<strong>Awra</strong> <strong>Amba</strong>, a current experiment of utopian socialism Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 75 Annex: Small <strong>un</strong>certainties ................................................................................................ 81 Literature............................................................................................................................ 83 4 / 85
Executive summary In line with the long list of experiments of utopian socialism, <strong>Awra</strong> <strong>Amba</strong> is a comm<strong>un</strong>ity in the Amhara Region (Ethiopia) built on humanist values, which are implemented through its life style. This study is a review of the available literature on this comm<strong>un</strong>ity, i.e. mainly of four Ethiopian master reports (Atnafu, 2005; Yirga, 2007; Yassin, 2008; Mekonnen, 2009) and secondly of Ethiopian and foreign news reports and acco<strong>un</strong>ts between 2006 and 2012. In a first step, we present our own methodology, i.e. the sources we used from a critical methodological point of view, then the numerous data collected, allowing us to draw a quite accurate picture of this original experiment. We try then to compare it quite systematically to the Amhara society. The comm<strong>un</strong>ity was fo<strong>un</strong>ded by Zumra Nuru in 1972. From his first years, this visionary from poor peasant origin rebelled against injustice, ill-treatment and dishonesty he was observing in his own family and aro<strong>un</strong>d him in the traditional Amhara society, patriarchal and believing in God. He travelled in the region in order to find people sharing its ideas. Finally, he gathered aro<strong>un</strong>d twenty people who established the peasant comm<strong>un</strong>ity of <strong>Awra</strong> <strong>Amba</strong> on aro<strong>un</strong>d fifty hectares. But the neighbours were outraged by the fact that the men, women and children of <strong>Awra</strong> <strong>Amba</strong> had the same rights, and by the absence of religion in the comm<strong>un</strong>ity. A disturbed period followed with jail for the leader and exile at several h<strong>un</strong>dred kilometres for several years. The comm<strong>un</strong>ity started again in 1993 on its present location and began to expand. The data given by the various authors allow us to reconstruct the evolution of its population, going through a minimum of less than twenty people during exile to more than 400 now. We compare its composition per sex and age bracket with the neighbouring rural population of South Gondar. We describe the different administrative structures to which belongs <strong>Awra</strong> <strong>Amba</strong>, in terms of main geographical, demographical and economic characteristics. In <strong>Awra</strong> <strong>Amba</strong> people share a strong culture and ideals, which differentiate them from the Amhara society and the neighbouring villages, and above all they shared common values: To live in <strong>Awra</strong> <strong>Amba</strong> means to share and to defend these values. The main values cited by the various authors are honesty, equality and especially gender equality, solidarity between human beings, work and absence of religion or rationalism. We examine each of these values as concept, in the way they are supported by the <strong>Awra</strong> <strong>Amba</strong> comm<strong>un</strong>ity according to the literature. Then we present the various aspects of the social organisation of the comm<strong>un</strong>ity, which is especially developed: the comm<strong>un</strong>ity structures, the economic activities, then the social relationships, through the gender equality at work, marriage, divorce and family household design, the specific and original situation of children, solidarity with the most fragile, f<strong>un</strong>eral, and finally the management of internal conflicts. In terms of institutions, <strong>Awra</strong> <strong>Amba</strong> is organized in two structures: the comm<strong>un</strong>ity which gathers all the inhabitants who share same values and life style, and the work cooperative involving three quarters of the comm<strong>un</strong>ity members. The main decisions of the cooperative are discussed and decided in general assembly of members, which elects the members of about fifteen committees; these committees are implementing the general assembly decisions and managing collectively the various types of activities of the village. Women acco<strong>un</strong>t for 44 % of the committee members, who can be dismissed at any time. The economy of <strong>Awra</strong> <strong>Amba</strong> is partially agricultural, but the available lands are much smaller than those in the region: between 0.2 and 0.4 ha/household at <strong>Awra</strong> <strong>Amba</strong> according to the author, but 2.1 ha/household in the region. The main agricultural productions are tef, maize (or sorghum) and beans, as well as products from a small livestock. The yields are higher than regional ones by aro<strong>un</strong>d 5 /85
- Page 1 and 2: Robert JOUMARD Awra Amba, a current
- Page 3: Content Executive summary..........
- Page 7 and 8: Executive summary secretive, cruel,
- Page 9 and 10: አጭር መግለጫ የሥራ
- Page 11 and 12: des membres des comités, qui sont
- Page 13 and 14: Introduction The Ethiopian village
- Page 15 and 16: 1. Method This work is a synthesis
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an electric meter according to the
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4. Social organisation twelve small
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4. Social organisation institutions
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Awra Amba, a current experiment of
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Awra Amba, a current experiment of
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Awra Amba, a current experiment of
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6. External relations The relations
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6. External relations Picture 18: Z
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Conclusion Awra Amba has developed
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77 / 85 Conclusion limits strongly
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experiments? Conclusion - Most of t
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Awra Amba, a current experiment of
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Awra Amba, a current experiment of
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