"Donors Warn Ethiopia of Omo Conflict Risk From Rapid Sugar Plans"

Development of the Ethiopian sugar industry in South Omo that will bring in migrant laborers may exacerbate conflict in the ethnically diverse region, according to the U.S. aid agency and other donors...

Farming of the crop may disrupt the traditional lifestyle of pastoralists native to the area, while the arrival of “hundreds of thousands of migrant workers” may fan ethnic tensions, the 27-member Development Assistance Group said in a statement on Wednesday. The area is populated by at least eight ethnic communities, including the livestock-rearing Bodi and Mursi groups.

“This, as well as the rapid pace for planned development, may significantly increase the chances of the risk of conflict, as the Bodi and Mursi are increasingly exposed to external influences, and could lead -- if not handled properly -- to destabilization,” according to the donors.