r - part - usaid

There is an elected/appointed government representative in
each village fsudoomive). There are also traditional leadexs
C wpsacs-seteker), selected by tha residents. The
nabadoon has authority within a single village although through
extended kinship ties may exercise authority over househcZds fn
several adjacent villages. The relationships between these
officfals varies among viflagss and it is difficult to describe
a general pattern for the region.
"Sfrere are "Local Peoples Assemblies organized in each
district. They are made up of government approved or appointed
representatives (audoamive) from each beel in the district.
Connittees (crudi] are also found in each village and beel to
manage local resources. The camittees provide the link between
the residents, the government, and the party (XHXSJ. They have
frorn five to ten members each and rarely include woman.
The responsibilities of the village and beel level
t3mmitteas include the camnu~ication of official directives to
the population and the management of land, water and Ifvestack.
While these committees are now integrated into the district and
regional political-administrative stracture, their organization
aad responsibilities are tooted in the traditional system of
sccial control -
The government role in the management of the day to day
affairs of the village is miniraal. The council of respected
elders, the advaaxta, are the prf ncipal decf sion-makers and
coordinators of local events, which include the implementation
of, or resistance ta, official directives- Aqiyaarta are, w ith
few exceptions, adult males considered to he wise and
intelligent. Any adult may achieve this status regardless of
family affiliation or amount of land and livestock he may
pssess. In most vilzages, the council of elders selects the
village representative (the gudooaiye) to the government
sponsored committees.
3.1.6. Hanagenent af Water Sources
As part of a Bay Region baseline survey, Dr. Paula Roark
[LBII Exploratory Report, 1983) and Diane Putman (1983, 1984)
studied traditional systems of water use and management in
several villages. They investigated patterns af ownership and
control and identified local committees an& leaders who played
an importanr role in the managenent of water resources. This
knowledge was used to plan the initial approach to the
communities and the community participation strategy for the Bay
Region. The Saciueconomic Baseline Study of the Bay Region also
has a section on water management.
The maintenance and regulation of hand bug wells and