| IJPSD |
International
Journal of Political Science and Development |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
International Journal of Political Science and Development Vol. 5(5), pp. 168–182, August, 2017. DOI: 10.14662/IJPSD2017.029 ISSN: 2360-784X
Research Paper
Identity and Art-Based Approaches as Poison and Elixir in the Horn of Africa: The Ethiopian-Eritrean Experience
Gezaey Desta Tesfay
Lecturer, MA in Peace and Security Studies, Department of Political Science and Strategic Studies, Mekelle University, PO box 451, Mekelle, EthiopiaTel: +251-962669657, E-mail: geze.desta@gmail.com
Accepted 29 August 2017
The Horn
of Africa is characterized by diversity, polarized identity politics and
violent conflict primarily due to poverty and colonial history.
Presiding on theoretical and empirical explorations, this paper views
the Ethio-Eritrean scenario as a “demarcation between Romeo and Juliet”
and examines it in retrospect and prospects. Art-based approaches, music
and identity serve humanity both for conflict and peace. This paper
analyzes the scenarios of art and identity for war and peace ends
including within historic core Ethiopia and the Ethio-Eritreanill-fated
relations since the secession of Eritrea in 1993. Consisting more than
85 identity groups, historic core Ethiopia has passed and inherited
rooted anomalies. This ended up in secession of Eritrea in 1993 and the
surgery of Ethiopia into an ethno-linguistic based federal state in
1991. Ever since and up to the existing “no war no peace” Ethio-Eritrean
stalemate situation, art and identity has been used and abused for
humiliation and war mobilization which was and is constructs of the
political elites. Today, in a clear contrast, art and identity has
continued to neutralize, resurrect and entrench fraternity within the
federal democratic Ethiopia since 1991 and towards Eritrea even
sometimes during war and stalemate period. With qualitative approach,
relying on literature and primary data discussions, the paper concludes
that art and identity is a double edged sword for peace and conflict as
well, presenting windows of opportunity for conflict transformation at
handyet requiring honest political commitments by the elites and by
peace actors and practitioners overwhelmingly from below. Such
creativity transcends rethinking the status quo separation into sorts of
recognition, acceptance, empathy, and a route to confederal political
marriage. It must be sung: ‘to separate “Romeo and Juliet” is more
tortuous and impossible than reuniting them’. Cite This Article As: Tesfay GD (2017). Identity and Art-Based Approaches as Poison and Elixir in the Horn of Africa: The Ethiopian-Eritrean Experience. Int. J. Polit. Sci. Develop. 5(5) 168-182
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
