Speaking to Journalists, Addisu Arega Oromia, regional state communication bureau head, said 1,500 people fled the violence last week which pitted broadly ethnic Oromos against ethnic Amharas who migrated to the region more than 30 years ago.

The violence occurred in Buno Bedele zone of Oromia regional state, a place that occasionally sees clashes between Oromos, the predominant ethnic group of the area, against other ethnic groups which settled in recent decades.

The clashes tend to focus on the exploitation of the resources of the area and the ownership of land, a sensitive issue in Ethiopia, where land ownership is seen as a guarantee of economic wellbeing.

Arega also said the government was able to repatriate 627 displaced people to their original home areas, with community elders and religious figures playing a prominent role in stopping the ethnic violence that occurred last week. Enditem

Source: Xinhua