rise of the absolutiststate by the middle of the twentieth century. The politicalentrepreneurs of Ethiopia’s various communities have pursueddivergent ways of dealing with diversity. The dominant Amharafollowed an assimilationist policy (1889–1991); sincethe 1960s, the Eritreans and a section of theOromo politicalactors have opted for the secessionist route; and since themid-1970s, the Tigrayans have gone for the ‘accommodationist’alternative. Of the three choices that the political actorshave had, this article argues that the ‘accommodationist’path, despite its serious flaws, has effectively discreditedboth the assimilationist and secessionist options. Ethiopia’scurrent constitution may contain amendable articles. Its veryaccommodationist character, however, seems to make such amendmentdifficult, given the highly politicized nature of ethnicityin the country. In this sense, Ethiopia is permanently changedand the accommodationist formula is unavoidable in the processof state-building.