Whose decisions, whose livelihoods? : Resettlement and environmental justice in Ethiopia

Abstract

This article analyzes recent state-implemented resettlement schemes in Oromia, Ethiopia, by examining the experiences and outcomes of resettlement from the perspective of both the resettlers and hosts. Besides involving transformations in people’s access to resources and the ability to earn their livelihoods, resettlement invites deep-seated questions of governance and justice. Drawing on theoretical approaches of political ecology and environmental justice, we analyze the processes and outcomes of resettlement in terms of four interlinked dimensions, including resource (re)distribution, cultural recognition, political representation, and social recovery. Special attention is paid to the questions of who decides for whom, and who lives the consequences. The analysis is based on a mixed-methods approach, involving a combination of qualitative interviews and a quantitative survey. We conclude that both the resettlers and the hosts experienced uneven redistribution of resources and unfair forms of recognition and political representation, which in tandem limited their possibilities for social recovery.