Ethiopian Muslims participated today in a massive nationwide demonstration
against measures taken by the government in Addis Ababa to limit religious
freedom. The protests took place everywhere across the country except the
capital, where demonstrations are banned because it will host next week’s
celebration of the 50
th anniversary of the African Union.
A crowd of protesters outside the Anawar mosque on July
15. Photo by our Observer, Aman.
Today’s protests are neither new nor surprising. Tens of thousands of
Ethiopian Muslims have demonstrated across the country, each Friday over the
last year, protesting the new government measures that have threatened their
freedoms. Their demands are not to establish a shari’a-compliant polity.
Rather, they seek a secular state according to the laws enshrined in the
constitution.
Since this government came to power in 1990, it has sought to control its
people by dividing them along ethnic and religious lines. More recently, it has
singled out Muslims, alleging they are influenced by radical elements seeking to
subvert the regime. In the name of security, the government has adopted various
measures to stifle their freedoms by forcing them to submit to the religious
leaders appointed by the government, as it did with the dominant Orthodox
Church. Hundreds of Muslims have been arrested, imprisoned, or even tortured.
In some cases, houses have been ransacked, and Qurans have been confiscated. The
charges include terrorism and attempting to establish Sharia law.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) in November
2012 expressed that it was “deeply concerned about the increasing deterioration
of religious freedoms for Muslims in Ethiopia.” USCIRF Commissioner Azizah
al-Hibri warned of ongoing “attempt(s) by the Ethiopian government to crush
opposition to its efforts to control the practice of religion by imposing on
Ethiopian Muslims a specific interpretation of Islam.”
Human Rights Watch further reports that authorities, responding to the
demonstrations each week, have arrested large numbers of protestors, many of
whom remain in detention. Several reports suggest the use of excessive force by
Ethiopian police. Journalists have largely been barred from reporting on these
events; many have been arrested for their coverage of the unrest.
Fortunately, the Ethiopian government has been unsuccessful dividing the
people. The strong historic relationship shared by the country’s Christians and
Muslims has made it difficult for the government to generate animosity, or even
mutual suspicion. But if the grievances of Muslims are not addressed, outside
actors may seek to exploit this fertile ground. The threat of radicalization —
even terrorism — could become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Prolonged civil strife
could plunge this country’s population of 80 million into unprecedented
instability.
*Dawit Giorgis, a former senior Ethiopian government official, is a
visiting fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
