Borkena
Toronto – General Secretary of World Council of Churches (WCC), Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, this week wrote a letter to Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church to express solidarity over the killings in Arsi.
The news release published on the WCC website, indicated that he “extended condolences and solidarity in the wake of an attack that killed people in Arsi Zone.”
Regarding the identities of the victims, WCC did not specify them as Orthodox in definitive terms. It used the description “an attack that killed people in Arsi Zone, Ethiopia, including at least 20 who may be members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.”
The view seems to align with the first report from Inter Religious Council of Ethiopia which claimed to have conducted an investigation into the killing, It said the attack was not targeting Orthodox Christians. The council is criticized as not having a legal jurisdiction to investigate crimes. Ethiopian Opposition parties had called on an international independent investigation.
Multiple sources, including from the Ethiopian Human Rights Council, most of the victims from the attack were Orthodox Christians. Borkena reporter reached out to dioceses in the districts of Arsi, Oromia region, and members of the diocese have confirmed that the attack was targeting Ethiopian Orthodox Church followers and clerics.
However, the statement attributed to Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay condemned the attack. It partly reads :
” The WCC condemns all acts of violence and expresses unwavering support for efforts toward justice, peace, and communal harmony, continued Pillay. “We pray for wisdom and courage for leaders at all levels to address the root causes of conflict, to promote dialogue, and to ensure the protection of human life and dignity,” he wrote. “In this time of mourning and pain, the WCC stands in unwavering solidarity with the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and with all the people of Ethiopia.”
There have been recurring and targeted killings against the followers of Orthodox Church in Arsi, Oromia region for well over three years now.
The perpetrators are oftentimes described as “gunmen”. Arsi is part of the Oromia region where the militant Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) which the government links to recurring killings of civilians and kidnappings. However, there are indications that the attackers in Arsi do have sentiments of religious radicalism.
At least 30 Ethiopian Orthodox Church followers were massacred in the latest string of attack in three districts in Arsi.
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