Ethiopia Weekly Update (17 December 2024)
Last updated: 08/08/2024
The South West Ethiopia Peoples region was created following a successful referendum held in September 2021 together with the sixth general election of Ethiopia. The referendum and the general elections were originally planned to be held in June 2021 but was delayed due to errors on ballot papers and security issues.1Addis Standard, ‘News Alert: Ethiopia gets eleventh state with more than 96% approval for South West referendum,’ 9 October 2021 Based on the outcome of the vote, Kaffa, Sheka, Bench Sheko, Dawuro, and West Omo zones, as well as Konta Special woreda, established Ethiopia’s 11th region on 23 November 2021.2Fana Broadcasting Corporate, ‘It was decided by the majority vote that we want to be organized as a region in the South West Ethiopia referendum,’ 9 October 2021
This region consists of 12 ethnic groups in five zones — West Omo, Bench Sheko, Kefa, Dawero, and Sheka zones — and one special woreda, Konta Special woreda. The region has four capital cities, including Bonga, Tercha, Mizan Aman, and Tepi.3AllAfrica, ‘Ethiopia: #asdailyscoop – Southwest State Council Approves Multi-Capital City Bill,’ 11 August 2022 Amharic is the region’s working language, although many languages are spoken among the zone’s ethnic groups.
On the day following the official formation of the South West Ethiopia Peoples region, an unidentified armed group ambushed a vehicle carrying civil servants traveling through the new region, reportedly killing four security forces and injuring six civil servants in Selam Ber kebele near Tepi town in Yeki woreda in Sheka zone (see map below). Two weeks earlier, the Sheka zone in the South West Ethiopia Peoples region had changed its administrative center from Masha to Tepi town, causing tension in a region with a history of violence. However, the head of the government’s peace and security office in Sheka zone said the ambush was not thought to be related to this dispute.4Ethiopia Insider, ‘Tepi city in Southwest Ethiopia People’s Region; Four security forces were killed by militants,’ 4 November 2021
Parts of Ethiopia’s South West Peoples region include large communities of ethnic Amhara, many of whom were resettled in the area during famines in the 1980s. Much like in Benshangul/Gumuz region’s Metekel zone, these settlement communities have been centers of violence. In 2021, dozens of ethnic Amhara were reportedly killed during attacks on settlement villages in Gura Ferda, Bench Sheko zone.5Jamal Osman, ‘Ethiopia: Fears upcoming election could fuel ethnic conflict,’ Channel 4 News, 30 April 2021
The South West Ethiopia Peoples region contains some of the country’s most remote locations, and consistent reporting can be difficult. Violence between ethnic militias is common, although poorly reported.
