Muslim protests engulf Ethiopia; Gov’t expels two Arab ‘jihadists’
By Yuunus Hajji Mul’ataa | Anyuak Media
ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopian Muslim protests spread across the country on May 4 when hundreds of thousands in the Ethiopian capital defied government threats and went on protesting against the “Ahbashism Campaign” instigated by the government and “Majlis”.
Observers agree the brutal killing of innocent people in Assasa town has fueled tension between the government and the Muslim community which has now drawn more towns into the strikes.
Meanwhile, the Ethiopian Government said on Friday night that it has expelled two Arabs who came to call for “Jihad” and incite violence at the grand Anwar Mosque of Addis Ababa. However, the report is dismissed by many Muslims as “a fabricated story”.
Protests and Silencing
Shocked by the mass uprising after the recent killing of seven innocent Muslims in Assasa town (Arsi province), government authorities were busy on defending the massacre and threatening the public through state-owned media. They were also mobilizing Ahbash adherents to deter the protests in the upcoming days. The imams of mosques have been told to take all actions to stop Muslims chanting “takbira (i.e saying “Allahu Akbar!”) and marching for protests after Friday prayer. On the other hand, more than 300 people have been reportedly arrested in Assasa and other towns of Arsi Province over the week.
On May 4 beginning early in the morning, thousands of police and civil security forces were deployed in Addis Ababa and other towns to scare off the people. But at midday, all of the preventive methods applied by the government were proved to be ineffective. And immediately after the completion of Friday prayer, hundreds of thousands of Muslims in Addis Ababa and other towns filled the sky with defeafening chants of: “Stop Ahbashism campaign! The people want to step down Majlis! Allahu Akbar!!”
Sheikh Mohammed Adem, a Muslim religious scholar living in Addis Ababa says, “The people are asking their basic right. We are asking for freedom of worship. We tolerated many repressive measures for more than 17 years. But this time, we say ‘enough’ to oppression. We won’t turn back until we attain our goal”.
The protest at the Anwar Mosque (the grand mosque of Addis Ababa) and over the nearby streets was so intense that Mercato – one of the largest open air markets in Africa – came to a standstill for hours. Witnesses say there have been similar protests in Dessie, Jimma, Assela, Agaro, DireDawa, Alaba, Assasa, Warabe, Jijiga, Robe and Shashemene.
The current tension between government and Muslim Ethiopians started in July 2011 when the government-backed “Majlis” launched a campaign to indoctrinate Muslims in the ideology of a newly arriving controversial sect called “Ahbash”. But Muslims came to direct protest at the beginning of this year when the leaders of “Majlis” sacked 50 teachers of Aweliya Islamic institute and tried to substitute them with “Ahbash” scholars. The government supported the action taken by “Majlis” and said “Aweliya had been a training center of terror ideology. ‘Wahhabis’ were arming the youth with fundamentals of extremism. So the Majlis has taken the appropriate measure”.
In spite of its open support for “Majlis”, the government continues to deny any interference in religious affairs. Through state owned media, it says “We are training Muslim scholars on the constitution and legal framework of the country. Apart from this, the government hasn’t interfered in spiritual affairs of the Muslims”.
Free viewers say “The government is highly terrorized by a continuing wave of protests. This week’s intensive media coverage about the Assasa massacre and the Muslim uprising are indications of government’s fear. In some occasions, some government authorities were expressing their worry about the ongoing condition”. These viewers point to what happened recently on a meeting conducted at Addis Ababa city hall where only selective pro-government imams and “Majlis” leaders have participated. On that meeting, sources say, the head of Addis Ababa Bureau of Justice and Security spoke to the attendants “The mass has turned against us. We couldn’t control the people. You have taken a mission to convince the people. But you did nothing. What were you doing until now? Our government is highly troubled by the Friday protests.” He also ordered the imams to stop any protests in and around mosques. Muslim scholars say “The authorities are disturbing themselves. We are asking for freedom of worship. We are asking them to stop imposing the ideology of ‘Ahbash’ on our people. We are asking them to apply what they have written on the constitution of the country. We didn’t ask them to share us political power.” They also say that the current media campaign can’t silence the people and add “Our faith is the only hope we have. It is the only rope that ties us to our God. They are going to cut out this rope. But that will never happen as long as we are alive”.
The two Arabs
On Friday night, The Ethiopian Television reported that two Arabs who came from the Middle East to incite violence in the main mosques was caught red handed and immediately expelled from the country. The government said that the two people were found while they make inflammatory statements and distribute materials calling for “jihad”. The two Arab came to Addis Ababa on Friday morning, says the government. Their name and nationality was not disclosed even though they were shown on TV screen.
The Muslims who attended the Friday prayer at Anwar mosque say “The government’s statement is completely false. It is fabricated to defame our peaceful struggle. No one has distributed inflammatory material at Anwar Mosque. If they caught two Arab “Jihadists”, why didn’t they disclose their name and nationality? How do people caught on such illegal activity expelled without being investigated and tried?”
