FMO Country Guide: Ethiopia - Forced Migration Online

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CIA World Fact Book Summary Forced Migration in Ethiopia is classified in three categories: internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugees in Ethiopia, and trafficking, particularly of women and young girls. Internal displacement has in turn been explained in three categories, namely conflictinduced, disaster-induced, and development-induced displacement. Conflict-induced displacement is the most prominent of these, as it has resulted in the displacement of a large number of people within a short period of time. It is also the area with the greatest concentration of humanitarian assistance, and as such has been given more coverage in this research guide. The Ethio-Eritrean war, which erupted in May 1998, accounted for the largest number of displaced people since the current government came to power in 1991. Right after the commencement of the war, over 350,000 people were displaced from areas along the common border of the Tigray and Afar regions. An additional 95,000 Ethiopians were deported from Eritrea, and as the conflict escalated, people residing close to the borderlines and within a range of possible shelling were evacuated, increasing the total number of IDPs in the area. Numerous organizations—government agencies, international and local NGOs, and multilaterals—were involved in responding to the needs of the displaced. For the purpose of this guide, emphasis has been given to programs and issues that have had greater coverage and are deemed more relevant. With this respect, the World Bank-funded Emergency Recovery Program (ERP), and the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Border Development Program (BDP), which are by far the largest, have been highlighted. However, a list of organizations working with IDPs and the types of assistance they provide is included in the guide to furnish researchers with added information on organizations involved in post-war rehabilitation programs. Relevant issues concerning IDPs such as the presence of landmines, HIV/AIDS, and problems of the families of deceased soldiers are also covered. Disaster-induced displacement in Ethiopia is mainly attributed to drought and can in most cases be characterized as stress migration or temporary displacement. Drought- and 2
famine-induced displacements are chronic problems in Ethiopia. While large-scale development-induced displacements are rare, the most common form of developmentinduced displacement in Ethiopia is due to road construction. Information on such forms of displacement is limited for political and other reasons. Refugee influxes in Ethiopia are largely the result of ongoing political and civil unrest in the Horn of Africa as well as natural disasters (mostly drought) in neighbouring countries. Refugees in Ethiopia mainly consist of Somalis, Sudanese, and Eritreans. Trafficking in Ethiopia mostly takes the form of transporting migrants by fraud, deception, and different forms of coercion. Increasing levels of unemployment in the country, coupled with increased demand for cheap labor in developed countries, has resulted in an increased number of migrant workers leaving the country. Many young girls have become victims of trafficking by illegal agents who claim to have established contacts with employers, mainly in the Middle East. 1 Overview 1.1 Geography, ethnicity, and culture Ethiopia is a land-locked country located in East Africa. It shares boundaries with Sudan in the west, Kenya in the south, Eritrea in the north, and Somalia in the east. It is the third largest country in the continent, covering a total of 1,127 square kilometres. Ethiopia is endowed with diverse topography ranging from the highland mountains (the highest being Ras Dejen at 4,620 m above sea level) to the Dankil Depression, the lowest point in the world (125 m below sea level). The highland massif, which begins in northern Eritrea, runs all the way to southern Ethiopia, with an eastern extension forming the Arsi, Bale and Harar Plateaus. The lowlands, which also begin in the northeastern part of the country, extend southwards to include the Dankil Depression, the lower Awash valley up to the Ogaden and the lower parts of Harar in the East as well as Bale and Sidamo in the south. The Great Rift Valley roughly bisects the country and has led to the formation of a number of crater lakes. Lakes and rivers are widespread throughout the country. There are twelve major lakes, Lake Tana being the longest (70 km), widest (60 km), and largest, covering a vast area of 3,600 square kilometres (Statistical Abstract 2002). Lake Tana is also known as the source of the Blue Nile, which joins the White Nile originating in Uganda and flows all the way up to Egypt. The eastern and southeastern parts of the country are characterized by a semi-arid climate and are home to the Ethiopian pastoralist and semi-pastoralists. The climate in the country is mostly characterized as tropical monsoon with wide variation in accordance with the diverse topography. With a population of 69,127,000 (Statistical Abstract 2002), Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Sub-Saharan Africa. Ethiopia represents a range of diverse people who live together, speaking a multitude of different tongues, practicing different religions and customs. There are more than 78 ethnic groups in Ethiopia, with 69 per cent of them found in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples (SNNP) region. According to the 1994 census, ethnic representation in the country can be roughly categorized as 32 per cent Oromo, 30 per cent Amhara, 6 per cent Tigray, 6 per cent Somali, 4 per cent Guragie, 3 per cent Sidama, 2 per cent Wolaita, 2 per cent Afar, 2 per cent Hadiya, and 1 per cent Gamo. The remainder are from one of the countries other ethnic groups. 3
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Page 11 and 12: provision of compensation payments,
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FMO Country Guide: Ethiopia - Forced Migration Online

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