Attempting Inter-Religious Conflict in Ethiopia Will Ever Be Futile

Ethiopia is a multiethnic nation endowed with diversified culture, language and religions. The Ethiopians peaceful coexistence, which traces back for millennia, is deep-rooted to their intermarriage among inter-ethnic groups, cultural practices, and religious values of all types.

The majority of Ethiopians are generally known for their religious beliefs, guided by respective religious values. Christianity and Islam have coexisted in Ethiopia for centuries. The violent incident incited in Gondar City, on 26 April, 2022 was bent on creating inter-religious conflict between Christianity and Islam religions and destabilize the whole nation.

Since the introduction of Christianity and Islam in Ethiopia, Christians and Muslims have coexisted peacefully. To many countries across the world up to today, Ethiopia has consistently remained a citadel of religious coexistence and tolerance well known to the entire world.

The unfortunate violence in Gondar is supported by some groups under the cover of religion–viz. religious fanatics and extremists, both from within and outside of the country. The attempt is bent on fueling inter-religious conflict in Ethiopia. The terrorist TPLF and clandestine forces may have plotted against triggering a religious war between Christians and Muslims, taking the historical city of Gondar known for its religious coexistence and tolerance, as their launching pad to further destabilize the country.

Over the last four years, extremists have been mixing faith-based and ethnic conspiracies to destabilize and drag the country into ethnic-based principalities with the assistance from countries that wish to see the total destruction of the social fabric in the Ethiopian public.

Some forces who have witnessed the different ethnic groups and religious followers that have coexisted for centuries have shot the last bullets to test if they could easily destabilize the entire nation. The conspiracy crosses further than Gondar, even beyond Ethiopia.

Anyone who have visited Ethiopia or read about short account of the country can realize the degree to which the social and religious coexistence of the various religious and ethnic groups have coexisted throughout millennia. The cultural assets and social fabrics of Ethiopia, which are based on strong solidarity and bondage, have endured to this date.

Anyone who have visited Ethiopia or read about short account of the country can realize the degree to which the social and religious coexistence of the various religious and ethnic groups have coexisted throughout millennia. The cultural assets and social fabrics of Ethiopia, which are based on strong solidarity and bondage, have endured to this date.

Over the years, the enemies of Ethiopia, from within and abroad, have made futile attempts  to destabilize the country to break off the religious coexistence among the faithful of different religions in Ethiopia, particularly, Christians and Muslims.

Ethiopians value most their religious beliefs, historical bondage and cultural relations that have developed over thousands of years. The aforementioned tragic incident that took place in Gondar City demonstrated how the enemies of this country are at the last ditch of their conspiracy against Ethiopia. Some forces that are defeated at the war fronts in every direction are now shifting from inciting ethnic conflicts to triggering religious conflicts for their political motives of trying to regain what they have lost in battle.

Eye witnesses on the spot noted that despite the tragic situation, the Muslims in Gondar provided protection and sheltered Christians in mosques; Christians also provided protection for Muslims in the nearby churches. The residents of Gondar immediately responded to the situation by organizing a mammoth meeting at city level and vowed to do their part in bringing the perpetrators to the court of law. Already, those who masterminded the riots are being rounded up with the support from the public in the town.

The conflict that started after a burial ceremony for a renown sheik in Gondar has resulted in human deaths and destruction of  properties. The incident was intentionally perpetrated  to escalate the conflict to other towns. It is noted that the conspiracies that were hatched against Ethiopia are all well organized by foreign and local forces. The is evident by the recent attempt of Al-Shabab to conduct terrorist activities in Addis Ababa, which was aborted by the Ethiopian Security Services.

It is interesting to note that terrorist TPLF who was burning down mosques and churches in Amhara and Afar and who have defied the holy places in Afar by drinking alcohol in mosques, killing priests and sheiks are now trying to use the situation for their propaganda of falsehood. Terrorist TPLF which has vividly shown its disrespect both for Christianity and Islam have vandalized and looted Waldiba Monastery, killing priests while it also destroyed parts of the Al-Nejashi Mosque in Tigray. This terrorist organization, a major culprit in in anti-religion stance in Ethiopia has no moral standard to try to use what happened in Gondar as a tool for its propaganda war on the people and government of Ethiopia.

It is interesting to note that terrorist TPLF who was burning down mosques and churches in Amhara and Afar and who have defied the holy places in Afar by drinking alcohol in mosques, killing priests and sheiks are now trying to use the situation for their propaganda of falsehood.

Terrorist TPLF which has vividly shown its disrespect both for Christianity and Islam have vandalized and looted Waldiba Monastery, killing priests while it also destroyed parts of the Al-Nejashi Mosque in Tigray. This terrorist organization, a major culprit in its anti-religion stance in Ethiopia has no moral standard to try to use what happened in Gondar as a tool for its propaganda war on the people and government of Ethiopia.

One may ask a question on why the enemies of Ethiopia have now chosen to trigger religious conflict in the country. Ethiopians, irrespective of what religion they follow are very sensitive to their religious values and norms and would not allow any level of trampling with their religious institutions and beliefs. Those who are busy trying to destroy the country and its religious values are well aware of this and would use every opportunity to ignite religious based conflicts.

The adversaries of Ethiopia thought that now is the best time to use religious differences among the people of Ethiopia and spread it across the country, to incite a national level religious chaos. However, it must be clear that this country will never be balkanized based on religious differences; the people of Ethiopia will never allow this to happen. Attempting inter-religious conflict in Ethiopia will ever remain futile.

Source:  Ethiopia News Agency