Is Abiy Ahmed’s remark appropriate?
borkena
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church experienced a challenge on January 22, 2023 when the three Bishops and members of the Holy Synod announced that they had departed it to form an ethnic Oromo synod. They ordained 26 monks as bishops in ways that violate the canons of the church. The pretext for it was grievance about “language rights” and “failure to make services available in Oromo language” – something that could not stand the test of evidence from the point of view of the Ethiopian Church. Yet, the church admitted that expansion work is needed in that area.
The Holy Synod called an emergency meeting and all bishops of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church were summoned to the patriarchate in Addis Ababa. After two days, the Holy Synod announced that it had excommunicated the three bishops while offering them an opportunity to repent and return to the church.
It has been widely believed among the followers of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo church the fathers that initiated what was presented as “split” was politically motivated and the influential politicians from the Federal government and Oromia regional state were behind it. Oromia region security forces have massacred at least 13 followers of the church as they attempted to illegally hand over churches to those who broke away from the church.
On Wednesday February 15, 2023 – the Ethiopian Church announced that the problem had been resolved. It was Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed who led the three Bishops to the patriarchate where they bowed to this Holiness Abune Mathias, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
Today, Fana TV, state owned media, released video footage (see below) of a meeting between six church fathers ( three from the holy Synod and three of those who attempted to form ethnic Oromo synod). Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed facilitated. Not everything he said is pleasant and has already reached Ethiopians on social media. Some of the remarks he made seem to demonstrate his penchant for ethnic Oromo politics. There are also points that are unpalatable, to say the least, from the point of view of giving instruction on how the church should operate. The very habit of lecturing on every single issue within and outside of the realms of government functions is something that needs improvement. The government was only asked to enforce law and stop harassing Christians who clamored for the unity of the Holy Synod and a single patriarchate.
He even suggested government model of resource redistribution as a solution to resolve that part of the problem that relates to resource management.
Share your views in the comment section
Video : embedded from Fana TV YouTube channel
Cover photo : screenshot from the video
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The Term “Leader”:
A “Leader”, (in any field implies), someone that is always one-step-ahead of the crowd, and is able to see-over-the -horizon, while the crowd is busy with what is at hand “now”, in some cases suffer their “memory”, while others suffer their “imagination” of the future based on their memory of the past (totally oblivious about the “now” (the present)).
Since TPLF’s-Quarantine (“regional”-human-caging) system put emplace, it has been 30 years. And many of those the “best & bright Leaders” ( “activists”) that are active in the political arena today, are have a “field-day” jockeying for position, to take individual-advantage of the same “tribal-quarantine” for self-interest (fulfill their ambition), ignoring the DAMAGE it could brings to the Nation-state of Ethiopia, if these ill-conceived-“balkanization” is not tackled accordingly, and brought to a STOP.
Right now sadly, it is like “the Gold-rush”, & “the wild-west”, everybody for himself; self interest is looming huge, while the nation-state is forgotten (in the minds of the vultures) and fading slowly…
What transpired this last few weeks in the EOTC, (as described in the video) is about $$$ , & is an indication that, the leadership perhaps weren’t proactive-enough to see it coming;… and it happened, in a very public way.
As it has been burning brightly in the “Political arena “, even bring back the opportunists (vultures) like Jawar flying back to the country (hastily-to grab-power) only to land in Jail; (if he didn’t have friends in high places, he could still be in there.)
The PM’s being frank/blunt about the “crux of the matter” ($$$) and spelling is out, as to how to resolve it (giving examples how the federal gov. does it) is fitting in this case… where the insiders-weren’t able to admit it for long, but knew deep-down, there were misgivings (as expressed by the “3” returnees in the video).
Without even hiding (PM) “… his penchant for ethnic Oromo politics” (borkena), that he is dealing with in the political arena, & working to defuse it by bring-in those ‘statesmen /women” of the nation to rise up to the challenge against the “TPLF-formed-quarantine”; including those within the TPLF, that were commanding the war-against the nation of Ethiopian in the last 2 years; recently sending $5 billion biir to Tigray in helping to organize & support the “builders” out of “wreckers” of yesterday, and out of the other Tigray region politicians.
A leader has to sometimes be “blunt” to send the message as needed; a razor blade or a set of sizors works fine on softer materials, one needs diamond to cut into a lot harder ones.
PM’s Style & presentation (“lecture”) aside, the message is heard and peace has returned to the EOTC; that is what matters, to the general public and the Nation. “።”
Be well!!!
Sorry, Jawar (if you read this) nothing personal, just making a point, that is all.
Be well.
Does anyone have a link to an English transcript of the meeting by any chance?
with thanks..