Konso and Segen Area Peoples Zones Conflict - Ethiopia Peace Observatory

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The Konso and Segen Area Peoples zones conflict emerged over the fallout of Konso woreda’s designation as a zone in 2018. The Konso zone once belonged in ‘Segen Area Peoples zone’ as Konso woreda, along with Amaro woreda, Burji woreda, Derashe woreda, and Ale woreda. In this zone, eight ethnic groups, including the Ale, Burji, Dirasha, Konso (also known as Xonsita), Kore, Kusumie, Mashole, and Moseye lived together with other ethnic groups (including the Oromo, Wolayta, Amhara, Gurage).¹

Before establishing Segen Area Peoples zone on 28 March 2011,² Amaro, Burji, Derashe, and Konso had the status of ‘special woreda,’ i.e., they were semi-autonomous and were accountable directly to Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples (SSNP) Regional Council rather than to the zonal administrative level government. This administrative setup made the Ale people minorities within Konso and Derashe special woredas. The Derashe Special woreda was predominantly inhabited by Dirasha (the majority within the woreda), Dhobasse (now called Ale), Moseye, Mashole, and Kusumie ethnic groups. Konso Special woreda was inhabited by the majority Konso and the minority Gewada (now called Ale) ethnic groups, while Amaro Special woreda was inhabited by the Kore ethnic group, and Burji Special woreda by the Burji ethnic group.

After the implementation of ethnic-based federalism in Ethiopia in the early 1990’s,³ the Ale people demanded the establishment of their own woreda. To resolve this issue, in 2011, SNNP region (SNNPR)’s ruling party, the Southern Ethiopian People’s Democratic Movement, removed special woreda status from the four surrounding woredas — Amaro, Burji, Derashe, and Konso — established Ale woreda, and grouped them all under the newly created Segen Area Peoples zone.⁴

This decision was made without much consultation with those living in the zone, and it was immediately met with resistance from the Konso population. A committee consisting of 23 members was established to advocate for creating a separate Konso zone.⁵ However, the committee’s formal request for a separate zone was rejected by the Regional Council and later by the House of Federation. This led to another round of demonstrations in the zone, as well as the subsequent imprisonment of some protest leaders.⁶ Furthermore, there was a dispute over the capital city of the newly formed Segen Area Peoples zone as most ethnic groups, including the Konso people, wanted their capital city, Karat, to be the zone’s capital city, arguing that it is easily accessible for most of the zone’s ethnic groups and better-equipped with infrastructure than the others. However, the Regional Council decided the city of Segen (previously known as Gumade) would be the capital city of the zone.⁷

The Konso political prisoners were released in 2018 after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced the release of all political prisoners in Ethiopia.⁸ In November 2018, the Konso and Ale groups split from Segen Area Peoples zone. Konso gained the status of a zone, immediately triggering violent conflict as elites fought for territory and political influence.⁹ The remaining four woredas — Derashe, Amaro, Burji and Ale — in Segen Area Peoples zone become separate woredas within the zone. As a result, Segen City Administration and its 17 kebeles were split among these four woredas and Konso zone. This was opposed by people who identified themselves as ‘Gumayde Peoples’ and wanted to establish the ‘Gumayde Peoples Special Woreda Structure.’¹⁰ When Segen Area Peoples zone was created in 2011, the city administration was established by combining nine kebeles from Konso woreda, four kebeles from Burji Woreda, three from Amaro woreda, and one kebele from Derashe woreda. Before the implementation of ethnic federalism in the early 1990s, these 17 kebeles were under one woreda known as Gumayde woreda. The Gumayde people’s request was rejected by the administration of Konso zone and Amaro and Burji woredas, who claimed that the request was raised by multiple ethnic groups who have no land, no people, and no structure of their own.¹¹

As a result, Konso and Segen Area Peoples zone have been the scene of intense bouts of ethnic-based violence over administrative borders (see map below). While border disputes are common across Ethiopia, the scale and destruction that has resulted in these zones are striking. The inter-communal conflict between Konso and Derashe communities in April 2022 displaced around 37,000 people from Konso and Segen Area Peoples zones.¹² ACLED records at least 66 reported fatalities in Konso and 232 fatalities in the Segen Area Peoples and Konso zones between 1 November 2018 and 1 April 2024. These clashes mirror trends throughout the country: Local elites seeking to control greater territory and resources engage in conflict to promote their own material agendas. As opposed to the conflicts in Oromia, Tigray, or Amhara, despite being large and devastating, the Konso and Segen Area Peoples zones violence does not have the capacity to spread throughout the region. This is due to its highly localized nature, where local politicians engage little with overall political decisions at the central level and are more concerned with immediate territorial administration and resources.

Map - Political violence in the Konso and Segen Area Peoples zones 1 April 2018 - 1 April 2024

In August 2023, the area became part of South Ethiopia region following the dissolution of the SNNPR. When the new region was established in August, Amaro, Basketo, Burji, Amaro, Derashe, and Ale gained zonal status.¹³

Violence in Konso zone and the neighboring Segen Area Peoples zone has flared up several times in the past, with serious fighting recorded during violent spikes, most recently in March and May 2022. The area is generally peaceful during breaks in violent activity, however, it is still at risk of armed conflict should additional political disputes arise.

This conflict profile was last updated on 09/08/2024.