Conflict in the Contested Borderland: Land-Based Conflict Across the Ethiopia–Sudan Border in Metema Woreda Borderland, Northwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

The main aim of the study was to investigate the causes of cross-border land–based conflict along the Ethiopia–Sudan border in Metema Woreda borderlands. The study employed a qualitative research approach and thus in-depth interviews, Focus Group Discussions, and observation instruments of data collection were used. The study found out that the internal land administrative defects in Metema and the Ethiopian government land handover claims to the Sudanese investor have been among the reasons behind the conflict. In addition, the abundant availability of illicit firearms transaction in the area has intensified the land conflict. Moreover, the existence of the contested border with no clear demarcation between Ethiopia and Sudan also aggravates the conflict. Consequently, whenever land shortage occurs in Metema and there is a feeling of Ethiopia’s land confiscation by the Sudanese, the Ethiopian borderland farmers are forced to cross the border and farm on the land claimed by the Sudanese. Therefore, the symbolic land that people carry in their mind along with other internal land–related problems was the cause of the conflict. To sum up, the internal land–related problems along with the contested white line (the colonial border which was demarcated when Sudan was under British rule but remains unclear and contested) claims justify the reason for the cross-border conflict in the area.