Ethnic Politics and Violation of Basic Civil Rights of Amharas in Benishangul Gumuz Regional State of the Post 1991 Ethiopia: Actors, Causes, Consequences, and Challenges

Abstract

Ethnic politics, conceptually, entails the political orientation of employing ethnicity as a means of cooperation and conflict. Based on this concept, the study was aimed to examine actors, causes and consequences of the violation plus challenges in preserving civil rights of Amharas in Benishangul Gumuz Regional State (bgrs) of the post 1991 Ethiopia. It applied qualitative research approach. Accordingly, the research found that the major actors on the violation of civil rights of Amharas are ‘titular’ nationalities, public officials, police force and agricultural investors of bgrs. The causes for the violations of rights of Amharas are ethnic attacks and evictions. These maltreatments brought the consequence of eroding their sense of citizenship and potential of development. The challenges for protection of civil rights of Amharas are problems of controlling rulers and exclusionary constitution. Thus, it concluded that civil rights of Amharas in bgrs have no guarantee and requires immediate political solution.