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This study examines causes and types of disputes and customary institutions for their settlement among the Torban-Kuttaye Oromo in Ethiopia. It explores a number of causes of disputes viz. theft, breach of agreement, land, inheritance, violation of socio- cultural values and drunkenness. A new finding of this study is that, the intensity of different types of disputes tends to be associated with the state of economy among the Kuttaye Oromo. That is, both scarcity and abundance of resources tend to increase the prevalence of disputes but of different type. The book also presents that disputes are dealt with at plural settings: customary settings and state structures. Majority of the disputes, however, are dealt with at customary settings as has been demonstrated by people´s overwhelming preference to get their disputes settled at this institution. The customary settings constitute the Gadaa, Qaalluu and Jaarsummaa institutions, which mostly work in a coordinated and integrated fashion in the process of dispute settlement. Generally, this book would help various bodies to exploit the merits of indigenous knowledge system in maintaining peace.

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Mr. Girma Hundessa received his first degree in History from Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia. He pursued his second degree at Addis Ababa University and received Master of Arts in Indigenous Cultural Studies in 2009. Currently, he is a lecturer in the Department of History and Heritage Management at Debre Berhan University.

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