The Impact of Spatial Injustice on Ethnic Conflict in Ethiopia

Inequality and its increasing process is one of the obsessions of politicians and researchers of politics domain all around the world. In political geography terminology the issue is called spatial injustice. In fact, the main focus of spatial justice is identifying and expounding the political, economic and social factors and processes paving the way for injustice and also its consequences. African States affected by imposed and optional factors have the most multiethnic diversity and have also experienced most and dangerous ethnic conflicts in the world. Ethiopia is one of the African States which have experienced long range of ethnic conflicts. This paper using descriptive-analytic method is intended to expound the role-playing of spatial justice in the formation and continuation of ethnic conflicts in Ethiopia. In fact, the main question of the article is, what effect has spatial injustice had on ethnic conflicts in Ethiopia? The research findings show that ethnic conflicts affected by spatial injustice are categorized into two main categories: first, organized and continuous conflicts which are prevalent in Shinaiel and Afdar of Somali region in East of Ethiopia, Central State and OLF conflicts in Oromo and ARDUF conflicts with Ethiopian state; second, ethnic and tribal conflicts which are visible in different regions of Ethiopia.

Keywords:

ethnicity , inequality , Spatial Injustice , Ethnic Conflict , Ethiopia