ESAT News
August 21, 2014
The ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) has prepared a new document which states that the extremism within the Orthodox and Protestant Churches has become a threat to the regime. The new strategy will be implemented in the Oromia and Amhara regions as of the next Ethiopian year.
Officials of the Amhara region, zone and Woreda officials that are suspected to be prone to extremism have discussed the document.
The audio and document evidences that some of the attending officials said to ESAT that the ruling Front is faced with problems that emanate from the groups that it dubbed “extremists”.
Discussion was also held in the presence of Sheikh Muhamed Hassen of the Amhara Region Islamic Affairs Council on the measures taken against “Muslim extremists”. Muhamed said “we are losing our Mosques to the extremists”. Another official asked the government to strengthen and empower the Council.
The Administration Public Relations Advisor, Desalgne Asrage and Anti-Riot and Anti-Terror Task Force Assistant Commissioner Desye Dejene have responded to the queries of the respondents. The Commissioner said a lot must be done in campaign to counter the dangers that could come from the extremism in the next general election. He also said that the work of fighting them is not left for the Mejlis but the government is ready to organise the people through its one to five structure and other step by step measures.
The discussion took over three hours, ESAT will present the ideas raised during the meeting as needed in the future.
The government has been saying that the Islamic Majlis election of 2005 has been held free from government influence and that it will not interfere in religious matters.