PSYCHOSOCIAL PROBLEMS AND COPING MECHANISMS OF OROMO IDPs IN SEBATA RESETTLEMENT SITE, OROMIA SPECIAL ZONE

Abstract

This study is the assessment on psychosocial problems of internally displaced Oromo in there settlement site of Sebata and their coping mechanisms. This people are displaced from their place of origin due to the ethnic conflict that occurred between Oromo and Somali ethnic groups living around the borders and from different parts Ethiopian Somali regions. The aim of this research was to assess the psychosocial problems of displaced people in Sebata resettlement site as well as to identify the coping mechanisms used by IDPs in the resettlement site. The assessment result shows that, IDPs in Sebata resettlement site have been facing diverse psychosocial problems. To overcome their problems, the displaced people are using different coping mechanisms which are mainly negative coping mechanisms. As a coping strategy, the displaced people have adopted reduction in meal consumption pattern and size, selling of their monthly ration, begging, dropping their children from school, staying in the camp to escape from labeling and discrimination are the major one. These displaced people have owned some resources, experience and skills which can be capitalized on to design interventions. Though there are critical psychosocial problems that IDPs are facing, there is insignificant intervention done by government. As the displaced people prefer local integration with host community, the intervention mechanism must be planned in the way that can guarantee to integrate and bring a durable solution for displaced people and the host community to be harmonize the relationships of both community.