JIGJIGA (Halbeeg News) – Dozens of Somali families living in Ethiopia’s Oromia are calling on the national government to intervene and help them return to Somali regional state.
Most dramatically, tensions between ethnic Somali and Oromo ethnic groups and conflict along the border separating the two regions led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands in recent months, most of whom have no place to return.
A father of one of the families stranded in areas who spoke to BBC on condition of anonymity said the families have concerns over the lack of security.
“We have been stranded in Oromia. We fear for our safety. We ask the government to enhance security and provide us escort and help us move out of here,” he said.
Oromia and Somali share Ethiopia’s longest interior border, a meandering line from Moyale in the south to Mulu in the east.
Parts of the border follow the Ganale Doria River, but the regional boundary mostly stretches between the Oromia grasslands and Somali desert.
Despite close relations, the two ethnic groups have experienced intermittent conflicts over resources, including land and water, over the past 25 years.
In 2004, a referendum to decide on the fate of more than 420 kebeles – the country’s smallest administrative unit – gave 80% of them to Oromia.
Following the outcome, tens of thousands of ethnic Somalis reportedly fled the areas for fear of repercussions.
The decision has still not been implemented and this is one factor behind the recurrent conflicts.
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