Oxford university press 10 the federal democratic republic of ethiopian constitution, 1994 11 andrei kreptul. Ethnic federalism is a federal system of national government in which the federated units are defined according to ethnicity. Additionally, ethiopia is the site of the first hegira, a major emigration in islamic history. According to the constitution, they are given all the power to develop their region.
The tplfled government that replaced the dergue has redrawn the political map of the country and adopted ethnic based federal structure of government. Territorial federalism might have been a viable path in 1991, long before ethnic federalism took root. Related terms are multiethnic federalism and ethnofederalism. It can be formed by coming together of former independent entities like in the case of switzerland, canada, and australia or by devolution of power like in the case of belgium and ethiopia. It traces its origin to the kingdoms that emerged in the northern highlands in the fourth century. There are three main reasons why federalism was adopted in 1991 as proper state system for ethiopia. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading federalism and ethnic conflict in ethiopia. Ethiopia is an ancient country with a number of peculiarities. Abstract in multiethnic country, respect of diversity and ethnic equality is a major tool for national integration. The history of state formation in ethiopia is a source of profound, even bitter. The history of state formation in ethiopia is a source of profound, even bitter contention. The ethiopian post conflict settlement is founded on the principle of ethnic federalism where ethnicity and territory correspond. Federalism, development and the changing political.
Sc speaker, house of federations federal democratic republic of ethiopia. Ethiopia and the federal system of government kichuu. This type of federation is identified above all with the governance of meles zenawi from the 1990s in ethiopia, where it has sometimes been known as zenawism. But 20 years on the principle and the practice do not always align perfectly. For an introduction, see 10 footnotes necessary for all of these parties. The first contemporary factor influencing ethiopia. Federalism is a means of ensuring peace, stability and mutual accommodation in countries that have territorially concentrated differences of identity, ethnicity, religion or language. Ethiopias experience with written constitution and its treatment of issues concerning ethnicity, decentralization andor federalism in its various constitutions will be put in perspective with a view to tracing continuity and discontinuity in the countrys constitutional history. But federalism may either reduce or exacerbate conflicts. Constitutional history of ethiopia constitutionnet. Ethnic federalism and its discontents crisis group.
The aim of this article is to examine the prevalence of ethnic conflict in ethiopia and to evaluate the potential causes of the conflicts that followed in the past twentyfive years. According to articles 1 and 47 of the constitution of the federal democratic republic of ethiopia, the country is a. Nevertheless, the approach of federalism in a way that responds to the ethiopian. The ethiopian peoples revolutionary democratic front eprdf, led by its chairman and prime minister, meles zenawi, has radically reformed ethiopias political system. The second issue is the division of the revenue raising fiscal federalism in ethiopia between the federal government and the regions. Federalism, especially in large or diverse countries, can also improve service delivery and democratic resilience, ensure decisions are made at. This constitution is an expression of their sovereignty. Posted in africa, analysis, ethiopia, news tagged 2011 ethiopia u. Actors, power and mobilization under ethnic federalism, e. This consensus has come as a result of the change in attitudes toward the practical results of the system. However, these pledges were not translated into practice. Fortunately, federalism has become a point of national consensus.
Jun 10, 2017 ever since 1991, ethiopia has departed from the old unitary form of state and has been implementing language based federalism. Pdf territorial autonomy for ethnic groups is an important component of. An economic analysis of fiscal federalism in ethiopia. A town in the tigray region, negash is the oldest muslim settlement in africa. The section that relates to the prefederal experience of the country may assist in comprehending the historical context in which the discourse on federalism has. The imperial period 1974 ethiopia is the only african state never colonised by a foreign power. Thus, the eprdf that assumed power in may 1991 after its protracted 17 year armed insurgency undertaken the reconstruction of the ethiopian state.
