The Need for Peace Building and Reconciliation in Post-TPLF Ethiopia

Academic Paper from the year 2019 in the subject Politics - Topic: Peace and Conflict, Security, Haramaya University, language: English, abstract: This paper attempts to see the need for peace building and reconciliation in post-TPLF Ethiopia. It employed qualitative research approach. It draws heavily on secondary sources, including books, journals, researches and reports of various institutions. The facts collected are analyzed thematically, trans-active approach as alternative explanations. Ethiopia needs a peace-building rule to improve coordination and effectiveness of its interventions in promoting peace and human security. The constitution, sectoral policy pronouncements, international conventions and policy frameworks which the country has ratified, contain bits and pieces of policy pronouncements on peace-building. In most post-conflict situations, there are major divisions throughout impacted societies, manifested in ethnic, political, economic, social, and religious rifts. The consequent psycho-social impacts that invariably result from protracted civil divergences are often more harmful than the physical damage shaped by the conflicts itself. Conflict is pervasive in every society, so the term post-conflict in this instance indicates the period after a formal dictatorial party in coalition is fired out by long-term protest. The high-profile reconciliation initiatives with which we are familiar tend to be national-level, top-down approaches: truth commissions, legal processes and reform, national reparation programs, public apologies, etc. These initiatives can only take place once there is a recognized state-wide system of governance with sufficiently broad legitimacy that such initiatives can be carried out under its auspices. In conclusion for reconciliation activities to have any meaning, structural issues leading to conflict must also be addressed. There must be a harmonization of objectives between economic, political and psycho-social interventions. Peace building is increasingly institutionalized across the international landscape.

Megersa Tolera Abdi(1985 GC-) is a PhD fellow at Haramaya University, Department of Sociology in Peace and Development program. He born and brought up in western Oromia, Ethiopia. He has hold two Masters Degrees in Regional and Local Development Studies from Addis Ababa University where he also held his bachelor's degree in Sociology and Social Anthropology and Masters of Business Administration from Rift Valley University. He was a staff member of Arsi University, Department of Sociology and Social Work teaching different courses for the last three years, served as the Department Chairman and attended community service activities. He used to teach Community Development in Bishoftu Community Development Training College and Rift Valley University Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology before he joined Arsi University. Apart from his regular duty he has involved on extra-curricula works like developing TTLM for TVET trainees( on Community Development), Developing assessment tools for TVET trainees and offering some professional services in collaboration with Oromia Labour and Social Affairs, Bureau, Women and Children Affairs Bureau and Ethiopian Society of Sociologists, Social workers and Anthropologist. His research interest includes Local Economic Development, Sociology of Development, Peace and development studies, livelihood and sustainability, culture and peace building, women and peace building and federalism and ethnic conflicts. Megersa has been influenced by the works of Peter Eike who wrote a book entitled "the two public", Marxian and Weberian theories as well as Frank Furt school of Critical theories of which he very much admired is Antonio Gracia.