Every time the ethnic apartheid junta in Ethiopia faces domestic crisis, it resorts to inciting ethnic and religious animosity and clashes among Ethiopians. During the 2005 election-related revolt, Meles and gang had tried to instigate hostility between Amhara and Oromo ethnic groups, incited some Muslims in Jimma and other southern Ethiopian towns to attack Christians and the following year, December 2006, invaded Somalia. Meles is repeating the same thing now as his regime faces an imminent popular uprising. International Christian Concern has reported today, and Ethiopian Review has been able to confirm the report independently from its sources in Ethiopia, that several churches have been burned in southern Ethiopia this week. Read the full report below:
International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that today Muslims killed one Christian, burned down eight churches, a bible school, and 17 Christian homes in stepping up their attacks against Christians in Asendabo, Ethiopia.
Yesterday ICC reported that the attacks started on March 2 after Muslims accused Christians of desecrating the Qur’an. Today’s attacks bring the total number of razed churches to 13. More than 150 Christians are now without homes. The attacks have spread to the villages surrounding the town of Asendabo.
Christians are calling on the government of Ethiopia for protection. The Ethiopian government sent federal security forces but they couldn’t control ten thousand rioting Muslims from continuing their attacks.
Asendabo is a town located in Jimma Zone, Western Ethiopia. Western Ethiopia was the scene of violent attacks against Christians in 2006 when Muslims killed more than a dozen Christian and burned down several churches. The attacks forces thousands of Christians to leave their homes.
36 thoughts on “Ethiopia’s tyrant incites religious clash; 5 churches burned”
wow.Geta hoyi anid belen!. see, this is the time we need a true religious leaders. We need to have pastors, imams and Orthodox leaders to come out and remind the people that all religions in Ethiopia have been living in harmony and we are example for the other part of the world for our tolerance and love for each other. Please..please..i beg the religous leaders to hold a prayer day in public at the same day with musilims and protestant. We need God more than ever and he will answer our prayer in no time.
Where Ethiopia is really going? I knew this would soon occur when I saw the tit-for-tat among preachers on religion. The Ethiopian people are really making their lives more horrible than ever just because of some stupid persons. This country should not really be one and I really wish to get divided as it started forever. If people do not live together having their limits, what is the use of living together. When religion calms down people divide themselves based on ethnicity when ethnicity clams down they divide themselves or pave a way for division. This is the so called country of love, tolerance and mutual understanding…ohhhhuuuuuuuu.
That is exactly what dictator Hosni Mubarak have done a short while before he was unceremoniously chased away from power with his tail between his legs.
He secretly sent his trained security agents to violently attack the christian communities while turning around and shading crocodile tears in public and claiming that it is only his presence that keeps the unruly country peaceful and united. Birds of a feather flock together.):
Ethiopians need to be vigilant and stand together in unity within diversity with out falling in to the cunning foxes routine divisive provocations and violence promotion for the sheer purpose of staying in power and exploiting the wretched population.
Hagere replies:
July 15th, 2012 at 4:28 PM
Yes, but it’s unaceptable for the muslims to burn churchs. We have supported them instanding for the assembly right and to be able to vote whom ever they want. But if they don’t stop burning our church I don’t think we can see eye to eye. No one is going to win on this. It’s absolutly unaceptable to displace our people and to burn our church. We can not tolerate we all should understan what has been instigated by the government and not taking any action before things has been clear and know for sure.
Though it is so painful it is how the gospel of Jesus Christ spread throughout the world. I pray let the mercy of our lord up on the persecutors and let Him comfort all the displaced families and the persecuted church of Jesus Christ as the result of such barbaric and satanic attack.
Here is another sign of Meles’s failed leadership. Ethiopian Christians and Muslims have been living in peace for hundreds of years till now under the TPLF regime. Ethiopian Christian and Muslim brothers and sisters have lived in peace with respect during Haile Selassie and Mengestu. Why all of a sudden this despicable act of horror by our own Muslim brothers and sisters? I strongly believe that his unfortunate unrest is instigated by TPLF.
The ruthless Woyanes would have killed each one of those Muslims if they were holding a peaceful protest against the TPLF regime. And Woyanes would have never said this:
“The Ethiopian government sent federal security forces but they couldn’t control ten thousand noting Muslims from continuing their attacks.”