One scholar rejects government’s statement and asks “How can a person that came to Ethiopia on Friday morning directly goes to Anwar mosque and distribute “Jihadi” papers in the midday? Why did the Ethiopian government authorities contented only in expelling them to their country? Why didn’t they bring the two Arabs to the court? They have to answer these questions”. To paraphrase his statement, this scholar mentions what happened to two Swedish journalists when they were caught in the remote region of Ogaden together with some fighters of Ogaden National Liberation Front.
After the “Assasa Killing”
After the deadly incident happened at Assasa, in the last week, many top leaders of the ruling party were undertaking a “silencing meeting” all over the country. In one of such meetings undertaken at Assasa town on Wednesday, Mr. Abdul-Aziz Ahmed, the Vice President of Oromiya regional state was heard in public media saying “In the name of asking for freedom of worship, some politically motivated groups have planned to overthrow the government. They have caused the death of civilians in this town. They have plotted similar deadly riots in all of the country. They government won’t allow them to continue in this way. We will stop them in all possible ways”.
Sheikh Aman Nure, an elderly scholar living in Adama town (originally from Assela town, Arsi province) rejects the official’s accusation and says “Last week, they said they have arrested a man calling for ‘Jihad’ and they killed his ‘Jihadi’ supporters. Now they say ‘political groups have plotted the massacre’. This has been their behavior for two decades. They can’t repeat what they speak today. Our country is governed by such liars who don’t care about the tradition and ethics of our people”.
The Assasa massacre was highly condemned by many religious scholars of the country. Ethiopian Diaspora communities of Europe, North America and the Middle East have sent strong statements to the government asking to investigate the actual cause of the massacre through an independent commission. Rebel political groups like Ogaden National Liberation Front and the Oromo Liberation Front have condemned the massacre and released statements in support of the peaceful struggle of Ethiopian Muslim Society.
47 thoughts on “Muslim protest spreads as Zenawi plots crackdown”
Elias,
For me it is just like woyane killing my father, mother, brother, and sister while in a mosque praying. Is it not? Yes, this will get a retaliation. This is a war aginst any muslim in Ethiopia by the zenawi and his generals. Retalation any where is inevitable. An eye for an eye! Watch it Elias…
Riaz replies:
May 8th, 2012 at 7:03 PM
Jemal the as$ kisser, what do you know bird brain ???
Anonymous replies:
May 9th, 2012 at 6:59 AM
Jemal is an impostor. Neither is his name Jemal nor is he a Moslem. He says “Retalation any where is inevitable. An eye for an eye!” No Ethiopian Moslem I know says this. This is to set the stage for the government to kill Moslems in the name of fighting extremists or terrorists.
This kind of talk belongs to agent provocateurs. We know Woyanne agents are good at provocation. Always trying to cause confusion and to get us to fight among each other.
In truth, Woyannes are panicked about the Moslem uprising. As usual, they are trying to figure out how to arrest, torture and kill. They are hoping that the outside world does not notice. And if the crime ever comes to light, Woyannes want to say the Moslems brought it on themslves.
In a desperate and despicable attempt of hanging to power, terrorist Meles is pushing Ethiopia to the edge of a cliff. He wants to stay in power at any cost even at the cost of destroying the unity of the country and endangering the security of its people. Terrorist Meles is attempting, in vain, to incite religious war amongst the Ethiopian people. Nothing is off limit for terrorist Meles as long as it can help him stay in power a day longer. His most recent rancid, spiteful, vile and venomous monologue in his lifeless rubberstamp parliament attests to this very fact.
However, the Ethiopian people will not fall prey for the fool’s game terrorist Meles is playing. We, the Ethiopian people, stand together to get rid of this brutal, savage and evil tyrant. Terrorist Meles will go down alone and no body will lift a finger for him. No one will be fooled to go to war for Meles. No one and no amount of effort can save him. If any fool wants to try it out, I would say good luck but it would only be an exercise in futile. Do not allow terrorist Meles to take you down along with himself.
Terrorist Meles has no vision but illusion. He has no insight but insanity. This latest effort by terrorist Meles to force Ethiopian Muslims convert to a different sect (denomination) they do not accept is a conclusive and unmistaken symptom of a fatal insanity. It is like forcing an Orthodox Christain follower to convert to Protestant (Evangelical or Pentecostal), Catholic or Baptism or vise versa. By so doing he is digging his own grave and for him this is not the beginning of the end but it is the end of the end. As we all know very well, the end began in 2005 when he was roundly and humiliatingly defeated in the hands of the Ethiopian people. Terrorist Meles is now playing his last act. Everyone is invited to watch his last act of insanity play out and witness history in the making.
The downfall of this government is getting closer and closer. There is public discontent at every corner. One by one, day after day there is a bad news for Woryane and its supporters. Who knows what is next? The Ethiopian people’s patience has run out. The wind of change is turning into a hurricane slowly. Whether you have a special force “agazie” or thousands of tanks it will not stop. The problem is there are no wise people in the government and they are going to use force. That force will create a greater force from the people.
Are we all prepared? We don’t want it to be messy. We want a peaceful transition. Justice for all, democracy and equality of all Ethiopians.
