Department of Political Science and Strategic Studies

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://repository.mu.edu.et/handle/123456789/127

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    The Implications of Security Dilemmas in Post-War Tigray on the Violation of Women's Rights: A Case Study of Mekelle City
    (Mekelle University, 2025-05-25) Redae Alemseged
    This research paper examines the implications of the security dilemma in post-war Tigray, particularly focusing on the violation of women's rights in Mekelle City. The security dilemma, a concept in international relations, posits that actions taken by one state to enhance its security can inadvertently threaten other states, leading to an escalation of tensions. In the context of Tigray, the aftermath of conflict has created an environment where women's rights are increasingly compromised. This study analyzes the relationship between the security dilemma and the systemic violations of women's rights, drawing on qualitative data from interviews and existing literature. The findings suggest that the ongoing insecurity and militarization in Mekelle have exacerbated gender-based violence and restricted women's access to essential services, highlighting the urgent need for targeted interventions to protect women's rights in post-conflict settings.
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    INTERFAITH DIALOGUE AND ITS ROLE IN PEACE BUILDING PARTIES, AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN RAYA AZEBO WEREDA, SOUTHERN TIGRAY, ETHIOPIA
    (Mekelle University, 2025-05-25) HAYELOM GEBRE
    This thesis explores the role of interfaith dialogue in peace-building and conflict resolution between Orthodox Christians and Muslims in Raya Azebo Woreda, Ethiopia. The primary objective is to examine how interfaith dialogue contributes to reconciling disputing parties and fostering peaceful coexistence in a religiously diverse context. Specific objectives include analyzing the impact of community-based religious values on relationships among believers, assessing the mechanisms of community faith-based institutions in peace-building, and investigating their effectiveness in promoting collaboration among different faiths. Utilizing a qualitative research methodology, the study employs personal observations, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions to gather insights from key participants, including local religious leaders and community peace builders. The findings reveal that interfaith dialogue significantly aids conflict prevention and reconciliation at the community level. It highlights the vital role of faith-based actors, such as “አአአአ”s, “አአአአአ”s, and “Debartes,” in facilitating dialogue and fostering mutual respect among diverse religious groups. The significance of this research lies in its potential to inform policymakers and community leaders about the constructive role of interfaith dialogue in promoting long-term peace and social cohesion. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of integrating peace education into curricula in conflict-affected regions. The study concludes that the ongoing practices of interfaith dialogue in Raya Azebo Woreda demonstrate a tradition of religious tolerance and communal harmony, underscoring the potential of faith-based initiatives in building a peaceful society.
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    ASSESSING CUSTOMARY CONFLICT RESOLUTION MECHANISMS AMONG THE NUER IN JIOKOW WOREDA, THE GAMBELLA REGION, ETHIOPIA
    (Mekelle University, 2025-05-25) GATBEL REAK CHUOL
    In Ethiopia, customary dispute resolution mechanisms address conflicts among clans, sub-clans, and families. Limited data existed on these practices in the Gambella region, particularly Jiokow Woreda. This study evaluated the customary conflict resolution mechanisms among the Nuer in Jiokow Woreda, focusing on their methods and effectiveness. Primary data were collected via focus group discussions (FGD), key informant interviews (KII), and non-participant observation, while secondary data were sourced from books, journal articles, and agency reports. Qualitative data from 22 key informants and 28 FGD participants knowledgeable about these mechanisms were analyzed thematically. Findings revealed conflicts stemmed from disputes over grazing lands, farmlands, cattle rustling, adultery, elopement, rape, weddings, dances, impregnation, divorce, leadership rivalries, status conflicts, drunkenness, firearm access, and cattle camp ownership. State politics, murders, and revenge killings, alongside population pressure and resource competition, intensified these issues. Resulting losses included looted cattle, destroyed crops, burned villages, and displaced populations, fracturing social bonds. Disputes were managed through customary methods—such as blood compensation with cattle, sefer shums’ courts, earth priests, leopard skin chiefs, village elders, and church leaders—and modern government systems, including criminal detention and enforced reparations. Though operating concurrently, these approaches lacked formal integration. Customary practices, valued for their indigenous roots, held greater local legitimacy. However, the parallel systems created a resolution gap. The government should assess Nuer Zone woredas, especially Jiokow, to integrate customary justice into regional legal frameworks, bolster social courts, host peace-building conferences, and devise effective strategies for sustainable peace and social harmony.
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    ETHIOPIA’S NATIONAL SECURITY: CHALLENGE AND IMPLICATIONS, SINCE 2018
    (Mekelle University, 2025-06-25) BAYE BERIE
    Security is a fundamental aspect of human life. Ethiopia faces significant internal and external security challenges, resulting in an unpredictable future for the nation. This paper aims to discuss the major national security challenges in Ethiopia and their implications. Using a descriptive and qualitative approach, the research analyzes data gathered from primary and secondary sources. The findings reveal a range of domestic challenges, including ethnic clashes, leadership crises, inadequate political liberalization, poverty, indecent implementation of federalism, religious fundamentalism, unhealthy media practices, and the absence of an advanced democratic political system along with a national consensus on various issues. Externally, challenges arise from geopolitical rivalries, hydro-political tensions, and the involvement of foreign actors. The study explores the implications of these challenges, such as economic decline, diminished state power, regional destabilization, and the potential for state failure. However, it also highlights opportunities for transformation, suggesting that facing these challenges could lead to a deeper understanding of the behaviors and interests of various groups pave the way for genuine national dialogue, and prompt necessary economic, political, and security reforms. Given the severity of these challenges, Ethiopia’s future appears precarious. To address these issues, the study recommends collaborative efforts among the government, professionals, opposition parties, citizens, and relevant stakeholders to establish a transitional government, promote good governance and the rule of law, strengthen national dialogue and reconciliation, enhance economic development and poverty alleviation, and foster regional and international cooperation.
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    ASSESSING THE BEHAVIOR OF ETHIOPIAN FOREIGN POLICY FROM A NATIONAL INTEREST PERSPECTIVE: THE CASE OF ETHIOPIA-ERITREA RELATIONS
    (Mekelle University, 2025-05-25) AMANIEL HADUSH
    Ethiopian foreign policy has historically been shaped by the imperative of safeguarding national interests, including security, economic development, and regional stability. By employing a qualitative analysis grounded in realism and national interest theory, the research explores how Ethiopia has prioritized and balanced political, economic, and security interests in its approach to Eritrea from the post-independence period to the present. It seeks to assess the extent to which Ethiopia's foreign policy decisions concerning Eritrea are driven by the pursuit and protection of its core national interests, such as security, economic development, and regional influence. By examining key historical junctures, policy shifts, and diplomatic engagements, the research analyzes the interplay of domestic and external factors shaping Ethiopia's strategic choices. It deals how Ethiopia’s strategic decisions ranging from conflict to reconciliation have been driven by core national interests, particularly in the context of the 1998-2000 boarder war and the subsequent peace agreement in 2018. By analyzing key diplomatic, security, and economic factors, the research explores the extent to which Ethiopia’s foreign policy toward Eritrea aligns with its broader national objectives. The findings contribute to understanding the interplay between national interest and foreign policy in the Horn of Africa, offering insights into the dynamics of conflict resolution and regional diplomacy.