Whose decisions, whose livelihoods? Resettlement and environmental justice in Ethiopia

This article analyzes recent state-implemented resettlement schemes
in Oromia, Ethiopia, by examining the experiences and outcomes of
resettlement from the perspective of both the resettlers and hosts.
Besides involving transformations in people’s access to resources and
the ability to earn their livelihoods, resettlement invites deep-seated
questions of governance and justice. Drawing on theoretical
approaches of political ecology and environmental justice, we analyze
the processes and outcomes of resettlement in terms of four
interlinked dimensions, including resource (re)distribution, cultural
recognition, political representation, and social recovery. Special
attention is paid to the questions of who decides for whom, and
who lives the consequences. The analysis is based on a mixed-methods
approach, involving a combination of qualitative interviews and a
quantitative survey. We conclude that both the resettlers and the hosts
experienced uneven redistribution of resources and unfair forms of
recognition and political representation, which in tandem limited their
possibilities for social recovery.