Jegnaw replies:
May 7th, 2012 at 10:09 PM
Go Zeretu i like every thing you have said!!
This is why it is not clear. None of them both from government side and Muslim side are not explaining thoroughly the problem. TPLF, you wreck what you sow. I believe, the Muslims in Ethiopia had more in fact freedom proof, many supported TPLF during election. This means, because there were more freedom, Muslims are now able to collaborate with anyone throughout Arab countries. Sooner or later, they are now used to being infulenced by Islam faith from Middle East. Now when they say they are demanding to worship freely, why are they not making it clear. What is needed is to confirm their faith prior TPLF and now. In what form are they worshipping and why are they not making it clear? Again, what is not clear is what Ahbash and Majils, for Ethiopians to understand. Why is TPLF interested in indoctrinating this Islam system? What does it do EXACTLY? Where did this thing come from? It is easy to say this and that without explaining. I believe both some Muslim community and TPLF have been sleeping together in trying to change the old traditional Islam worshipping and now it got out of control. The fact that this much Muslim protest happened, TPLF is hiding now. The rest of Ethiopians have been cowards not standing for the people of Ethiopia. For Muslims, it is not economy that they care about, it is Islam and they are demonstrating now. The down side on this is that, this is now a stepping stone for them to feel empowered. I hope it won’t be over other christians. Again, there should be detail information and article written for Ethiopians to know. The author should be not from Muslim community as above nor from TPLF because we may not get the true story and defining what ahbesh and Majils are. Which ever way is put, TPLF is a cancer and bet this system is done to divide Ethiopians once again that will make a way to civil war. Thank god however, Ethio Muslims are not as ignorant as Middle East and that they are now nipping it in the butt before it is too late.
The rest of Ethiopia, now is the time to quickly join the protest and oust TPLF. I am sure outsiders are watching carefully if anything happens. The rest of Ethiopians, christians must join them now! while it is still fresh.
Eyasu replies:
May 7th, 2012 at 11:13 PM
Peace, in my view it is a question of religion. Habbesh is a new kind of teaching out of the holly kuran. The founder of habesh is from Hadere region, and he was Ethiopian. He has his own theory about islam. Zenawi is telling them to follow that one because it is more democratic. It is sad to see government to start modifying religions as seen fit by tplf cadres. Mejlis is the highest muslim authority in Ethiopia. There is only one way out, either they all follow habeshe for few years or the end of zenawi. Ye nebir chira atyaz….
Anonymous replies:
May 8th, 2012 at 12:32 AM
I will try to explain what is going on,i’m a orthodox christian but i have many Ethiopian Muslim friends,according to them this problem was going on for a while now it is getting out of control,Ahbashism was created by an Ethiopian Imam resided in lebanon,first he tried to spread it during King Haile selasie but he was denied any access to convert our true muslim religion to his distorted ideas of Ahbashism and soon after the Imam died and now his sons are attempting to do the same with King and tyrant meles,Ahbashism allowed drinking any Alcohol and Salat once a day is enough facing any direction east,west,north,south it does’t matter but according to Holy Kuran facing east during salat is the correct path even in our christian religion we have to face east during Segdet,so why on earth Meles have to promote this evil intent period,meles involvement with religion is equal to playing with fire.
bobo replies:
May 8th, 2012 at 7:22 PM
I do not understand why we need to believe this theory habeshism as defined by any lay person. Show us the document/exhibit about this teaching. How it contradict with the original teaching. Like one comment stated on this forum, the Ethiopian Moslem question is not clear at all.
I take it with grain of salt all this story. Everyone on the land has the same right regardless of any religious affiliation.
Any movement like this one should be checked many times before being embraced as genuine or legitimate. Does any one knows who the main players are ? How could someone confirm/verify, this is not a Wahabist funded movement ?
We better learn from the Arab revolution which is hijacked by radical Islamist. I do not have any problem who is ruling the country as secular government. When radical Islam is given the chance to rule, the next thing is sharia law become the norm of the land. You can guess what a disaster that looks like…1000 years back! fini! so be careful! Check what the core of the core of this movement!
Anonymous replies:
May 8th, 2012 at 9:26 PM
I thought I share my thoughts with you.
In my view, a Government can not and should not interfere in peoples religious affairs! It is not a matter of which doctrine is better or legitimate? Faith is personal,it can not be enforced. I have seen, met and socialized with non Ethiopian Muslims in Africa and North America. I assure you Ethiopian Muslims are just Ethiopian, full of love, trusting and the most caring personalities unlike the ones I was exposed to in diaspora.
Ethiopian Muslims are wise and unselfish people. Our orthodox Christian and Muslims have lived together for hundreds of years in Oneness.
By the way this is not a new terrible experience for Ethiopians and their Faith. Ethiopian Orthodox Christians experienced a similar event twice in the past by its leaders. I will not go to the details, but briefly,one time in the 10th century by “Gudit” and in the 16th century to convert Orthodox christian to Catholic. You can only imagine what our ancestors went through to preserve the Orthodox christian faith to this day.
