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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | Resolution of intra-national conflicts in Africa: a comparative constitutional perspective |
Author: | Habib, Muhammad |
Year: | 1998 |
Periodical: | Annual conference - African Society of International and Comparative Law |
Volume: | 10 |
Pages: | 372-388 |
Language: | English |
Geographic terms: | Ethiopia Nigeria |
Subjects: | conflict resolution federalism |
Abstract: | The fact that intra-national conflicts in Africa have come to overlap with international disputes has made federalism significant in the overall scheme of conflict resolution in the continent. The relevance and limitations of the federal option for resolving conflicts in Africa is assessed in a comparative constitutional examination of two variants of federalism, Nigeria and Ethiopia. The author looks at the historical origins of Nigerian and Ethiopian federalism(s), the component units, the scope of federal power and local autonomy, the mechanisms for the resolution of conflicts, and the question of self-determination. The failure to maintain constitutional democracy, except for about one decade, negatively affects the relevance of Nigeria's experience, although in some respects the role of the military may have been crucial. The division of the former large regions into smaller states, thereby suppressing separatist tendencies and reinforcing interdependence and cohesion among the constituent units, could not have been accomplished by a civilian administration. The particular model of federalism adopted in Ethiopia, while relevant in terms of determining the various approaches which may be adopted under circumstances prevailing in Africa today, cannot be universally applicable, since the situation in the different pluralistic African States varies. Notes, ref. |