Debre-Selam Kidist Mariam Ethiopian Orthodox Church priests in Washington DC threaten to sue Ethiopian Review over a statement from members of the Church (click here to read) that was posted on the web site a few days ago.
The DSK Mariam priests are currently facing angry members after reportedly announcing that they have placed the Church under the authority of Aba Gebremedhin (formerly known as Aba Paulos), who claims to be the patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
Aba Gebremedhin was a low ranking priest in Los Angeles before the Tigrean People Liberation Front (Woyanne) came to power in 1991. When the Woyanne overthrew the Derg regime, he went to Addis Ababa and had forcibly removed Patriarch Merkorios using the military powers of the Woyanne.
Abune Merkorios had escaped assassination attempts and managed to escape to Kenya, denying legitimacy to the Woyanne priest/cadre Aba Gebremedhin. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has a long-established rule that a new patriarch cannot be appointed while the incumbent patriarch is alive. The Catholic Church has a similar rule.
The only qualification Aba Gebremedhin has to claim that he is the patriarch is that he is from the same ethnic group as members and leaders of the ruling party — the Woyanne tribal group.
Aba Gebremedhin, who travels with an army of bodyguards, is facing a stiff resistence at home. He is determed to rule the Church by brute force no matter the cost. This gun-totting, self-proclaimed “patriarch” had once ordered one of his bodyguards to gun down a dissident priest inside a church in Addis Ababa. He has also eliminated several church scholars from the Church’s administration for not showing loyalty to him and Woyanne rulers.
Because of these reasons and more, Ethiopians inside the country and around the world do not accept the authority of Aba Gebremedhin as the leader of the Orthodox Church.
Reportedly, a heated controversy arose inside the DSK Mariam Church in Washington DC recently after the priests informed the church-goers that they have accepted Aba Gebremedhin as their patriarch. This has casued a great deal of anger and outrage among the church members. Ethiopian Review’s role in this was simply posting the statements issued by the church members.
Instead of hiring a law firm at a great cost and threatening Ethiopian Review, the DSK Mariam priests could simple have issued a statement telling their side of the story, if they believe that their members have no reason to be angry about. The unintended result of the threatening letter from their law firm is that now Ethiopian Review believes that the priests may have some thing to hide. We will try to find out the truth and make it public. If the DSK Mariam priests have no association what so ever with Aba Gebremedhin and his Woyanne criminal friends, they have no reason for concern.
Read the threatening letter from the law firm below (click here for pdf)
SOLOMON, MALECH & COHEN, P.C.
7910 WOODMONT AVENUE, SUITE 1430
BETHESDA, MARYLAND 20614
MATTHEW HERTZ, Esa.
PHONE: (301) 913-9004 * FAx: (301)913-0382
TO; Elias Kifle
FAX NO.: 202-449-5640
FROM: Matthew Hertz, Esq.
RE: DSK Mariam Ethiopian Orthodox Church
DATE: July 6, 2007
My firm has been retained by the DSK Mariam Ethiopian Orthodox Church to address concerns they have regarding vicious lies being spread about them both in print and on the radio. It is my desire to address these statements in a civil and cooperative environment so more drastic, litigious measures need not be taken. There are very serious accusations being levied by yourself and others and these statements are not only false, but could cause serious damage to be inflicted on the Church, and it is this damage I am attempting to avoid.
It is my understanding that certain statements have been made, incorrectly, associating the Church with various political factions and political points of view which are absolutely erroneous. These statements have led to confontations between the church and a small handful of its members and has now led to this false information being disseminated on the Internet where there is no telling how many people may read this information and assume it to be correct.
As an attorney and a defender of the United States Constitution, I would in no manner attempt to hamper anyone’s freedom of speech. This is one of the basic tenets of our country and should be protected at nearly any cost. However, freedom of speech does not entitle you to make statements that are lies, inflammatory or could lead to or encourage violence upon another. This is in fact what you are either doing, or heading towards doing with your statements, and they will not be tolerated.
I have advised the Church that they have several options at this point, the least of which is this letter requesting that all statements of this nature against the Church cease immediately, as well as an immediate withdrawal of any statements on any web site regarding this matter. Should this not happen within the next seven (7) business days, the Church may avail themselves of other options including but not limited to a lawsuit for libel, slander, injunctions against future statements, a request for financial damages as well as attorney fees.
I do not need to explain to you the cost or time that will be wasted by all parties if this matter proceeds beyond this stage. It is not in your best interest, nor the Church’s to continue beyond this letter, but the Church is prepared to do whatever it has to in order to preserve its own reputation, the image and reputation of its Priestess and the valued name of the Congregation.
I implore you to consider your next steps carefully and decide if it is really worth continuing the propagation of blatant lies in light of the consequences that can befall you should these statements continue in any form whether that be spoken or published.
I also direct that you do not contact anyone from the Church regarding these matters and direct all future communications to myself, in witing.
I look forward to your full cooperation and the end of this unnecessary ordeal.
Respectfully,
Matthew Hertz
CC:
Client