No matter what your intellectual query,it is not important to evaluate the incoming new Muslim doctrine. What should be important is to stand up with our Muslim brothers and sisters and fight the evil force together that is forcing them to change their long and peaceful faith that they cherished for centuries. Then we can celebrate the victory as our own as a national victory together.
Please, get this idea of Sharia law off of your mind. Where in the world have you seen a country with 50/50 christian or Muslim or 60% christian majority having a Sharia Law? Yes you have witnessed, Saudi, Egypt, Libya, Syria, etc. may claim Sharia Law, because the Muslims are 90% or more than the Christians.
What our country needs is a government that cares and loves his people, obey and respect his people regardless of their faith and ethnicity.
Ethiopia lived and will live long!!
Ethiopian Muslim and Christian Faith will live long. And I believe, God is protecting them from all evils.
Down with EVIL meles!!!
It is usual to see drama made by the government offices to cheat the public, and use it as a coverage for the action the government wants to take.
The prime minister is trying to justify his arrogant injustice by localizing al-qaida, and creating link for it from Ethiopia.
Meles has started the drama in asasa of arsi,which is a part of his speach in the kangaroo parlama.
The next part was showing two characters of jihadists to play representing those came from middle east.
We are expecting many more which are being cooked by meles,so as to justify his denial for puplic voice and terrorizing at large.
Are we such a ignorant swallowing what he is cooking for us,how many years he continue by underestimating our understanding?
The public, please be aware of his ever changing tactics to remain in power.
The protest should be based on political freedom not religous one. Two religions are enough for Ethiopias to practice with harmony. Divert your protest ans stand up angainst the pupet government, Melles or Abebe
For sure,for sure,Zinawi will definitely condemn the day he set his feet in the lands where Fascist Italian Masters were turned into dust.This Banda lived mourning the death of his Italian Masters for years and years;years later,turned himself into a known robber and was involved in aborted bank robbery in which he was the vanguard,yet was extremely coward,when all the robbers were killed,he escaped alive.Today,this robber not only wanted for murders,but also stealing billions of dollars from the public coiffer.
The motto is,the heat is going on! Will Zinawi be captured, is no longer a question,the question is rather in what form and shape?
Well it is time for our government to deal with this terorist’s as usual.step hard on thir head..
Anonymous replies:
May 8th, 2012 at 2:53 PM
and who is going to deal with you little woyane prick.?
Mamo kilo replies:
May 8th, 2012 at 4:23 PM
Woyanne is not a govt rather a shifta gang if you could find a single Ethiopian who volunteers to deal with criminal gang he is doomed
woyannes time is over the question is how to minimize sacrifies as the shifta boss has nothing to loose he will never ever comes out of his 20+ years crime alive,mark my word.
Well it is time for our government to deal with this terorist’s as usual.step hard on thir head, in the mean time it is good oportunity for christians and jewish people in the world to come and kill terorists in ethiopia…..
Meles Zenawi’s western friends, from George W. Bush to Tony Blair and now Sarkozi of France, have crashed and burned. That is what you get when you associate with Judas Iscariots of this world. Actually, it is the blind eye to justice what did it. What is next for the person who troubled the country from his high school and college days of the 60’s and 70’s to the present? The last 80 years belonged to EPLF and Meles’ TPLF mainly. Is resurgence of Islam next? If the writing on the wall is any indication, history is about to repeat itself when another arm of Islam gives a blow to another Tigrean regime, the previous one being that of Atse Yohanes. It would have been preferable if an all Ethopian force oust TPLF with their own blood, sweat and tears and not rely on one particular force.
