SUMMARY

The Dawa clan is a subgroup of the Oromo people, which is a large ethnic and ethno-linguistic community residing mainly in southern Ethiopia.

The Oromo people are the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, making up about a third of the countrys population of nearly 80 million. Oromo-dominated areas make up Oromiya state, the largest of the nine federal states in Ethiopia. The Oromo community comprises numerous subgroups, which in turn are subdivided into clans, such as the Dawa clan. The Oromo people is heterogeneous with respect to faith, subsistence and culture, and analysts often distinguish between five main groups: western Oromo, mainly settled agriculturists and influenced by Christian missionaries; northern Oromo, relatively integrated into Amhara culture; southern Oromo, with many different groups, mainly pastoralists; eastern Oromo, mainly Muslim and with strong links to the Arab world; and Borana, who still adhere strongly to "traditional" Oromo culture and socio-political structure, and are concentrated close to the Kenyan border. Some Oromo speak Ethiopias official language Amharic, while others speak the Oromo language, Oromifa.

In conflicts with other groups the Dawa clan appears to not deploy a formally organised militia, but instead rely on more loosely organised groupings to carry out violence against its opponents.

The Dawa clan has been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.