Inter-Ethnic Conflict in Ethiopia: The Case of Alle and Konso

This study focuses on the inter-ethnic conflict between Alle and Konso of Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples' Regional State (SNNPRS), South Western Ethiopia. The Alle and Konso ethnic groups have a long history of close relationships. The post 1991 Alle-Konso ethnic relation is either peaceful or conflictual. Thus, the central aim of this study is to investigate the causes, actors, dynamics and impacts of Alle-Konso inter-ethnic conflict. The study investigates the nature of Alle-Konso inter-ethnic relations after the restructuring of the country along ethnic lines with special emphasis to the post-2010 inter-ethnic conflicts. The study identified multiplicity of factors for the inter-ethnic conflict. In this study, based on the analysis of context, causes, actors and dynamics of Alle-Konso inter-ethnic conflict two major scenarios are drawn: Best-Case and Worst-Case Scenarios. The major conclusion drawn in this study is that politicization of ethnicity and/ ethnic mobilizations take its lion share for continued and unresolved inter-ethnic conflict between Alle and Konso ethnic groups.