MAY 7, 2012, 4:50PM
For Global Leaders, Including Obama, a Game of Survivor
By MICHAEL D. SHEAR Eric Feferberg/Agence France-Presse —
In his first group photo with world leaders, at the G20 summit in London in April 2009, President Obama was all smiles. But as he faces re-election in six months, a quick glance back at the photograph might not be reassuring. Most of the people who were leading the world’s major economies when the photo was snapped are no longer in office, primarily the political victims of the global economic recession and voter anger that has been directed at incumbents in countries around the world. Gone from the photo are Gordon Brown of Britain, Kevin Rudd of Australia, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero of Spain, Taro Aso of Japan and Silvio Berlusconi of Italy. Nicolas Sarkozy, who stood a few feet from Mr. Obama in the photo, was defeated in the French presidential election on Sunday. Only two people still leading major Western powers — Angela Merkel of Germany and Stephen Harper of Canada — were at the London meeting. (Mr. Harper missed the photo, however.) The question for Mr. Obama as his campaign battles Mitt Romney is whether the forces that swept so many of his contemporaries out of office are also building in the United States — and if so, what he can do about it. After Mr. Sarkozy’s defeat over the weekend, many political observers in the United States tried to find a lesson in it for Mr. Obama. Some have suggested that voters across Europe and elsewhere are rejecting tough austerity measures. That appears to have been the message in France, where voters embraced François Hollande’s criticism of Mr. Sarkozy’s policies. And in Greece, where George A. Papandreou, the prime minister, stepped down late last year to clear the way for a debt deal with other European nations, voters again punished leaders who advocated austerity. If American voters follow suit, that could favor Mr. Obama in his face-off with Mr. Romney, who is calling for tougher cuts to address the nation’s debt and deficit. Mr. Obama, like Mr. Hollande, has been arguing for a mix of cuts and stimulus to deal with the global economic crisis. But the message from voters across the globe may be more about registering their anger with incumbents — whatever their policies — than a rejection of specific policies in the wake of the economic recession. In Australia, Mr. Rudd lost an internal power struggle amid declining public support for his stimulus policies and climate change legislation similar to a cap-and-trade program favored by some Democrats in the United States. He stepped down as prime minister in June 2010. In Italy, Mr. Berlusconi resigned as prime minister late last year after growing concern about his country’s fiscal problems during the European debt crisis. (He also faced inquiries into sex scandals that had plagued him for years.) British voters rejected Mr. Brown as prime minister in 2010, after he presided over the country during the global financial collapse. They turned to the more conservative David Cameron to lead the country into a recovery — an outcome that Mr. Romney would like to repeat in the United States. Campaign aides for Mr. Obama and Mr. Romney declined to comment on they lessons they have drawn from Mr. Sarkozy’s defeat. At the White House on Monday, Jay Carney, the president’s spokesman, noted that “each country has its own circumstances” and emphasized Mr. Obama’s efforts to balance the interests at stake in the economic recovery. “A balanced approach towards fiscal consolidation and growth is what he believes is appropriate,” Mr. Carney said. “That’s the approach he’s taken here.” Will that be enough to keep Mr. Obama from the same fate that has befallen so many of his fellow leaders? Mr. Romney’s campaign is focused on convincing American voters that the president’s approach to the economic recession was misguided and insufficient. “Americans are disappointed in President Obama’s liberal policies that haven’t made their lives any better,” Amanda Henneberg, a spokeswoman for Mr. Romney, said in an e-mail Monday morning. “President Obama just hasn’t lived up to his promises.” Mr. Obama’s political advisers are determined to defend his record and to describe Mr. Romney’s proposals as nothing more than a return to the era of George W. Bush. “The president has faced a combination of crises that few others have had to deal with, all at the same time, starting on Day 1,” Jim Messina, the president’s campaign manager, said on a conference call Monday morning. “He has made bold and brave decisions to help get his economy back on its feet.” “We’re proud of that record,” Mr. Messina said. The outcome of that fundamental debate will likely determine whether Mr. Obama joins Mr. Sarkozy and the other world leaders in an early, post-recession retirement that none of them hoped to take quite so soon.
First commentator, Jemal, is an impostor. Neither is his name Jemal nor is he a Moslem. He says “Retalation any where is inevitable. An eye for an eye!” No Ethiopian Moslem I know says this. This is to set the stage for the government to kill Moslems in the name of fighting extremists or terrorists.
This kind of talk belongs to agent provocateurs. We know Woyanne agents are good at provocation. Always trying to cause confusion and to get us to fight among each other.
In truth, Woyannes are panicked about the Moslem uprising. As usual, they are trying to figure out how to arrest, torture and kill. They are hoping that the outside world does not notice. And if the crime ever comes to light, Woyannes want to say the Moslems brought it on themslves.
peace replies:
May 9th, 2012 at 8:42 AM
This is what is confusing.. if Meles/TPLF has been sleeping with Arabs and Muslims in Middle East for so long, i.e: Anti Ethiopian Egypt funded TPLF against Ethiopia, Somalia anti Ethiopian (harboured Meles and tPLF against Ethiopia and wants Ogaden), Sudan (funded Meles/TPLF with the same interest as Egypt). He continued with his collaboration with Alamoudi to bleed and exploit Ethioipa, His collabroation with Gadaffi by declaring he is Arab, so on. Therefore, how can one claim he is attacking Islam? I doubt it. He secretly supports Islam because Muslims don’t care how he leads as long as he allowed them to do anyhting even spreading Wahabism, and under his rule is what extremism is Ethiopia experiencing for the first time. Which is because of the fear of this extremism that past leaders refused importing religions such as different version of Islam and christianity which has nothing to do with democracy and right because such different and extreme beliefs allowing anything and everything into the country is a recipie for chaos, out of control, divides people more and will eventually lead to civil war also because of extreme views.
sister replies:
May 13th, 2012 at 4:28 AM
why are you talking so much rubbish in every forum. You have no clue about what you are talking about. On the process of talking rubbish, you begain to reveal your own prejudice about religion. Trying to have facts when you pick up you pen.”muslims don’t care” ” Meles told Gaddaffi he is arab” where do you get this informations from? what facts do you have, or you are talking from the overstreached media of lies including the western ones about muslims. Let me tell you, I am a christian but just begin to understand the biggest fundamentalist are us but it is subtle, but you see it in comments like yours. How great christians are,and everybody else is trouble maker. Absolute rubbish. Ethipian muslims are the most peaceful people. Desite centures of marginalization, they kept their head down and got on with their lives, may be no more and good for them. The main point is everyone is an individual. No one is good or bad due to their religion they follow.
