Living Conditions of Conflict-Induced Internally Displaced Persons: The case of Oromo people displaced from Somali region and camped in Deder District, Eastern Hararge

Abstract

These study explores the living conditions of internally displaced person caused by conflict who currently camped in Deder district, Eastern Hararge, Oromia Regional State. The IDPs were expelled from the Somali regional state. The study relies on the qualitative research methods and a descriptive research design to shed lights on the factors that led to the displacement, the process of relocating IDPs to a new resettlement site, and the post- resettlement lives of IDPs and their adaptations in the new resettlement site. The data collections methods used combined focus group disscusions, in-depth interview, key informant interviews, field observations and document review. The particpants were purposively selected since it was believed that they would be able to provide the issue under investigations in detail. The provided data was served only for the purpose of these study and it was analysed by using the thematic analysis. The study reveals conflict was the main factor of the displacement and there are different cause of the conflict. The main factors that exposed the Oromo peoples living in Jigjiga to conflict and ultimately led to their displacement were investigated, including the availability of capital resources, the area functioning as a trade route, and land grabbing. Boder disputes between the Somali area and the districts of Oromia (Chinaksen, Babile, Midega Tola, Mayu-muluke, and Mino) have always existed. The Somali wanted occupying land in the Oromia area. Ttorture and killing were used to displace a number of Oromo people who are living in Somali region. The region’s para military forces are reported to have taken part in killings and even dumped bodies in landfills before mass displacement occurred. Also, the large-scale evacuation was due to cooperation between the TPLF and the Somali government, as many TPLF military generals were cooperating with the Somali government. This cooperation was aimed at blocking the political reforms of the central government in which the TPLF lost its dominant position. The IDPs were taken to the Oromia region on foot through the districts of Babile and Chinaksen, while the rest came to Oromia by car through the district of Babile. The Ethiopian Federal Police and the Ethiopian National Defense Force are two actors that have played a key role in relocating displaced people to Oromia and saving their lives. The zonal and kebele administrators was relocated IDPs to Deder district based on being they are IDPs by Somali government, the existance of marriage relationships among IDPs, birth places of IDPs, getting the opportunity to wait other opportunity, disagreement between displaced persons and the B governmental administrators. Based on the above fact, they are responsible to be camped in Deder district through collaborations with Deder society and government. They resettled in different places such as youth and sport offices, culture and tourizim offices, water and energy offices, Disaster and risk management offices in the district. They are facing many problems in their resettlement such as health, drinking water, house, Electric city and shortage of food. To overcome the above challenges, the psychological support was provided by the GOs and NGOs. Similarly, some other support was given in kinds (food grains, Blanket, Tin and Canvas). However, the sustainablity of such support from various organizations and their opportunity to earn dail income was little and little.