Source : Teshome M. Ethiopia
Tribalism, genocide, and the instability of governance separate ethnic groups in Ethiopia.
Tribalism according to the Cambridge dictionary is ‘the state of existing as a tribe or a very strong feeling of loyalty to your tribe.’
Tribalism is a form of prejudice, similar to racism and colorism but with a focus on tribes. Ethiopia has three major tribes, Oromo, Amhara, and Tigre. There are over 80 ethnic groups in Ethiopia but most people can be found in the three aforementioned tribes.
The Amhara tribe and Tigre tribe originally were one people speaking one language which is called Ge'ez. These two tribes are Semitic, likely containing Abrahamic heritage. These people are called Habesha people originating from Yemen, South Arabia, and other Middle Eastern nations, then settling in Ethiopia and intermixing with the natives. Oromo differs by being a Hamitic tribe.
Religion is closely linked with tribalism. People from Semitic tribes are likely to be Christian (orthodox or protestant) and Hamitic people are likely to be Muslims.
After eradicating monarchy, Ethiopia had a military government that was overthrown by a Tigre government.
The Tigre government pitted tribes against each other, protests for the freedom and recognition of all Ethiopian tribes occurred and the government's response was for soldiers to discipline the crowds.
Ethiopia’s current Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, is from both the Oromo tribe and Amhara (as well as being Christian) and despite being a popular, prominent figure advocating for positive change for Ethiopia, tribalism is the source for the nation’s constant regression in regards to tranquility.
Ahmed’s leadership has attempted to create equality within the tribes by adding other tribal languages as Ethiopia’s official languages, prior to 2020 even when under control of the Tigre government, the official language of Ethiopia was Amharic. For more information read this article. https://qz.com/africa/1812085/ethiopia-adds-afan-oromo-somali-afar-tigrigna-languages-to-amharic/
Ethiopian journalists Eyerusalem Tekletsadik and Ermyas Legesse recently addressed some of the causes of tribal tension. There is a political interest amongst the stacks holder a great Dam, Egypt, Sudan, Tigrean and Oromo nationalists. They want to destabilise Ethiopia and control the Dam, for that reason Amhara became a great target to control the region.
There is a saying that 'if you want to control or destabilise Ethiopia, attack and destroy the Amhara tribes.’
Tribalism is the cause of genocide and the displacement of people, the solution is to not associate land with tribes but to perceive all tribes of Ethiopia as one people of diverse tongues.