Freethought replies:
June 24th, 2012 at 6:12 AM
I am looking at generation who is pointing finger to TPLF only, why?? did you scrutinize the hidden secret behind the uprising by some extremist Muslims??? It worth to look in-deep what they are planning.We are Ethiopians not Arabs.Some extremist want to retaliate Ethiopian’s for sending troops to Somalia to crack down the so called Al- shabab- collection of ignorant who don’t know what Islam means. Who knows who is the master mind for this uprising. My fellow citizens it worth to get lessons from uprising in the middle-east.
Many of you are trying to fish from the Murky water. We are accusing Meles or TPLF giving land to Arabs? but you wanted to join an islamic revolution in Ethiopia which is planned and run by Arabs or Issayas or Egypt? where is your love for mama Ethiopia? Your hate of TPLF cannot qualify you to be patriotics. You are a lost generation.
It is clear. The Alhabsh new islamic denomination is new, non-violent that does not believe in killing, burning , stoning, amputating, maiming, people. The old islam the one which is protesting is that believes in killing, burning, stoning, maimming, cutting,.. jihad. Which one do you choose? The old islam Alhabsh that respect life or the old islam that burns Kafirs alive? you are all losers.you tell mme you wanted to join the islam that burns people alive? Your hate for TPLF has blinded you astronomically.
Anonymous replies:
May 8th, 2012 at 8:57 AM
Alula, pray to God to give you at least an ounce of conscience, so you distance yourself from people who take pleasure in harming innocent people and performing Satan’s wicked deeds!
Meles is a Godless evil like Hitler that lives for distractions, human-misery, hate, looting, torture, and deaths in every Ethiopian lives regardless his victims are Christian or Muslim Ethiopians. Ethiopian Christians and Muslims should stand side by side as one with their brothers and sisters to get rid off the bloodthirsty and the master of lies and manipulator who has taken power to divide Ethiopians and dismantle Ethiopia. My fellow Ethiopians, it is my gut feeling that, the Ethiopian Tax Payers money is being used to bribe foreign ministers around the world and the foreign Ambassadors in Ethiopia to deny Ethiopians who are seeking political asylums in various countries around the world. The recent report from Norway is a heartbreaking story, how the Norwegian government deported a seven year old child who was born in Norway and his parents back to Ethiopia. The Norwegian government literally is handing the parents of that little boy to the woyane’s lions den to be tortured and killed. Instead of feeding the starving Ethiopians, millions and millions of Ethiopians money is being used for bribers and to pay Meles’s personal lawyers in DC.
Hareg replies:
May 8th, 2012 at 10:56 AM
Alula,
You must be ignorant of what had happened in 1997. The Ethiopians demonstration in the largest quantity than any of the Arabs against the fraudulent election result. They had no backing of out side force like the Arabs do.
For your second opinion. No one should tell any one which sect to fallow. Even God gives you free choice between the devil and Himself
Hareg replies:
May 8th, 2012 at 7:56 PM
Alula,
Apparently you are ignorant of the fact that the demonstration of ’97 protesting the hijacking of the election result happened in Ethiopia way before the Arabs.
Second No government should tell you which sect you should follow. Even God our own creator gives you free choice to follow him or satan.
I Guss you didn’t know that
Anonymous replies:
May 8th, 2012 at 10:08 PM
Meles and TPLF have committed the worst crimes in Ethiopia, including looting and killing Ethiopians, more than you falsely accusing our Ethiopian Muslims brothers and sisters. How can it be possible one small province in Ethiopia can produce so many ruthless liars, lawless looters and killers like Alula? It is beyond me!
peace replies:
May 9th, 2012 at 9:04 AM
Typical paid agent propoganda. You conveniently avoid, the continious sleeping of TPLF/Meles with shady Arab groups, read your history.. read what I wrote above. Yet you avoid the point figures on others for your own convenience becasue by causing civil war within Ethiopia, TPLF agent like wnat to bail out or want Tigray to bail out due to fear. First and foremost understand who Ethiopians are, second, admit, it is time to stop being greedy and join the rest of Ethioia for the struggle to bring Ethioia peace and harmony and develop throughout Ethiopia.
You are so typical, did Ethioian Muslims engaged in stoning before, burning? How dare you insult them. Is Ethiopia to you just what you wanted her to be, how ignorant and insulting can you be? If I remember correctly, Muslims in Ethioia just experienced their moderate faith, how ironic that since TPLF, we not experience this extremism. IN fact, the whole Muslims know about Ethiopia than you do, shameful you. You want to create havoc, to save your a…the havoc you created so that you can have absolute power or bail out. It is probably one or the other, it is obvious.
Anonymous,
So you think Norway needs money from Ethiopoia? I doubt it, there must be something we don’t know. It could be Ethio and Eritrea affair issue that happened i think 4 years ago where Meles was accusing Norway of supporting Eritrea or something. This may not be as well, it somehow could be. On the other hand, you maybe right about other countries Weyane bribing especially, poor countrie, etc.
