The return of Amhara Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to Oromia region in Ethiopia

Since 2018 , Ethiopia faced high number of IDPs due to natural and man-made factors in which multiple forms of conflict takes the lion share .Significant number of ethnic Amharas were displaced from Oromia region to neighboring Amhara region. The government of Ethiopia tried to address the problems of such IDPs through a massive program of return to their home village. This study is focused on the return of Amhara IDPs who were displaced from Wollega and West Shewa zones of Oromia region and sheltered in IDPs camps in Amhara region between three to four years. The government implemented a return in three rounds between February and May 2024.However, significant comments are raised on the return project mainly on IDPs interests and their security. This study took China camp which has 12,000 Amhara IDPs located in Debre Birhan city of Amhara region as a representative of other IDPs sites. It explored the experiences of refused and re-joined IDPs and their perceptions towards state-led returns. The necessary data were collected by a research assistant and camp coordinator with a total of 11 interviewees and two FGD groups each consisting of six discussants differentiated based on sex . The participants of the research were IDPs who were not identified in the return project, IDPs who refused to return and IDPs who returned but later re-joined China camp after staying in temporary shelters in Oromia. They were selected using purposive and snowball sampling techniques. The finding revealed that there were discussions between government representatives, IDPs committee and IDPs regarding the return. At the beginning, IDPs rejected the return plan by referring security, economic and political concerns. Consequently, the government employed coercion strategies like cut off aid, searched by police on strongly resisted IDPs, intimidation to confiscate IDP’s agriculture land and urban houses. While part of IDPs persist their rejection, 4,300 IDPs were returned to save their agriculture land and urban houses and considering the promises of the government. Returnees were received in temporary shelters in woreda towns and visiting their village is not possible due to the presence Shene armed group, which is designated as terrorist by the Ethiopian parliament in 2021. According to the estimation of research participants, half of the returnees are re-displaced to Amhara and other peaceful regions due to worsening insecurity, lack of follow up, insufficient aid and anti-return discourses. The re-displaced IDPs , like refused IDPs, are blocked from accessing services in China camp but camp coordinators informally allow them to stay in the shelter. IDPs seek peace deal and disarmament of Shene armed group, reconciliation with local youths, compensation of their property lost during the conflict, justice for victims and accountability of officials who involved in previous conflict. The study calls to resume a peace talk between the government and Shene to create favorable environment for the return of IDPs.