borkena
August 14, 2019
For many years now, Ethiopian church has been a target of radicalized ethno-nationalists.
Just to mention few recent cases, in July 2018 radicalized ethnic Somali youth group, they are known as Hego, targeted Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Jijigga and other towns in the region. At least five churches were burnt down, priests and deacons were attacked. At least one priest was burnt to death alive.
In July 2019, radicalized ethnic Sidama nationalists youth ( Ejeto as they are called locally) similarly launched attack on the Ethiopian churches. One priest was brutally killed and at least three churches were torched with fire.
Leaders of Ethiopian Orthodox Church have been very silent or not actively voicing their protest so far. In fact, there were individual voices but many leaders in the church were not speaking out as one, and the Holy Synod itself was not very vocal on the matter probably hoping that it would go away as government asserts its power.
That seem to be changing now as church leaders are actively expressing concern about increasing attack against the church. And they are making government responsible for various attacks against the Ethiopian Church.
A year after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration managed to end the schism within the Ethiopian church as home based and diaspora Synod, radicalized Oromo Ethono-nationalists have disclosed their intents to break apart the holy synod once again by moving to form an ethnic Oromo Synod of their own. That in itself has caused a serious concern among Ethiopians not just followers of the Ethiopian church but also among Ethiopians who are not followers of the church.
Political observers seem to think that the ethnic-nationalists effort will not end just in breaking apart the Ethiopian church but also could do the same to Ethiopian Muslims as well.
Ethio 360 media looked into the issue. Watch the discussion with Habtamu Ayalewu in the video below (in Amharic)
Video : embedded from Ethio 360 media Youtube channel
Cover photo : screenshot from video
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The issue of attack is very isolated specially when compared to the attack on Muslims. As for the breakaway church, it is long over due. The church is used to advance Amhara superiority for centuries. Don’t deny it you know it’s true. There are cases where the Galla was refused burial close to the church. The discremination goes on and on…
That’s what stupid people do and say (comment above
.illetrate).
In an attempt to emphasize the vandalism and assault that happened to christian churchs, the writer simply ignore the same scenario which were happening to muslims’ masjid and uma in different parts of ethiopia. Just small investigation is enough to attest what an awful destruction have been going on to masjids recently. Be it in Addis or any other places, especially amhara region, muslims receipt similar atrocity–even more to be honest. But when it comes to propagating what happened, there is always a bias.
Political gambling from chauvinists should be undermined and the government together with the people must protect the church from this attack. The church should communicate the danger to the people so as to neutralize the ethnocentric and political conspiracies of stupid politicians. It is part and parcel of the project to divide and undermine Ethiopian-ism and Ethiopia.
I do remember debteras downgrading oromos saying:It is is enough for oromo to have a diacon as his father confessor And other statements moynt to total degradation of a complete tribe. Amahra is neftegna and ilmannered. In I place I live we have the same churchmen too, atalanta georgia.
Dangerous writers for further division of Ethiopians. Time has passed for confusion.Ethiopians already begun looking forward. The tactic is outdated. Individual rights on anything is clearly stated in Constitution and existing rules and regulation of the country.