Spilling Blood over Water? The Case of Ethwpia 279
park, and indeed the capacity of the EWCO is questioned. At the moment, for
example, in the core area of the park, any cattle found grazing are removed
and impounded until fines are paid for their release.
During a recent dry period the Kerreyu tried to graze large numbers of cat-
tle within the park boundaries and, in retaliation, it was rumoured that the
government authorities killed some cattle. As a result, the Kerreyu forcibly
moved further into the park and set fire to some areas.IH Attempts to address
these conflicts continue with the restructuring of a CARE-funded integrated
conservation and development project in the park environs. Wildlife author-
ities are being trained in negotiation instead of enforcement. In addition,
CARE is establishing water supply points outside the park boundaries in an
attempt to provide alternative supplies for pastorali~ts.'~~
The sugar plantation employs large numbers of daily labourers from
regions south of Afar, including from Borana. The four groups of pastoralists
present in the area (the Afar, Agorba, Kerreyu and Issa) compete for access
to grazing lands and water as the local populations grow and natural
resources are placed under increasing pressure. lnvasive bush plants, notably
Prosopis unifera, are encroaching on the flood plains and agriculrural land.
Grazing that would otherwise have prevented the spread of invasive weeds
was prevented136
Most large trees were removed to produce charcoal (previously controlled
by traditional authorities) and the land is rapidly degrading. Fighting has also
broken out between pastoral groups, particularly between the Kerreyu, the
Issa and the Afar, and also with the government, who are represented main-
ly by highland peoples.13' The situation is aggravated by Issa movements into
the area from the north-east, and from as far as Djib0~ti.l~~ All conflicts
increase in likelihood and severity during times of drought as the struggle to
gain access to resources intensifies.
The lack of official concern to resolve these conflicts, for example, by
stemming the flow of non-native groups such as the Issa into the region, rais-
es pertinent concerns linked to national politics and identities. In the case of
the Issa, this is particularly clear. Because Ethiopia is now dependent on
Djibouti for access to the Red Sea, the government is reluctant to damage
relations with Djibouti by preventing the movement of lssa (the politically
dominant ethnic group in Djibouti) into the Afar region. As Nicol et al sug-
gest, "Ethiopia may have to subjugate the claims of Afar [and other] pas-
toralists to their interests in increased control of water and land resources, in
order to maintain beneficial relations with Djib~uti."'~~
Conflict Prevention and Resolution
At a local level, however, there are more determined attempts to resolve and pre-
vent further conflict, or at least to minimise the more violent aspects of conflict.