A comparative regional study routledge studies in federalism and decentralization book 20 kindle edition by kefale, asnake. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. This empirical study shows that the system eases conflict at some levels but also sharpens interethnic and. To understand this, one needs to go back in time to gain an overview of these issues. Using comparative and empirical approaches, this study analyses the impacts of federalism on ethnic conflicts in ethiopia in general and in the somali and benishangulgumuz regions in particular. Ethnic federalism closely examines aspects of the ethiopean case and asks why the use of territorial decentralism to accommodate ethnic differences has been generally unpopular in africa. Ethiopias ancient system of feudal government experienced significant changes under haile selassie i reigned 193074, who carefully grafted onto the traditional governing institutions a weak parliament of appointed and elected legislators, a judiciary with modernized civil and criminal codes and a hierarchy of courts, and an executive. Pdf weaknesses of ethnic federalism in ethiopia haymi. Territorial autonomy for ethnic groups is an important component of ethiopian federalism designed to deal with the challenges of ethnic diversity. Their sovereignty shall be expressed through their representatives elected in accordance with this constitution and through their direct democratic participation article 9 supremacy of the constitution. Political parties in ethiopia download ebook pdf, epub.
This chapter contextualizes its discussion of ethiopian federalism by examining a series of broader factors political, historical, institutional and economic. Constitution of the federal democratic republic of ethiopia. Teshomes partisan commentary is irresponsible, riddled with factual inaccuracies and removed from the reality as lived by the majority of ethiopians in 2017. According to articles 1 and 47 of the constitution of the federal democratic republic of ethiopia, the country is a federation of nine ethnolinguistically divided regional states. In almost all corners of the world, there are currently efforts that aim at redesigning structures of states in response to demands of communities for increased participation in the politicoeconomic realm.
Jan 23, 2019 territorial federalism might have been a viable path in 1991, long before ethnic federalism took root. Pdf the original sin of ethiopian federalism researchgate. Learn more about the history and characteristics of federalism in this article. A brief excursion into history shows that the tplf emerged in 1975 as a militarymovementcumparty that sought to liberate ethiopia from its military junta. A study of the secession clause in the constitution. Its cultures, diversity and religions form a microcosm of africa. And it shows up in myriad ways which we often overlook. At one extreme, panethiopian nationalists contend that the state is some 3,000 years old. Ethnic federalism is inherently flawed and incompatible with democracy as it drags most political and economic debates down to the level of ethnicity. Ethiopia s unique system of ethnicbased federalism claims to minimise conflict by organising political power along ethnic lines. The fiscal federalism in ethiopia states have their respective autonomous governments set up. A history of early twentieth century ethiopia, richard pankhurst, 1997.
Ethiopians, like all people, have concerns and values that reach far beyond this limited category. In particular, it discusses the two historical factors that influenced the ideology of ethiopian. After emperor haile selassie arranged the federation between both states in 1952, eritrea was increasingly annexed by ethiopia thomaswoolley and keller, 1994. Federalism and devolution were often unpopular political projects in postcolonial africa. It is against the backdrop of an inadequate application of the preceding suppositions in ethiopian ethnic federalism that this book may be comprehended p. The section that relates to the prefederal experience of the country may assist in comprehending the historical context in which the discourse on federalism has emerged in this country. Ethnic federalism has been exploited to plant division among ethnic groups so as to institutionalize and facilitate rule by the tplf and other politically affiliated groups, representing a small proportion of the population. It is actually the peoples who formed the federation as it says in the preamble we, the nations, nationalities and peoples of ethiopiahave therefore ratified, on 8 december 1994 this. History and ideology 57 selfadministration through regional autonomy. Is ethnic federalism really the biggest problem in ethiopia. The original sin of ethiopian federalism article pdf available in ethnopolitics december 2016 with 15,858 reads how we measure reads.
What are the historical antecedents of federalism in ethiopia and how do they contribute to an. Many scholars believe that, federalism in ethiopia. Ethnic federalism and its discontents crisis group africa report n153, 4 september 2009 page 2 ii. Pdf ethnicbased federalism in ethiopia and its impact on. Fiscal federalism in ethiopia, the subject matter of this paper, has been adopted within a unique political landscape of ethnic federalism. Federalism, especially in large or diverse countries, can also improve service delivery. Therefore, federalism is necessary for ethiopia as the diverse nature of the country. Again, the part which relates to the regional context of africa may help to conceive and understand. Center state relations in the ethiopian federal setup.
