Spilling Blood ouer Water? The Case of Ethiopia 273
and middle areas. Though the AVA was mandated to involve local communities
in development initiatives, it did not do so?' The authorities embarked on a pm-
gramme of granting land to concessionaires based on the constitutional provi-
sion that made all lands used by pastoralists state land. Under the Civil Code
introduced in 1960 the right to claim land title could only exist if it could be
proven that land taxes had been paid for 15 consecutive years. As the pastoral-
ists had paid no land tax, and because their habitation of these lands was not
officially recognised, the state claimed that the land was abandoned?*
By 1971 an area of 9 800 hectares of land was under plantation (including
Metahara and Abadir).lW As a result, the prime land near to the Awash River
that was used seasonally by pastoralists during the dry season and during
droughts was no longer accessible.lol At the same time, flooding was prevent-
ed through the construction of dykes. These drastically changed the ecology
of the river valley, restricting the seasonal growth of pasture that pastoralists
depended on.'02 It also prevented annual fertilisation of the land through the
deposition of silt.'"
Table 6: Groups evicted from the Awash Basin
Groups
evicted-
]ilkThe reason for eviction ond Ymr ~~
displacement
The Dutch HVA Waqi and Shoa 1950s None
sugar cane esfoles
Construction of Koka Dam and 1960s
creatmn of Galllo lake
Amgnment of lond for other urbon
and rural dewlopment projectsSugar cane devebpment bekeen 1950s
Kessem and Awosh Rivers.
Awash Nolianal Park which 1 966 None
resulted in loss 01 80 000 ha of
dry and we: seosnn grazing lond.
Afar Commercial ogriculturol
development along iiver Mr.
Construcfion of Koka Dam. 1950s-1960s Resettlement. Wcge Icbwi.
Awosh Notionol Pork. ai!haugh his war rc;e!y :=ken
UP-