INSTITUTE OF FEDERALISM AND LEGAL STUDIES

DEPARTMENT OF FEDERALISM AND LOCAL

GOVERNMENT STUDIES

Minority Right Protection in the South Nation Nationality and Peoples

Regional State: The Case of ARI Ethnic Group
By :Andualem Girma
ID. NO ECSU 1400295
Advisor: Zerihun Yemer (Assistance Professor)
June 17,2016
ECSU, Addis Ababa

Minority right protection in the SNNPR

state the case of Ari ethnic group

This paper organized in to five Chapters

1. Introduction,
2. Related literature
3. General back ground of the Ari Ethnic group
4. Data Analysis
5.Finding, Conclusion, Recommendation

Contd
Back ground of the study
Federal political system contributes for the

accommodation of diversity, specially in multinational

societies, that helps to reduce tension or conflict by
tolerating difference.
More over, the federal system of government allows the
local governments to be flexible and innovative and to
conduct experiments for better democratic practices.

Contd
Federal system also refers to the advocacy of multi tiered

government combining unity and diversity,

accommodating, preserving and promoting distinct
identities with in a larger political unit. (R.Watts, 1991)
So that it gives the groups the chance to administer
themselves and give decisions on matters affecting them.
It allows the minority groups to participate in decision
making process at both levels of governments.

Contd
Statement of the Problem

The issue of minorities representation in the

government institutions is becoming one of
the Challenges issues in multi national state
of the world.
To alleviate these problems many countries
designed various mechanisms that helps to
accommodate the question of recognition for
the minority ethnic groups, equality and
representation

Contd
Ethiopia is one of the multi ethno national countries However,

most of its nations, nationalities and peoples had been under

extreme oppression and exclusion for a long period of time.
Accordingly the Ari ethnic group is one of the disadvantaged
and the least investigated groups.
The group was the victim of slavery during the monarchial
period and a bad relation with the Dergue government.
Ari ethnic group was one of the 16 ethnic groups in the
South Omo zone
The issue of Minority right protection of Ari Ethnic group was
not deeply investigated. Hence this issue attracted the attention
of the researcher to conduct scientific research on the area under
study.

Contd
General objective

The overall objectives of the study is to examine the legal

and practical protection and prospects in insuring the Ari
ethnic rights to represent in the south nation ,nationality
and peoples regional states institutions.

Contd
Specific objectives
To show representation of indigenous minority at the

regional level institutions,

To examine aspects of intra ethnic and inter ethnic
relationships.
To examine the socio-economic and political problems of
the Ari ethnic group.

Basic research questions

What are the challenges that Ari ethnic group faced in

ensuring the right to representation and active

participation in the regional institutions i.e. in the
legislature, executive, civil service organization?
What are the root causes of inequality of power sharing at
the regional level?
How the existing power sharing problems affect the
development of the area under study?
To what extent leaders attempt in improving their
representation in the institutions at the regional level ?

Contd
Research Methodology
Source of data
To conduct this research both secondary and primary

data sources were used. As such, relevant legal literatures,

books, articles and journals were used so as to
conceptualize and to analyze the issues associated with
mechanisms of internal minorities protection.
Other legal documents such as international instruments,
the FDRE Constitution, the Constitution of Regional State
of the South nation, nationality and peoples.

Contd
interviews and personal observations were the primary sources

employed so as to determine whether there was harmony or

otherwise between the legal protections envisaged and the
practice.
Accordingly the researcher used qualitative research approach
to conduct the study.
Purposive sampling technique was employed to gather data
from the respondents.
Data were collected the employees and officials of different
weredas that the Ari they lived. from the South Omo zone
officials, South nation nationality and people region Civil
Service bureau, Member of Parliament, higher federal
government official.

Findings

Contd
institutional representation of SNNPR, only in the region

executives level have 459 seats of appointment including

Head of Regional bureaus and their deputies,
Commissioners, TVET, colleges, FM radio stations,
head of Agencies and authority institutions.
But, most of the indigenous ethnic group is not
beneficiary, some ethnic groups are beneficiary from the
appointment system.

Contd
Oromo, Amara and Tigray are non indigenous group for

SNNPR but they have 26 seat in the SNNPR regional

executive organ. According to the preamble of the SNNPR
constitution We the South Nations, Nationalities and
Peoples . It indicates the owner of the constitution is
the people of the South.
However, Amhara. Oromo and Tigray have a Power
sharing in SNNPR regional Executive.

Contd
On the other hand, 27 ethnic group of SNNPR were not

represented in the regional Executive organ. But, out of 56

ethnic group29 ethnic groups have institutional
representation

Contd
According to the 2007 CSA, Halaba covered 0.32%, the Ari covered 0.39%,

Shekicho covered 0.11% , Kore covered 0.21%, Yem covered 0.22%.

Based on the number of seats allocated to them
5 seats for Halaba , 3 for Ari , shekicho 11 seats, 7 seats for kore, Yem
holds 6 seats at the regional level. This shows that representation of the
ethnic group is not proportional to the number of population.
Hence it is possible to say some of the ethnic group in general and Ari ethnic
group in particular is not equally represented in the executive arm of
government.
Sidama have 77 seat,Welayta74,Guraghe 59,Hadia 35 These dominant group

Sidama, welayta, Guraghe, Hadia these four ethnic groups have 249 seats.
This also indicates the domination of the dominant ethnic groups is manifested
in the executive branch of government. On other hand, almost half of the
ethnic group living in the region do not have any representation in the
executive arm of government.

Contd
There is no formal model for power sharing in SNNPR,
Lack of awareness on the side of Political leaders on the

issues of Federalism.
Absence of awareness of the people to ask their rights
The dominance of minorities continued their dominance.
The lack of genuine democratic participation has its own
limitation to practice constitutional right of minorities.
Government officials also not struggle their right for
fearing punishment of their party on the name of narrow
nationalism

Contd
Newly emerging ethnic-based elite group has become a

significant political player. The emergence of ethnic-based

elite groups creates a wider space for ethnic based
competition over resources, power and recognition
competition between the ethnic-based elite groups can
challenge and undermine the legitimacy of the federal
system.

Contd
Lack of minority rights protection also remains a

problem of the Ethiopian federal constitution and the

process of federalism. The rights of the people who
have become minorities due to the federal arrangement
have not been protected either by the federal or
regional constitutions.

Contd
Recommendation
In the regional state of SNNPR recognizes the existence of

internal ethnic minorities, it needs to get constitutional or

legal base.
The case of elite groups, they are not a threat by itself, it can
be a source of stability if relationships between the elite
groups of different ethnic group from different zone guided
towards partnership and co-operation.
There should be team sprit among the political leaders from
different ethnic groups to work in cooperation for the
common good of the society at large.
The regional government should establish effective IGR
between and/or among zones and special woredas.

Contd
Creating awareness for the governmental officials on the

importance of Federalism through long and short term

training,
All the concerned government organs should strive to
create informed society so as to enable them to question
their legally guaranteed rights and to live in harmony with
each other.
The regional government should realize the implementation
of affirmative actions for the disadvantaged groups
including the group under study as provided per law.

THANK YOU!