I never have been the fan of this genocidal government. I have paid a price in A.A.U for just being who I am and from whom I came to this world, with no crime at all.This genocidal trap is with his hands washed in the pool of blood. His removal from power by any means available is past due. I was expecting Ethiopian revolution parallel to that of Arab spring. Never happened. For me what is happening in Ethiopia right now scary. It is religious based. The dictator looks a dog in a cage. He is going against Wahhabi Saudi Arabia’s (his molders) plan for Africa. Feel sorry for lost lives, but not really sure if there is no external interference at all. Orthodox Christians have choosen their leader(TPLF cadre to lead large religion institute) by same stupid guy. We need Ethiopian spring, not Saudi Arabian spring on our land
I heard today Amahrik program on VOA some from Tigria who live in the past 21 years want their Tigria kilil into Afar land.People,What is this,is it a jock?How 3 millions people from Agame lane can control the whole 90 millions people of Ethiopia?
Currently the devilish Woyane regime had made it illegal for any person to teach religion without obtaining a special permit from the government. Whether it is muslims or non-muslims anyone found teaching religion without permit can be punished severly in the court of law. That is why all religion followers should stand together and demand freedom.
Daniel 4:33 – He will gain control over the Gold,silver,and treasure of Egypt,and libya and ethiopia (Nubians) will be his slaves.
sister replies:
May 13th, 2012 at 8:29 AM
Foolyo, you are interpreting thing literally which is part of the problem in our society whose knowledge is soley based on biblical writing as oppose to modern, historical and societal experience
The present condition of Ethiopia is grim, alarming and it calls for quick and drastic response by those who refuse to sit on the side line but who want to act decisively in this historical moment.
We knew this will come for quite some time now; that time has arrived, as usual; still the Ethiopian people don’t have responsible citizens to assume the mantle of leadership. What we see now in the country is a dissatisfaction of and discontent general population across the political spectrum. To put it in other terms the objective condition in the country is ripe, but the subjective condition lags far behind. The TPLF regime’s decision to dash and stifle the right s of citizens as is seen in Gambella, and its interference in the affairs of the Church and the Muslim faith has led the public to take sectarian measure against the regime. Yet in all this we don’t see any nationally organized leadership or a coalition leadership emerging to bring the diverse movements under one umbrella and lead the peaceful uprising.
On the other hand TPLF is geared to host a “world economic forum in Addis “this week between May 9-11.It appears, not so much out of fear, as some analysts say but because of the upcoming event the regime has for the first time in its history decided to comply with the demands of the Muslims question by deciding to remove TPLF installed meglise.It was expected that such solution, sooner or later will come, mainly because this event was taking place in the center of the capital under the watch of diplomatic community.
Whether the TPLF will indeed will comply to the demands of the Muslim faith by completely withdrawing its interference or it did so for tactical reasons is yet to bee seen. The important thing to be noticed here this for lack of emerging national leadership to coordinate the spontaneous movement the regime found ample time to suffocate the life of this movement. However the situation in Gondar is quite different. For one thing it is taking place in the far from the capital. For another the government hiders the public the right to move from place to place, and has dispatched its army to thwart the demands of the people. It is not my intention here to point my finger on who might be responsible for dragging the demands of the people. One thing is clear though as we stand now we have no leadership.Therfore it imperative upon the people of Gondar who live indiaspora to seclude face to face meetings so that we can discuss current events and take adequate step to prevent the coming Armageddon upon our people. We cannot help the sectarian nature of the movement, but we can definitely prevent the coming disaster on our people by acting now. Therefore I call those who might be residing in D.C ,Maryland area ,such as retired Economists,Tekle yeshaw ,and General Haile to really rise up for the occasion of the hour and call for meetings.
What i cant understand is that why dont some organized groups inside Ethiopia arm themselves and attack woyane federal police, agazee and spies ?
didn’t berhanu nega once say that he has no problmes with getting arms and soldiers ?
or could that be because berhanu nega and company are controlled by cia and the likes and are told to slow down their activities in critical times like these ?
Anonymous replies:
May 8th, 2012 at 8:30 PM
Fano,
Good idea, but you and I have to contribute too. Brehanu Nega can not do it by himself. What have you contributed lately??
Fano Fano replies:
May 9th, 2012 at 12:54 PM
The question is justified.But that is not the case as far as i am concerned. I was part of the struggle in Ethiopia just few years ago. As a leader Berhanu Nega has of course a different role to play, and he is playing in some fields but not concerning the armed struggle.
In critical times like these calls should be made to the whole Ethiopian society, not just muslims, to solidarize with the protesting muslims, rise up and spread the protest all over Ethiopia.Such calls should be made repeatedly on opposition broadcasters.
For example it is wrong and foolish to let the muslim protest look like just as a protest against the mejlis as some broadcasters like ESAT did. Instead it should have been reported as a protest against an oppressive government. Even if the original cause was the mejlis efforts should have been made to influence the protesters to extend their demands to that of regime change.