Wikipedia federalism is the mixed or compound mode of government, combining a general government the central or federal government with regional governments provincial, state, cantonal, territorial or other sub. Ethiopia boasts a landscape of extraordinary beauty and varied climatic conditions. To do this, strong good governance and democratic institutions are very important. Pdf ethnicbased federalism in ethiopia and its impact. The daytoday workings of ethnic federalism in ethiopia is more ambiguous than stated in the 1995 constitution. The daytoday workings of ethnic federalism in ethiopia is more ambiguous than stated in. Opportunities and challenges addis abeba, apr 21 prensa latina with about 76 ethnic groups, ethiopia is based in a federal system that strengthens the shared identity and the social capital, underlined today local academicians. Despite being africas oldest independent country, ethiopia is one of africas poorest states, better known for its periodic droughts, famines, and intermittent civil conflicts.
During the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, emperor menelik ii created the current ethiopian state through expansion and conquest. Pdf territorial autonomy for ethnic groups is an important component of ethiopian federalism designed to deal with the challenges of ethnic diversity find, read and cite all the research. Ethiopia is also the major contributor more than 86 per cent of the abay nile river, upon which life in egypt and the sudan mainly depends. Throughout its long state formation history, ethiopia has never introduced any formal form of federalism system of government before 1991. Federalism and the management of diversity in ethiopia. The fdre constitution will be a subject of analysis also.
Most of the countries in the continent were associated with imperial presidency and oneparty rule from the perspective of which federalism was viewed as a colonial tool of divide and rule that may facilitate state fragmentation in the context of artificially drawn borders. It is a recent history that, there was a dilemma among a number of ethiopians and other people concerning about ethiopia when the idea of bringing together more than 80 ethnic groups with the aim of building new ethiopia was initiated by eprdf for the first time in the countrys history. History of northern ethiopia and the establishment of the italian colony or eritrea. Mar 19, 2019 federalism is one of the most misunderstood concepts in ethiopia. Ethiopia has 99 problems but ethnic federalism is the least of them.
Ethnolinguistic federalism in ethiopia has caused ethnonational diversified. Since 1991, ethiopia has gone further than any other country in using ethnicity as the fundamental organizing principle of a federal system of government. The regime transformed the hitherto centralised state into the federal democratic republic and also redefined citizenship, politics and identity on ethnic grounds. Ethiopia has developed interesting mechanism of subsidy transfer systems and formulas revised formulas in 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2009. Ooperative federalism revised editionprinted with permission. Ethiopia had no previous history of federalism, except for the short lived ethio eritrea federation from. Draft ethiopia ethnic federalism university of chicago law.
The impact of the inclusion of secession clause in the. Now, ethiopia is a country with 27 years history of ethnic federalism and a living example to the adage that it is not identities that create territories but territories that create identities. The current regime in ethiopia adopted ethnic federalism and redesigned the country along ethnic lines as soon as it took political power in 1991. First, it examines the historical and ideological basis of federalism. The eprdfs ethnic federalism has not dampened con flict, but rather increased. In the contemporary world, state restructuring has become a global phenomenon. The book focuses on the tripartite relationship between federalism, democracy, and party politics. Oct 10, 2018 the second issue is the division of the revenue raising fiscal federalism in ethiopia between the federal government and the regions. Ethiopia was ruled by emperors with a kind of monarchical government with a unitary system of government for thousands of years, and from 19741991 a dictator government with an absolute.
To be sure, article 39 14, under the title the rights of nations, nationalities and peoples, of the 1991 consti. Federalism in ethiopia was introduced by the constitution based on the principles of self determination, shared rule and self of peoples of ethiopia. Actors, power and mobiliza tion under ethnic federalism, is made up of a laconic preface, eight. Considering the political history of ethiopia, the decision to include. Federalism, mode of political organization that unites separate states or other polities within an overarching political system in a way that allows each to maintain its own integrity. Until the 1980s, a substantial population of beta israel ethiopian jews resided in ethiopia.
Federal system of government is a midpoint between unitary system of government for example uganda and confederation for example european union. Federalism is one of the most misunderstood concepts in ethiopia. The constitutional decision to use ethnicity as a basis for the organisation of the state represents a recognition of the political relevance of ethnicity. Constitutional history ethiopia is the oldest independent country in africa and one of the oldest independent countries in the world.