Statement of Interreligious Council of Ethiopia (Religious Fathers) on the current situation of Ethiopia
To the respected people of Ethiopia
First of all, we would like to condemn the killings that targeted innocent civilians throughout the country and to express our deep condolences for the victims.
We wish strength and courage for all the victims and their families.
In addition to that it is deeply saddened us that the violent conflict erupted between the Federal Government and the Tigray Regional Government.
We have tried to facilitate peaceful dialogue cession to bring together the two parties to prevent the violent conflict and our effort was not successful due to different reasons and that also saddened us.
When God/Creator creates human being, He has given great wisdom, intelligence and grace to recognize the past and future and to adjust its life system accordingly. We would like to remind you that war by its nature is distractive and destroyer. It is the worst option to resort to due to its human and economic cost. Especially, when brothers are fighting, no one comes out the winner.
Therefore, we urge you all (the Federal and Tigray regional states) to prioritize the safety of citizens and stability of the nation.
The following is our fatherly advice and message for all.
- Respected Federal and Tigray regional states, we strongly advise you to give priority for
the peace and stability of our country and we forward our call for an immediate cease fire
without any preconditions.
- Respected Prosperity and TPLF party Leaders, we would like to forward our call for a
dialogue between both of you and to give solutions for your political differences.
- Respected Religious Leaders in all level, we would like to forward our call to mediate
between two parties to bring peace and to remind you that the result of militant violent
conflict well be worst unless they solve it in peaceful dialogue.
- Respected Elders, Abba Geda’s (Traditional Leaders), Fathers, Mothers and Influential
people in the Society, we would like to forward our call for all of you to influence and
ply your role to do not escalate the violent conflict between brothers.
- Respected Media Groups, we would like to forward our call to you to understand that the
conflict is between brothers and to report the situation with utmost caution and with the
highest sense of responsibility.
- Beloved Ethiopian Youth Groups, we would like to forward our call to you to refrain
from using ways that will fuel the conflict.
- Respected Security personnel and commanders, we would like to forward our call to you
to handle the situation with wisdom and patience.
- Respected Social Media Activists, we would like to forward our call to you to work for
peace and stability instead of fueling the conflict on your reports/messages.
Finally, we would like to forward our call to all religious groups to pray and fast according to your faith, starting from November 5/2020 to a week to avoid the hate speech and evil spirit from our country which escalates the violent conflict.
May God bless Ethiopia and its Nation
Let be Peace for our Country!
4 November 2020
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Note: - The Statement was given by Amharic and translated into English by Adane Dechassa
Most Ethiopians claim as we are the choosen and blessed people. Although our history tells us otherwise. The period we had been free from conflict and recurrent natural disaster in our history is so limited, which as a result we remain the poorest country in the world, who depend on other support for our basic need like food security. Specially this year with severe flood, deseret locust invasion, the corona pandemic , the GRED conflict and unrest through the country and the horrible war we are in and anticipated severe draught and famine, can never be an indication of blessed people. Please let us hear our faith leaders and elders and pray if God might forgive us.
Our history tells us that our faith is always an important part of our political system however in the past 50 years we had have atheist leaders in Ethiopia we get rid of the Godless politicians and reconnect with God and our history God might forgive us let’s reconnect to humanity may God bless our people Amen
Praise the Lord for Godly people who care for their neighbour and give leadership towards peace.
Egypt finally manages to score against Ethiopia to stop the GERD. For 50 years Egypt gave weapons to Eritrea and Tigray to fight an unwinnable war. Ethiopia was totally destabilised and could not build GERD. Thousands died of war, hunger, famine, thirst. Ethiopia made peace with Eritrea. Egyptian weapons were abandoned. Trump backed Egypt against Ethiopia. Trump is a loser. Biden is pro Ethiopia. Kamala Harris is part Jamaican. Let Egypt try.
This mediation attempt was rejected by Rogoues and they vowed to dismember the nation unless give license again to rob, torture , kill and monopolize violence in this country.First of all they are Marxists and work day and night to creat Godless and evil system through robbery, mass killing and ethnic based hatred and killings. Their very history is rooted in hate, inferiority syndrom and worked for decades to undermine the Ethiopian peaceful nationhood. In the near future you will see mass graves , hidden prisons and sad stories as their near past legacies of this terrorist group. Better them to hand themselves to face justice than to cause further atrocities. I hope peacefull people in Mekelle and elsewhere get maximum support from our National Defense Forces. Eritrea Hub please stop from spreading false and exaggirated news. This one is better than many of your shocking exaggiration. We get no profit from lies exccept sin and distructin. Finally the thugs knows know God, No Country and nothing except their delusionary Gorrella life style in the 21 century. Long Live Peacefull Ethiopia and Her struggling and humble citizens.
