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His Grace Archbishop Abune Lukas strongly condemned the recent drone attack on civilians in the Amhara region of Ethiopia.
During the Zion of Mary celebration last week, he expressed vehement opposition, denouncing the government’s targeting of civilians in urban areas, resulting in the tragic deaths of children and elders through drone strikes.
“The Church tells you do not burn crops, kill children, and uphold respect for the elderly,” he conveyed in a widely circulated video on Ethiopian social media platforms.
In the video, he urged those claiming bravery to confront the conflict in mountainous terrains rather than in populated towns and neighborhoods. “if you are truly brave, head on to the mountains and fight there. There is a place for real brave men, it is in the battlefield – not in towns and neighborhoods. It is outside the town,” he said.
Labeling the use of drones as a ‘coward’s weapon,’ His Grace Abune Lukas expressed deep dismay, questioning the rationale behind employing such destructive means, particularly using drones purchased from the country’s wealth. He appealed, “May God grant you heart [wisdom]”
The test of a brave man is not to kill innocent people in towns and neighborhoods. The battlefield is outside the town, he stressed.
The Archbishop’s comments come amidst criticism directed at the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church leaders for their perceived silence regarding the government’s alleged brutal campaign in the Amhara region. Human Rights Organizations, both domestic and international, have reported the deaths of hundreds of civilians in the region since the Ethiopian government initiated a military operation in August 2023. Ethiopian government troops have carried out widespread extrajudicial executions and shelling of civilian areas with heavy artillery. The region remains under a state of emergency.
Watch the featured video below.
Video : embedded from EVN Ethiopia YouTube channel
Cover photo : screenshot from the video
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