UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 002061

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E
DEPARTMENT PASS USAID FOR AFR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR EAID PGOV PREF ET
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIAN PASTORALISTS DISCUSS INTERNAL AND CROSS-
BORDER CONFLICTS

REF: ADDIS ABABA 1939 (NOTAL)
ADDIS ABABA 1893 (NOTAL)


1. (U) SUMMARY: From July 16-18, the UN's Office of the
Coordinator for Humanitarian Activities (UN OCHA) convened
approximately 300 pastoralists from about 15 West and East
African countries, as part of UN OCHA's DFID-funded
Pastoralist Communications Initiative. The meeting provided
a platform for significant discussions on the margins
between the leadership of the Borena and Gujji Oromos, and
resulted in a separate agreement between opposing Nuer
communities to continue talks on resolving conflict in
Ethiopia's Gambella Region. In addition to conflict
mitigation, the pastoralist gathering provided as well
opportunities for cross fertilization of ideas on economic
development, governance and policy issues, and provision of
services such as education. In addition to conflict
resolution, livestock marketing and trade also were key
topics of discussion. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) This was the second pastoralist gathering organized
by UN OCHA's Pastoralist Communications Initiative. The
previous Global Pastoralist Gathering in January 2005 drew
200 participants from 23 countries, and met in the Hamer
Tribal area of Turmi, in Ethiopia's Southern Nations,
Nationalities, and Peoples' Region. The July 16-18
gathering was held at a tented camp near Yabello in the
Borena Oromo area, and also included pastoralist experts,
NGOs, donors, and observers from Latin America, the Middle
East and Iran.


3. (U) The timing of the gathering was very relevant, as
USAID is embarking on a regional program focusing on
pastoralists, with a component on livestock trade. In
addition, after the meeting was planned, a major conflict
erupted between the Borena people and the neighboring Gujji
Oromos, costing an estimated 100 or more lives, which
remains unresolved.


4. (U) The meeting was fully supported by the Ethiopian
government, which facilitated the entry of participants from
many countries, and participated with others in the last
days of the meeting to hear input from pastoralists.
Federal gover

nment representatives included officials from
the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Federal Affairs, and
Agriculture, while regional officials included
representatives from the Oromiya, Somali, and Southern
Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' (SNNPR) Regions.

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Livestock Marketing and Trade
--------------


5. (U) While plenary discussions addressed livelihoods and
livestock in general, at USAID's request a side meeting was
held to discuss barriers affecting livestock trade through
the northern corridor ports of Bosaso (Puntland, Somalia),
Berbera (Somaliland, Somalia) and Djibouti. This was a
unique opportunity to speak collectively to representatives
of these areas, and to provide input for planning livestock
marketing under the Regional Enhanced Livelihoods for
Pastoralist Areas (RELPA) project which will be starting
soon.


6. (U) Approximately 40 representatives of the Somali-
speaking areas of Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia (Somaliland
and Puntland), and Kenya attended a two-and-half-hour-long
campfire meeting, including three Ministers of Livestock and
MPs from Ethiopia and Kenya. Participants said this was the
first time they had attended a meeting of people from all
these Somali-speaking areas since Somalia's dissolution more
than 15 years ago.


7. (SBU) All agreed that the Rift Valley Fever ban on live
animal imports from the Horn of Africa to Saudi Arabia had
the biggest impact on reducing prices and volume of trade
from the ports. While acknowledging the need for better
sanitary or phyto-sanitary control and certification, some
say the continuation of the ban is political: a Saudi prince
reportedly handles the import of live animals from Australia
and is preventing the lifting of the Rift Valley Fever ban
on the Horn of Africa. They all asked for U.S. help in
removing the ban and in building sanitary and phyto-sanitary
capacity. Many thought Saudi Arabia wanted to re-establish
imports of sheep and goats from the Horn, and that some
certification effort would provide the necessary
justification for imports to resume.

ADDIS ABAB 00002061 002 OF 003




8. (U) USAID's Regional Livestock Advisor from Nairobi asked
the group about what they had been doing to modernize and
improve livestock trade, and their commitment to instituting
tough veterinary controls to prevent disease transmission.
The Somalis were challenged by this and asked for help in
convening a planning session among different stakeholders
from Djibouti, Somalia (Somaliland and Puntland) and
Ethiopia to address livestock trade issues. Various
officials, including Puntland Minister of Livestock Said
Jama Ali, strongly advocated USAID supporting such a follow-
up meeting.


9. (U) At a subsequent meeting with USAID in Addis Ababa,
Kenya's Director of Livestock Production Mr. Julius
Kiptarus, who attended the Pastoralist gathering, encouraged
USAID to assist in removing the barriers to formal cross-
border trade and improving the veterinary delivery and
certification services in Ethiopia.

--------------
Conflict
--------------


10. (U) The Gujji-Borena Oromo conflict was omnipresent at
the pastoralist gathering due to its proximity to the
gathering. Prolonged and in-depth discussions between Gujji
and Borena leaders on the margins included the traditional
heads from both groups, the Abba Gaddas, who discussed the
causes of the conflict and committed themselves to stopping
the violence. 'Gathering' organizers reported good
progress, citing diminishing reports of violent incidents
and decreasing estimates of IDPs from the conflict. The
hope is that traditional conflict management structures can
be used to resolve the conflict and deal with the underlying
causes. Both the Gujji and Borena leadership agreed that
they felt the "government", even though this was not clearly
defined, was the problem, and that they should re-establish
their traditional peaceful relations themselves.


11. (SBU) While the overall assessment is that violence is
decreasing, some expressed concern that both Abba Gaddas
were giving lip service to peace while preparing for another
round of fighting. The Gujji Abba Gadda, considered to be
closer to the government, has extended his leadership from
the normal eight years to another two years (some say
three), therefore preventing the accession of the leader of
the next age group for his traditional eight-year term.
The reason given by the Abba Gadda is that he will deliver a
new zone to the Gujji: Western Gujji next to the Southern
Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region, to be carved out
of the existing Borena Zone. The conflict was sparked when
the government awarded Gujji Zone a section of Borena Zone
in late May. The Borena Abba Gadda is said to be "angry as
a lion" and still out for revenge for the killings which
have taken place so far.


12. (SBU) One possible indicator of the fear of further
conflict is the movement of Borena Oromos and their Gabbara
allies further into Kenya, pushed by the conflict and by
fears of further attacks. Ethiopian Gabbara were reportedly
making arrangements at the Pastoralist gathering with their
fellow Gabbara from Kenya to move into Kenya in large
numbers to avoid the conflict. They are said to feel that
the Borena will lose the upcoming round of conflict with the
Gujji, because the Gujji have government support. Movement
of the Borena and Gabbara into Kenya over the past few weeks
has caused increased conflict in Kenya: at USAID, Kenya's
Director of Livestock reported increased fighting between
Borena and neighboring people to the south, which would
worsen as the Borena were pushed down from the north for
"political" reasons.


13. (U) A great success was bringing together opposing sides
to discuss conflict in the eastern Gambella Region, between
the Nuer community living in Gambella and the Nuer community
in Sudan (whose traditional chief attended). Positive
discussions concluded with agreement to continue discussions
once the groups had returned home. This is a major factor
in determining whether the Nuer refugees in Gambella can
return to Sudan.


14. (U) There was also a great deal of undirected talk about
the situation in Somalia, including fear that a serious
civil war may erupt. There was considerable debate about
how "fundamentalist" the Islamic Courts are, how much they
reflect clan structures, and how much support they or the

ADDIS ABAB 00002061 003 OF 003


Transitional Federal Government enjoyed.

HUDDLESTON