244 Scarcity and Surfeit
While such conflicts might be cited as 'conflicts over water' it must be
questioned to what extent water (specifically its scarcity) is the defining
and/or dominating cause. Do conflicts occur where water is abundant, or
where its availability is variable? What other factors influence and/or control
the conflicts or their resolution? What role do conflict prevention and resolu-
tion mechanisms play in such conflicts and how successful are they in the
ever-changing societies and environments that are found today?
For example, in Ethiopia development, and not water, is the more important
source of conflict.' Development-oriented conflicts include: disagreements
between different users over the allocation of waters, land rights, or mainte-
nance issues; conflicts between users and the authority responsible for the
project over inappropriate design of infrastructure, peasant relocations, water
charges, or management issues; conflict between project beneficiaries and non-
beneficiaries; and, conflict between donor agencies and the recipient country
over design, management, environmental impact, and financial iss~es.~
Water resources in Ethiopia are of national importance. Although overall
there is sufficient water supply in Ethiopia, great spatial and temporal vari-
ability of water limits its development, management and equitable distribu-
tion. Not only is there a lack of rainfall in certain years, but also significant
seasonal variability. Many areas of Ethiopia are highly vulnerable to extreme
ecological stress brought about by scarcity. Add to this the suggestion of
potential conflicts over water development, and the contentions over the Nile
River Basin and its use, and it is possible to envision conflict over water in
Ethiopia.
It is vital, therefore, that the role of water in conflict be thoroughly
assessed to inform the design of conflict prevention strategies. This chapter
will focus on two important water basins in Ethiopia - the Awash Valley and
Nile River basins. Both basins are at the centre of water development in the
country and therefore are important axes of competition and conflict.
Background to the Conflict
Ethiopia's location in the Horn of Africa has had a significant impact on its
historical development. Geography has shaped to a greater or lesser extent
conflict both inside the country and with its neighbours. Any analysis of con-
flict in Ethiopia must appreciate the rich and manifold linkages between
Ethiopia and its neighbours in the Horn of Africa. These linkages had an
important bearing on conflict dynamics in Ethiopia in the past and'today.
Ethiopia's central location in the Horn is strategic, carrying many advan-
tages and disadvantages. For example, Ethiopia's long and complicated border
has been a flashpoint for conflict on many occasions. The eastern and south-
ern borders, in particular, have seen recurrent competition for scarce resources