The problem is that the lack understanding and separation political party from the people of Tigray this war could have been averted by winning the Tigrean people’s heart and by making meaningful political reforms but instead Abiy Ahmed advice the Ethiopia n people that to watch out for strangers chegury Leweat that is ethnic profiling and Right after that the attack and killing Tegaru started
And became close allies with the ruthless Isaias Afeworki and Abiy close his eyes and intentionally ignored the road closures from Addis to Tigray that hurts the people of Tigray not TLPF the people of Tigray received Abiy with their open arms at the beginning but they discovered that he was surrounded by people who have ill intentions towards the people of Tigray so the is the project of Isaias and Amhara elites don’t get me wrong TPLF has to go but not at the expenses of Tigaru and or with the heeding agenda of controlling and marginalising Tegaru Tegaru will pay any price keep their autonomy will never allowed be ruled by centralised Government
Good on religious leaders , I hope a politician listen to their advice stop this war immediately and open dialogue like they said, no body wins in a war between brothers god bless them. Blessed are the peace makers.
Tribalism is dead in Africa. Marxism without social capital is worthless. Look at the rise of China. A Somali friend of mine gave me a story that went like this.
A Chinese and Somali student with to university. Years after the Chinese invited his friend to his region. And said:
THIS SCHOOL I BUILT IT. SHOP FOR THE PEOPLE BUILT BY ME. HOSPITAL, HOUSES BUILT FOR THE PEOPLE. THIS SHOP MINE. THIS MANSION MINE.
Years later the Somali invited the Chinese to his region. And said:
THIS SCHOOL I BUILT IT. SHOP I BUILT IT. HOSPITAL, HOUSES, SHOPS, MANSIONS. MINE. EVERYTHING YOU SEE I S MINE.
The Chinese replied.
THAT IS NOT MARXISM, MY BROTHER. YOU SUPPOSED TO GIVE THE PEOPLE INFRASTRUCTURE AND TAKE A LITTLE FOR YOURSELF. NOT EVERYTHING.
First OK All, I would like to say thank you to faith leaders. But I would ask why you stopped the peace mediation while it is not finished and see the war going. A peace mediator must not stop until the peace is restored and not see the killings of brothers sitting in the same country. As a religious leaders, can you now sooth those civilian family, children who lost their mother and father, brother, villages and homes, and live in the jungle and exile? Can you see their eyes and preach in front of them about peace and reconcellation? If you have a healthy mind, you can’t do this.why? Because there was a peace process that you, az a respected religious leaders would do and remaining in front of God and even the humanity. You should go further, with out fear and leaning towards the words of the existing government. You should have decided not to see killings and any atrocity while you are in office. Trying to do redundant trials, or push such efforts with regional or international networks, etc could have been done if you decided to stop the war at heart. Sorry to say that your TTF ial was as only nominal and shallow that saved noon except becoming PP propoga da tools. Again religious leaders have not reached to save their members from death and be an arm to peace in Ethiopia.
To me the war is illigal, aimed to devastate Ti g ray, and to meet the robbing purpose of In say as plus Amhara elite plus the blind dream of the dictator Abiy to be a little king. Moreover, the behind the curtail objective of Arab muslims and westerners is also not to be forgotten. Unity without respecting self determination ethnic diversity, as shown in our constitution, is not accepted by Ethiopians. We demand this dictatorial and unelected burden gover mm ment to go and be replaced by an elected democratic and responsible government that does not deny its people and attack together with foreign troops. We need a government that do and dreams peace and development to its people and not a war crime and destitution to its country. We need a government that tell us truth and do what it speaks not a cheater, tell many lies, and kill always. We need not a criminal and Incapable of governance except cheating more than 110 million people and putting it at risk and suspecion. Alas…Ethiopians must be a trthfull citdzens before aspiring any development and reckncile with almighty God for their sins.
Yes aster. I appreciate and agree your ideas. But the conspiracies of Abiy and Isayas has not been told enough. They need undemocratic leadership and want to be in power either with out election or by cheating the election. We do not have any thing to learn from the dictator Isayas except bad governance and destitution.
Brothers, the key to peace and DVT is respecting the rights of the people and winning their mind first. Force on the people always spoil communication and is not needed. Therefore, the war must be stopped and negotiation started soon. Why is the Ethiopian and eriterian troops bombing Tigray? I do not think this is because of conducting election alone. TTF his must have something g related with the people of Tigray. Why Abiy, I says, And mhara eits need to devastate and kill tigrians? They are our brothers and sisters that big in Ethiopia as a nation. History cannot be hidden.We need them but could not get them if we fire bullets on them. When this is do e incollaboration with foriegn posed it only will be a ÇRIME and a GREAT DENIAL. Abiy was wrong in letting the war any should be presented in front of court.