Ethiopia: “Hands off our leader” Afar warriors warned Ethiopia’s minority junta
Despite
demonstration in tyrannized nation where adhering to Islam is becoming dangerous
and hedged with restrictions under the controversial anti- terrorism law, the
peaceful Islamic revolution is expanding and intensifying in Ethiopia much to
the Fr ustration of the ruling TPLF junta.
The
use of brute force as it was seen in the southern strategic city of Shashemene
on Friday March 15, 2013 during a nationwide strike is not bringing the desired
result of silencing the severly oppressed Ethiopians.
On
Tuesday 12 March 2013, the year-long struggle for religious freedom reached a
millstone when one of Ethiopia’s colorful Muslim tribes, the Afar, officially
joined the national movment.
After
rumors spread like wild fire that the minority junta of Ethiopia was amassing
troops near the key desert town of Semera, the principal center of Islamic
learning and propagation, to arrest Afar’s most venerated religious leader, the
honorable sheik Mohammed Awal Hayytan, the battle hardened traditional Afar
warriors blocked the high way between the port of Djibouti and Ethiopia in
peaceful protest on Tuesday afternon 12 March 2013 and again on Wednesday,
triggering panic in Addis Ababa and other parts of Ethiopia.
According
to eye witnesses, hundreds of stranded heavy tracks were allowed to leave the
Afar towns of Mille and Adaitu on Wednesday evening without a shot being fired.
But the situation remains tense.
“Sheik
Mohammed Awal Hayytan is not a firebrand cleric with extremist views. He is a
peaceable, gentle and modest preacher who always calls on all Ethiopians to
unite. Ethiopiawenet had been synonymoys with generation of Afar clerics and
sheik Hayytan is no different. Unfortunately talking about Ethiopiawenet is a
crime punishable by death under the current brutal ruling junta. That is why
they want his head on silver platter.” The wanted Clerics’ aide who described
himself as Ali told reporters in Addis Ababa.
Asked
about the sort of agreement reached with the ruling minority junta which led to
the opening of the high way Ali replied by saying that he will only divulge the
detail after Wednesday 20 March 2012 follow up discussion between the TPLF
warlords and Afar elders in the town of Semera.
In
addition Ali denied rumors that the beloved cleric had already fled to Saudi
Arabia via Eritrea and assured all concerned that he is in Semera fulfilling his
duties both as leader and religious elder.
“He
will never leave his people and his people will never allow TPLF forces to go in
and arrest an innocent man at gun point. What is his crime?”
