International Journal of Political Science and Development
 

International Journal of Political Science and Development

Vol. 3(6), pp. 251–258, June, 2015.  

DOI: 10.14662/IJPSD2015.033

ISSN: 2360-784X

Research Paper

Despite the optimistic socio-political and economic changes achieved in the contemporary Ethiopia, seen in light of Galtung’s notions of peace, what the country has been able to achieve partially so far is negative peace. This is because intrastate latent and manifest violent conflicts are not totally absent. Moreover, given the volatility and vulnerability of the region and stalemate in its conflict with Eritrea and engagement in Somalia, Ethiopia is subtly and indirectly at interstate war. The writer argues, this does not only postpone the realization of positive peace, but also makes it daunting, complex, and time taking endeavour thereof. Hence, the vision for positive peace in Ethiopia should begin by immediate end of intermittent small and large scale latent and manifest direct violent conflicts and sustainable and comprehensive effort of building harmonious and just society. Thus, the writer concludes, the venture to end direct violence and bringing “absolute negative peace” in the short term and bridging it with addressing structural and cultural violence in the long run requires the uninterrupted furtherance of the status quo relative negative peace. Moreover, besides avoiding lapse and relapse to violent conflicts, the country needs to build and sustain socio-economic and political values and institutions of positive peace.

Keywords: Positive Peace, Negative Peace, Structural Violence, Cultural Violence, Direct Violence


 

Cite This Article As: Tilahun T (2015). Johan Galtung’s Concept of Positive and Negative Peace in the Contemporary Ethiopia: an Appraisal. Inter. J. Polit. Sci. Develop. 3(6): 251-258

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