Definitely woyanes hands are all over it. The devil really lives in Addis Ababa Arat Killo palace. What is the fake Patriarchy Aba Diablose going to say about this? Heart breaking indeed!
what happen in jimma assandabo? whay jimma musilims learn from harar musilims this a country both christians and musilims living together for a century.
the christians saved muslims and help them live ethiopian brother-sister wayduring early sufferings from meddinah.Since the muslims and christians lived for so long together in peace.Npw they are attacking christian brothers and sisters and burn thier gospel life house-churches.But the dictator woyane regime could not help them from 10,000 mass muslim civilstand to kill.If 10,000 muslim come to his ethiopian palace area and say something reorming concerning only muslim or as a awhole,probably 10% would be in jail or stabbed or killed.B/c woyane is living for his power cling and divisive initiatives,ofcourse,his federal police are taking simple action.This is to say that “adding wounds to the injuries”.By the way the holy chuch bishop or patriarch supposed to stand up for the spirit of the christians sufferd from muslim attackers work with muslim religious leaders to take imediate action.prayers to those masscred christians and justice bring those attackers to court!
Ere please dont make ethiopians people long lived tolerance to….”igna kaltewadaden iko aysemanim geta/allah”….GOD/ALLAH ETHIOPIAN YITEBIKAT!!
There is no doubt who could do this.I am not stupid to belive our muslim brathers are doing this.The invading force of TPLF are doing this.I hope the revolution start soon and get rid of these inhuman Bandas who deliberately do these kind of things to disintegrate our mother land.All the ambasader,ministers,generals of non TPLF must act now before it is to late.Let the country to be led by TPLF and there murderer tigrieans army.That will help to the revolution to come sonner than expected.Any body who worked with TPLF til the last day will be responsible for every ting that happend to Ethiopia for the last 20years starting from making our mother land landlocked and disarming the multy ethnic ethiopian force and the genocide that took place more than 5times in the past 20years and all the crime that was made by many thousends of TPLF members and the outeragies economy advantage that was given to TIGRIEANS by stiling from the rest of ethiopia.Siye and Gebru asrat must die to be forgiven by ethiopians by making revolution aginest TPLF.Sorry i dont expect any revolution from Tigray because 99%of those who live in western world with us are supporters of the TPLF and i dont have to expect any better from that part of ethiopia.We ethiopians know that but most of us is trying to pretend they are with us.Meles is banda and we dont have to expect any positve action from him.LONG LIVE OUR MOTHRLAND eTHIOPIA WILL BE FREE SOON AND i am sure every body is contribiuting some thing LONG live ESAT and G7.Any body who is not doing for ethiopia will be even quetioned after life by god.Death for Weyane and hodams long live ethiopia.
This is a secret deed of the TPLF security (which is incidentally trained by CIA and MI6). In order to remain on power for as much as possible, the junta must resort to every evil act and the current incitement is a harbinger of more trouble on the pipeline and coming to effect in the coming months. Morally corrupt African or other dictators are purely concerned about their power. The country and the people are dispensable for them. The blood shade and carnage we observe in Libya and Ivory Coast are glaring evidence for the deed of power hungry dictators and Meles is not less than Gadhaffi in that. Thus the current conflict in Asendabo between Muslims and Christians is instigated by Meles himself and only fools search for evidence!
forget every thing its weyane who incite the violence to only for the means of survival so the solution is rise up together and fight for our freedom!
ከአሰንዳቦ 17 ኪ.ሜ. ርቀት ላይ በምትገኘው የወረዳ ከተማ – ኦሞናዳ – ሌላ ቤተክርስቲያን ወድሟል፡፡ የከተማው ነዋሪዎች የኦርቶዶክስ ቤተክርስቲያን ላይ ጥቃት እንዳይደርስ ጥበቃ በማድረግ ላይ ይገኛሉ፡፡ ሆኖም ግን የእስልምና ሀይማኖት ተክታይ አጥቂዎች “እኛ በኦርቶዶክስ ቤተክርስቲያን ላይ ጥቃት አናደርስም፡ አብረን ብዙ ዘመናት አሳልፈናልና” በማለት አላማቸውን ቢገልጹም እስከአሁን ድረስ የተረጋገጠ ነገር አልታወቀም፡፡ ህዝቡ በሥጋት ላይ ነው፡፡
It is sad to hear a church or a mosque burned by any one. However I just want to share some information with you guys. Nearly 3 weeks ago, some one close to the government told me that the government is expecting the uprising to start by Muslims after Friday and taking measures to prevent this. One is to associate them with a terrorist organization like Alshabab or Alchaeda. Two is to intensify problem with Christians so that if any uprising start by Muslims the Christians will not join. Believe me I heard this 3 weeks ago and when I read this I was shocked. By the way I have passed this info to an Ethiopian news organization as soon as I get it but am not sure if it has been reported.
