Abstract:
The 1995 FDRE Constitution established an ethnic based federal state structure. Accordingly
the constitutionrecognized the right to self-determination as given to all Nations, Nationalities and
Peoples of Ethiopia to have cultural, linguistic, and the right to self-administration as a solution to
resolve historical injusticeand civil calamities. However, the current Ethiopian reality shows that
member states of the federal government are very much controlled by central governmentas well asall
ethnic groups are not adequately represented in all government institutions. Practically, it is a
challenging task to adequately and fairly represent the 85 ethnic groups in nine regional states. To this
regard, from among the estimated 85 ethnic groups only few ethnic groups were allowed to have
their own self administration regions where asmany several dozen smaller ethnic groups were either
put together in multi-ethnic regions or attached as minority ethnic groups to the bigger ethnic
communities. Accordingly the main objective of this study is to determine theextent to which the right
to self -administration is implemented under Ethiopian federation. Furthermore, it tries to explore the
legal and practical constraints to enforce the right to self- administration and representation of Nations,
Nationalities and Peoples at all levels of government structure.To do so, the study draws from
extensive literature reviews, journal articles, and the FDRE constitution.
