Settling the Angar Valley and Dynamics of Inter-Ethnic Relations, Western Ethiopia (1970-2022)

Abstract

This research examines the changes in interethnic interactions in the Angar Valley of western Ethiopia between 1970 and 2022, focusing on settlement and agricultural development. Historical research approaches, particularly qualitative methods, were used to analyze migration, land use, agricultural experiments, resettlements, and farmer relations. The study uses oral testimony from local farmers, settler farmers, and former workers of settlement authority to better understand the region's occupancy, farming, environment, and resource interactions. Both legal and illicit methods of settling the valley, according to the study, led to an increase in surplus output and a transformation of social relations. The valley's land use system has evolved due to large-scale migration of farmers seeking better agricultural land, and since 1991, relations between indigenous Oromo and settlers have deteriorated. The settlers assert their ownership of the valley's resources, while the Oromo accuse the settlers of misusing and destroying those resources. Conflicts, relocation, and atrocities have occurred in the valley during the past twenty years as a result of animosity sparked by environmental changes and stark economic disparities between natives and newcomers. This study provides important information that academics, practitioners, and policymakers can use in their work.