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Ethiopia's ethnic federalism manages the diversity problem by giving ethnic territorial homelands to the constituent ethnic groups. This, in ethnically diverse regions, has meant the establishment of ethnically defined local governments. However, as the clear mismatch between available local governments and the number of constituent ethnic communities demonstrate, many are left without a local government of their own – resulting in rife inter-communal tensions. This has also proved to be a fertile ground for competing ethnic nationalisms to flourish and proliferate at sub-regional levels. As a result, some local governments were broken apart after their establishment to arrest ethnic conflicts that followed while others were amalgamated to maintain regional territorial integrity. By using the SNNP region as a case study, this article argues that the political atmosphere, propelled by political exigencies, dictates the establishment, breakup, and amalgamation of ethnically defined local governments, while constitutional principles are side-lined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rich ethnic diversity in the SNNP region is being managed by different mechanisms of constitutional, institutional, and political practice. Yet, this has not been able to contain new questions of identity, not only seeking for recognition as a distinct ethnic group, but also a desire to establish ethnic territorial administrations. Moreover, ethnic groups that are already recognized are also laying claims to various self-determination rights, inter alia, to territorial autonomy, equitable participation, and the redrawing of internal (ethnic) boundaries. Based on legal analysis of cases from the SNNP region, the article critically discusses the quest for identity and self-determination, and provides an overview of the experience of the region. In dealing with the existing dilemma, we argue that there is a need to maintain the balance between constitutional rights to identity recognition and self-determination with the threat of ethnic and territorial fragmentations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses the recognition of ethnic diversity in Ethiopia and the aim to build a nation with the base of ethnicity that will be institutionalized in its federal constitution. She is critical on the creation of ethnic based regional estates which can foster dangers for minority groups due to the conflict on rights that will arise between the minorities and ethnic group. Also examined is the outcome of federal arrangement noting the rights of the dominant groups over the minorities.