Anonymous replies:
May 10th, 2012 at 9:40 AM
these is what tplf need to distroy all ethiopian ,before it divided people by ethic group ,after he finish that he start dividing by relegion,but what iwant to aware u is that ,ahbash is the worest religion ,that call people to stell the property of cristian (islam will not guid by these way?)and ahbash call his folower to do sexual itercourese with cristian women by force( these is also not the teaching of Islam ,?)please awareof it ,it has some bad poison aganest all Religion,we all muslim and cristean we has to stndaganest ahbash to gether to keep our unity by good way mand we has to stragle also aganest melas-zenawi and his party.they are not good for ethiopian people,.thank u.
sister replies:
May 13th, 2012 at 8:34 AM
Good answer but equally, if i may add why do we see our problem only in black and white. ie. you have an oppressive regime, answer arm struggle. how long are we going to continue with this mind set. Struggle yes, but only in a none violent way. I don’t know there is something enlightening about that methodology. Cause it is liberating to say ” no to opression and mistreatment and stand up collectively
Arm struggle corrupts. Don’t forget their is heirarchy there too. The liberators become abusers e.g. Congo, Liberia, Sierra leone. Hence the poor population gets the about both from government sources and rebels as they are an resservedly called.
Elias! keep up the good work; you alone are shaken the core of weyanes and now the whole of Ethiopia is arising to reclaim what is theirs. Abebe/legesse/melese is invited to the white house so he can have his last meal- ONLY IF THERE IS ANY LEFT OVER AFTER ALL THE G-8S. Meles and his boss Mebrahtu G/hiwot will be captured and serve time together in the same cell.
[Fano,Fano],
If you hve not realized by now you need to rest your misplaced expectaions on Brihanu’s G-7.Andargachew Tsege and his senior partners can can not lead Ethiopia to liberity.Infact,if anything they both need to liberate themselves from their own captivity. First,Brihanu convinently named his organization G-7,not after Ethiopia or after its people.There is a reeason for hthis.Second Andargachew was formere EPRP so far so good.But after he left EPRP he joined TPLF in LOndon and worked with her.Then he joied G-7 andattempted to convince Ethiopians by proposing an alliance with Shabia.
Yet Ethiopians fullwell know the clique that is ruling Ethiopia are products of Adwa and Hamassen.Call them anything but I will never depende upon them.Infact if we asses the this movment we will see it has done more damage than help our cause.Many Ethiopians are arrested because of unlawfull exposure of information to to Asmara.Any way’s look not any where for leadership but on Ethiopians at home.
Selam to all of you.
We should all be careful about making attacks on opposition groups and leaders, including Ginbot 7 and its leaders
Government spies who pose as innocent commentators want us to attack each other and not the Woyanne.
Anybody who attacks those fighting for freedom is wrong and is definitely not acting in our best interest. The pro-democracy force may not be perfect, but they are not the enemy.
Brothers and sisters — the number one enemy of our country is the Tigrai People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). All our energy should be focused on bringing down TPLF and its ugly minority rule.
peace replies:
May 9th, 2012 at 9:08 AM
That is so right. We are just driven by emotion and fear and mistrust. Even though not perfect, we still have to work with them. Intolerance is not the way. Of course, it should be apparent to us that whenever good opposition pop up, they get hijacked by outsiders or TPLF spies that is why they are forced to change. Only we can prop them from such hijack.
It is very sad to see other Ethiopians fail to support the muslim opposition agains the brutal government. Even if I am a christian I supported Ethiopian muslims for their heroic opposition against nazi meles zenawi regime. When Meles harases oromos youth , shamefully other ethnic group kept quite. When He sold Gambella with garbage price for foreigners others did not oppose him. Now meles made another ugly move expelling Ameharas from the south….now he comes to muslim…..We have to stand togather and remove this parasite government for once and forever. It is better to die in honor than to live in this disgrace and shameful way. We have never been treated like slave than now….Let meles zenawi regime shake under ethipian struggle ….the ethipians now have nothing to loos but only their shame and degredation…..Meles and his supports have a lot to loose…they will loose it forever…..
When it comes to Amharas in particular, the Gambellas and Oromos, too, Meles is super quick to order the spraying of bullets indiscrimnately, the burning of forests with the animals intact, the use of snipers and launch incediary bombs with no second thoughts. Only the war theather in Eritrea and Somalia (his roots) have witnessed an animated and limited fire power. Finally, with the muslims uprisings he has found his match. He just can’t open fire on the muslims and keep on lying as usual. He does have no other support. The Saudis, the Sudanese and the rest of the muslim countries will take stand against him immediately. One bullet fired the next time, the beggining of a fire that will spread without an end for him. The coward who killed a beautiful country, the son of the devil who destroyed a country from amidst the sheepfold, is looking the end of his lifeline -g coming.
We all know that what Muslim Ethiopians go through affects all Africans heavily one way or the other. The Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and other religion leaders of Ethiopia need to once again proove to the enemies of Ethiopia that Ethiopians still are great believers in facilitating dialogues between religions in order to support each other in any endeavours.