Ethiopian authorities have arrested Kaala (meaning king) Gezahegne Woldu, a prominent traditional leader of Konso people in connection with the town’s demand for self-administration.
Local sources in Konso Karat, 600 kilometres southwest of Addis Ababa, said Kala Gezahegne was picked up by a contingent of police officers a week ago, from his compound where he was staying and he was taken to Arba Minch for trial.
Gezahegne, a senior traditional leader of one of the nine clans of the Konso, serves as priest who mediate between God and the people and as keepers of the peace who mediate in disputes between individuals and neighbouring people. The hereditary leader has been at odds with authorities for his role in mobilizing the community to support a campaign for his area to be recognized as independent zone.
At least two hundred people were arrested, three months after the Konso submitted a petition signed by more than 55,000 people to the region. The Konso, who numbers 300,000, are displeased with the response from the president of the southern region who told them weeks ago that there was no legal basis to recognise Konso as a zone.
Kaala Gezahegne was one of the twelve committee members chosen by the people to submit the demand and the action against him was seen as an attempt to thwart the committee’s campaign for self-government. A silver bracelet worn by him that symbolizes his office was taken away from him at the prison, angering even more the populous, according to sources.
Now governed as woreda within the Southern nations, nationalities and people’s region, the administrative town of Konso is Segen, a hill side village that they share with Derashe, Amaro, Burji people. “Segen is a lot smaller than Karat and we were not even consulted on what bases it was chosen as Zone,” one resident said. In recent weeks, police and soldiers have increased patrols in Konso region. One resident said patrols in the town are “frightening” residents.
The Konso are agriculturalists. Konso homes are made of rock and wood, ancient ploughs and their unique rock terracing. UNESCO included the stone-walled terraces and fortified settlements in the Konso highlands — spread over 55 square kilometres (21 square miles) — as World heritage list as it represents among other things a living cultural tradition spanning centuries. Most tourists who go to the Omo valley region makes a stop at the Kaala Gezahegn’s compound to learn about the traditional administration institution. King Albert of Monaco was one of the visitors.