The Tigray Identity and The Paradox in the Securitization of the Oromo and Amhara Identities in Ethiopia

Authors

Anwar Hassen Tsega, Marmara UniversityFollow

Abstract

Tigray’s ethnic nationality is the minority identity in the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), a coalition of four political parties under the leadership of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). For decades, the ruling party has governed by pitting the Oromo and Amhara against one another. Accordingly, the Oromo-Amhara solidarity is the greatest threat to the Ethiopian government. Within the framework of the Copenhagen school, we analyzed the securitization of the two majority identities. This essay is split into two sections. The first examines why and how the Oromo and Amhara identities have been securitized by the dominant force of TPLF within the governing EPRDF coalition. The second section examines the implications and consequences of this securitization. I argue that the securitization, while a natural choice in many respects, has perhaps been detrimental to the overall security of the Ethiopia's Tigray-dominated government that perceives the Oromo and Amhara as a serious threat to Ethiopia's leadership.

Recommended Citation

Tsega, Anwar Hassen (2018) "The Tigray Identity and The Paradox in the Securitization of the Oromo and Amhara Identities in Ethiopia," International Journal of African Development: Vol. 5: Iss. 1, Article 3.
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/ijad/vol5/iss1/3