You are a communist Elias inside. Otherwise you could have reported the burning of 9 Mosques in Hawariyat Gurage zone two months ago. ICC is a big liar.
It is sad to be reading these web sites that have strong biases of their own. Elias Kifle did not post my opinion which would have helped others to draw their conclusion based on my observation to Ethiopia recently. My observation did not sit well with his own bias. ICC is not a trustworthy organization. It is an organization that survives on the creation of animosities between religions. Besides it has a conflict of interest in these kinds of news.
Dear Elias,
You have adequate evidence that several Churches have been burned down by some Muslims in Jimma, but you cannot prove the Meles Regime is behind every Christian Church or Muslim Mosque burning. It seems you are the one who is inciting division between the Muslims and the Christians by printing such a divisive report.
#14 Gragn Ahmed,
Regardless Elias reported it or not, it is not difficult to figure out who is causing the disturbances between the two major religions, that have been living in peace for generations in Ethiopia. Ethiopians know who is behind the burnings of our Churches and our Mosques. Meles and Eesayas have worked together for years to divide Ethiopians by ethnic groups and brainwashed some people and they created OLF and ONLF. And now the devil is at work dividing Ethiopians by religion.
Growing up, one of my best friends was a Muslim and never once our religion came between us. As a Christian I don’t wish any harm on our peaceful Ethiopian Muslim brothers and sisters and I hope you feel the same way to wards your Ethiopian Christian brothers and sisters. We must have mutual respect for one another and the two major religions must come together to defeat the evil that has enter our country and stop this madness as quickly as possible.
Dear Gragn Ahmed #14,
I don’t think Elias Kifle is a communist; he is rather a scared journalist who does not want to post any controversial issues about Christianity and Islam. He wants to appease both the Christians and the Muslims. It is a comfortable life to be neutral!
Guys! Don’t waste your time debating about nonsense arguments.Think of of developments, technologies and other useful things that can help our poor people to improve thier lives.
Elias, where have you been when 8 mosques in Guragie area, and one mosque in Addis were burnt????
Well, I don’t want any believer or nonbeliever to got hurt, but let’s be fair. Of course, the woyane junta is the main factor for all these religious conflicts. Still you need to report any incident fairly and don’t follow your ego.
#16, OMG! Are you for real? Your #16 and #18 comments contradict each other.
Meles’s past and present records speak for itself to know enough how he operates.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Churches that were burnt down were Evangelical Churches–I believe the fire was set to scare and chase out foreign missionaries out of the country, so that they wouldn’t witness atrocities of TPLF in case there is uprising in Ethiopia against TPLF regime.
It seems we still do not understand meles and esayas game.My christian and muslim brothers as we lived peacfuly for a long time we can understand who did this evil job.this is the weyane and shabia work.we ethiopian we got to call for onece for all tegray people to be with us or aganist us.
Dear Asta #18,
If Elias is scared to post controversial story, then how come he posted the church burning but not the burning of ten mosques few months ago. I wonder if he thinks the later is not news worthy? or he is baised againest those who do not share his bliefs? Or is it that he thinks muslims are pro Meles? Only Allah knows what ticks him.
Woyannes are trying to divert people’s attention from rebellion to religious conflict by inciting such a religious clash. Let’s ask ourselves: Why it this clash happened at this time? Why this happened in Assendabo, why not in Addis or other big cities? Why such problem did not occur during other regimes in the country? I am happy that most of the informants of this news understood the devilish political plot by Woyannes to prolong their existence. For some, this might seem new but for those who know them is not. As evidence, just remember the plot they did against their own people in Hawzen before they took power. Also remember the Bedeno crime supposedly committed by OLF. And also remember the very recent similar incident in Jimma. These show how they clinched to power by committing such a senseless and disgraceful act.
