Title: Minority and federalism: an assessment of the right to political participation of 'non-indigenous' peoples in Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia

Authors: Gifayehu Wondie Gizachew

Addresses: Department of Civics and Ethical Studies, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia

Abstract: Ethiopia design ethnic-based federal (though not purely) state structure to respond to the challenges of minorities by developing a counter-majority institutional system. However, this approach literally left 'non-native'/'non-indigenous' group of peoples out of the constitutional recognition and institutional consideration of the regional state administration. Likely, as one regional state of Ethiopia, Benishangul-Gumuz National Regional State had face serious criticism concerning on the right of these groups of people. Minding this, this paper attempt to make a basic assessment on the right to political participation of 'non-indigenous' peoples in Benishangul-Gumuz regional state. In doing so, an interview with focal persons were conducted. In addition to this, different literatures, legal documents and policy documents were used. Finally, the study reveals that the right to political participation has been shortened by normative and institutional constraints. Hence, it is recommended that there must be a constitutional and institutional change in Ethiopian federalism.

Keywords: ethno-territorial federalism; human rights; non-indigenous people; non-indigenous minorities; right to political participation; Ethiopia.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHRCS.2019.097963

International Journal of Human Rights and Constitutional Studies, 2019 Vol.6 No.3, pp.192 - 213

Received: 01 Jun 2018
Accepted: 04 Jun 2018
Published online: 25 Feb 2019 *

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