Communities at Margins: Spaces of Large Scale Development Projects Intervention in Contemporary Ethiopia
Presenter's country
Ethiopia
Start Date
28-5-2016 10:55 AM
End Date
28-5-2016 12:00 PM
Location
Hall I
Submission type
Paper
Abstract
From its continuous record of a high economic growth mainly since 2004, Ethiopia is hailed as one of internationally fastest growing “lady”. Particularly under the Growth and Transformation Plan I (GTP I) which ran from 2009/2010- 2014/2015, the country launched a transformative development scheme and implemented a number of state /private owned mega-projects that have significant positive impact on the economy. While implementation of projects and the growth of the economy brought prosperity, optimism and opportunity for some, for others it arose marginalization (exclusion), poverty, inequality of life and in some cases even rise of violence. The Kumpal of northwest Ethiopia are one of the minority groups who are receiving large-scale development projects intervention, particular three giant sugar development projects under GTP I. However, the Kumpal have experienced the consequences of marginalization and impoverishment despite “development” to the area. This is due to dual factors: one from the socio-cultural pattern of the host community and another from inadequate protection by the state. The Kumpal socio-cultural institutions, which I call “spaces” of development intervention, are inconsistent to the ideals of development intervention. The state on its own side, despite all favorable legal provisions for the right to development of ethnic groups and its obligation to support them, has overlooked how development intervention would affect the indigenous Kumpal minority.
Keywords
spaces of development, development intervention, Kumpal
Communities at Margins: Spaces of Large Scale Development Projects Intervention in Contemporary Ethiopia
Hall I
From its continuous record of a high economic growth mainly since 2004, Ethiopia is hailed as one of internationally fastest growing “lady”. Particularly under the Growth and Transformation Plan I (GTP I) which ran from 2009/2010- 2014/2015, the country launched a transformative development scheme and implemented a number of state /private owned mega-projects that have significant positive impact on the economy. While implementation of projects and the growth of the economy brought prosperity, optimism and opportunity for some, for others it arose marginalization (exclusion), poverty, inequality of life and in some cases even rise of violence. The Kumpal of northwest Ethiopia are one of the minority groups who are receiving large-scale development projects intervention, particular three giant sugar development projects under GTP I. However, the Kumpal have experienced the consequences of marginalization and impoverishment despite “development” to the area. This is due to dual factors: one from the socio-cultural pattern of the host community and another from inadequate protection by the state. The Kumpal socio-cultural institutions, which I call “spaces” of development intervention, are inconsistent to the ideals of development intervention. The state on its own side, despite all favorable legal provisions for the right to development of ethnic groups and its obligation to support them, has overlooked how development intervention would affect the indigenous Kumpal minority.