… dearest all Ethiopian, as long as these tyrants couldnt be stepped down, we cann’t keep our freedome, peace and unity. It obvious the people used to eat together with one bowl regardless of religion or ethinic differences. However, collision among ourselves will brings great opportunity of long life for the tyrants. Its better to think to do more for our free.dom & unity!
#17 One Ethiopia,
You mean that Eritreans and others have created the Oromos and Somalis as well as their political movements which otherwise wouldn’t have existed and did not exist.
Instead of your self serving hollow petty propaganda contention to claim that problems did not exist before at all but created by Eritreans and through such BIG LIE fool your small dwarf self much more than fooling any body I suggest that you learn elementary honesty and self respect to admit that there exists and existed diversities and inequalities but call for unity/alliances within diversity for the purpose of overcoming divisions and challenging the one and only one single power holding dictator.
As it stands now, you are even much more divisive than the Wayanes themselves and the Eritreans put together because you are blaming the victims trying to defend themselves. You sound like a frightened divisive Wayane cadre.
I am from sauthern chirstian family.My grands were moslems as well as christians.I have much information about Quaran as well as Bible.Both
Relgiuos Philosophies are the way to Genet.Both of them teach love.Love
is the way to God and God him self is love .
Before this ruling party we christian and moslems loved each other , oroms ,amharas ,tigres,somales,gurages…etc loved each other.
Befor this ruling party(party of hate each other)we strugled all together
against dectators.
Ethiopian today generation and pro democracy fighters have to know
love of all Ethiopians.If ther is democracy ther is no kill each other and burn churches and Mosques.
This evil work of woyane was known before One month and SBO was adivising people not to be used by Meles to divide people. The burnt chunch are mostly protestant not Orthodox as it was in 2006 and this was done to make different from the past. majority of people who`s house burned are Oromos. Meles has been instigating all neighboting people against oromos and he further doing his Saitan work among Oromos. Whatever he try, the mass uprising aginst baby-kille evil is inevitable.It will not be lke before,every village of the country will rise together whatever diffence we have. What comes first is to remove the blood-sucker Woyanes and other issues are dealt later.
Isn’t it true that Ethiopia has been glued in interfaith peace culture?
Dear Abu x #21,
As an experienced journalist, Elias Kifle wants to bring more readers to his web site by posting issues that may favor one group of people but may displease the other group. In this case, the fresh news to post is the burnings of several Christian Churches and the death of one Christian at Asendabo, Jimma, Ethiopia. For him to be fair, he should have said something about the previous burning of the Ethiopian Muslim Mosques in the Gurage Zone. I still do not know the cause of the burning of the Mosques, but I do know the cause of the recent burning of the Christian Churches that might have been associated to the alleged desecration of the Quran by someone. But I don’t understand why in this modern world some Muslims get offended if a crazy person desecrates the Quran? To tell the truth, I will not be offended if I see someone desecrating the Bible as I am a Christian. We have to make it clear to the whole world that freedom of speech covers all the desecrations of Churches, Mosques, prophets, kings, presidents, holy places, and holy men and holy women, and it is up to us to defend them in a civilized manner. Because someone has profaned a holy person, it doesn’t mean the profanity will take away the holiness of a person if indeed that person is genuinely holy. So, why should we have to fight with one another about a blasphemy that has been said by a writer, a cartoonist, a journalist, and a critique against an institution, such as religious institution or a political one?
Here comes another UGLY DICTATORSHIP OF the WOYANE REGIME!!! THE DIVIDED AND RULE METHOD.AND WHEN THEY THOUGHT THAT THEY ARE NOT SAFE ,THEY SEND THEIR CADRES TO DO THIS B/N RELIGIONS,Ethinicities,etc……
And the people are aware of this and should stand together in peace and should say no to this dictator and it should be thrown away.
I am deadly sure that Our Muslim brothers will not do this.And they are not going to hurt their christian brothers and vice versa.
GOD bless ETHIOPIA!!!
