From “Melting Pot” to Quest for Recognition: The Kemant People in Ethiopia

Against the backdrop of improvements in politico-legal framework for protecting and promoting “Nations, Nationalities and Peoples” of Ethiopia, at least rhetorically, this study examines the Kemant people’s quest for recognition as a manifestation of contemporary struggles for social justice in multicultural society. They remain unrecognised and henceforth denied the opportunity to exercise rights enshrined in the constitution, including the right to self-determination. So crucial is their dependence of official recognition that, their very existence as distinct group depends, political participation and representation at the federal and regional levels of the government are severely undermined. This may affect the process of implementing ethnic based federalism, and consequently building a “peaceful” democratic and “developmental state”. Given the fact that ‘the demand for recognition that national groups struggle for can be changed or renegotiated in the course of the movement’ (Tully, 2004:93), Kemant’s demand for recognition remains far from explicated. This research brings out their demands for recognition informed by contemporary recognition theories developed by Charles Taylor, Axel Honneth and Nancy Fraser and analyses in light with the prevailing political and legal grounds in Ethiopia. A key finding of this study has shown that recognition demands are multiple and interrelated, but don’t necessarily supplant each other.