DOWN TO THE DICTATOR
Here is a detailed report about the attacks against the Christians at Asendabo, Jimma.
“ETHIOPIA – Blasphemy cry triggers mob rampage
ETHIOPIA – Blasphemy cry triggers mob rampage
At least one Christian was killed and 59 churches were burnt when a huge Islamist mob rampaged through part ofwest Ethiopia in response to blasphemy allegations.
The violence, which is reported to be ongoing, began last Wednesday after a Christian in the Jimma area was accused of tearing up a copy of the Koran, Islam’s holy book.
Thousands of Islamist extremists began attacking Christians and their property in Asendabo – and the violence spread to Chiltie, Gilgel Gibe, Gibe, Nada, Dimtu, Uragay, Busa and Koticha. Local Christians fear that the violence, which began in rural areas of the Oromia region, could spread to Jimma town.
More than 4,000 Christians have fled their homes, according to Compass Direct news agency.
Local church leaders say that the authorities are not doing enough to curb the violence or protect Christian communities: security forces sent in to try to quell the riots were repelled by the mob.
The Christian who was killed has not been named but is believed to have been a member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Several others are reported to have been injured. The precise number of casualties is unclear as sources have not yet been able to enter the area because of security fears.
Compass Direct reports that, in addition to damage to 59 churches of all denominations, at least 28 homes, a Bible college and two church offices were attacked. The damage so far is reportedly estimated to stand at about 60 million birr (£2.2 million).
Although Ethiopia is a mainly Christian nation, Christians are said to suffer harassment and discrimination in predominantly Muslim areas, which include Jimma town.
Meanwhile, the Ethiopian authorities are said to be engaged in trying to repel Islamist extremist al-Shabaab militia from Somalia at its border with Kenya. Al-Shabaab has killed at least 24 Christians in Somalia since 2009 in an effort to extend its own strict version of Sharia across the country.
(Sources: BBC, Compass Direct, International Christian Concern, US Department of State – 2010 International Religious Freedom Report)
At least one Christian was killed and 59 churches were burnt when a huge Islamist mob rampaged through part ofwest Ethiopia in response to blasphemy allegations.
The violence, which is reported to be ongoing, began last Wednesday after a Christian in the Jimma area was accused of tearing up a copy of the Koran, Islam’s holy book.
Thousands of Islamist extremists began attacking Christians and their property in Asendabo – and the violence spread to Chiltie, Gilgel Gibe, Gibe, Nada, Dimtu, Uragay, Busa and Koticha. Local Christians fear that the violence, which began in rural areas of the Oromia region, could spread to Jimma town.
More than 4,000 Christians have fled their homes, according to Compass Direct news agency.
Local church leaders say that the authorities are not doing enough to curb the violence or protect Christian communities: security forces sent in to try to quell the riots were repelled by the mob.
The Christian who was killed has not been named but is believed to have been a member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Several others are reported to have been injured. The precise number of casualties is unclear as sources have not yet been able to enter the area because of security fears.
Compass Direct reports that, in addition to damage to 59 churches of all denominations, at least 28 homes, a Bible college and two church offices were attacked. The damage so far is reportedly estimated to stand at about 60 million birr (£2.2 million).
Although Ethiopia is a mainly Christian nation, Christians are said to suffer harassment and discrimination in predominantly Muslim areas, which include Jimma town.
Meanwhile, the Ethiopian authorities are said to be engaged in trying to repel Islamist extremist al-Shabaab militia from Somalia at its border with Kenya. Al-Shabaab has killed at least 24 Christians in Somalia since 2009 in an effort to extend its own strict version of Sharia across the country.”
(Sources: BBC, Compass Direct, International Christian Concern, US Department of State – 2010 International Religious Freedom Report)
What is going on? We were good friends, neighbores, and families what chage that now? I alwys thanks to Allah that we Ethiopian’s not like others what I meaan by that is we are very kind to each other. it does not motter the person is Muslim or Chritian what happend to that good feeling? My religeous people tern your face to Allah and pray for better day tomorrow.
this is hapning by the regim security
This is just the result of THE OLD DEVIDE AND RULE POLITICAL STRATEGY, you see it works if all CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS don’t understand and WAKE UP, your enemy is not among christians or muslims.