EID SHOWS ETHIOPIA MUSLIM GRIEVANCES NAIROBI-KENYA

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  EID SHOWS ETHIOPIA MUSLIM GRIEVANCES NAIROBI-KENYA
  
  FRIDAY BULLETIN
  SHAWWAL 6, 1433 / AUGUST 24, 2012
  
  Ethiopian Muslims Have Used The Prayer Of Eid Al-Fitr, Which Crowns The End
  Of The Fasting Month Of Ramadan, To Express Anger At Government Interference
  In Their Religious Affairs.
  “The People Want The Majlis To Step Down” Chanted Thousands Of Muslim
  Worshipers Following The Prayers, Referring To The Umbrella Supreme Council Of
  Islamic Affairs.
  Nearly One Million Muslims Gathered At The Addis Ababa Stadium To Perform
  ‘Eid Prayers On Sunday, August 19.
  The Worshipers Used The Mass Prayers To Step Up Protest Against Government
  Attempts To Interfere In Their Religious Affairs. “Let Our Voices Be Heard”.
  “Free Our Representatives” And “Let’s Hold Majlis Election At Mosques” Were
  Among Slogans Chanted By The Worshipers.
  Similar Colorful Demonstration Also Took Place In Jimma And Adama In Oromia,
  And Dessie In Amhara Regional States.
  Muslims Accuse The Government Of Spearheading A Campaign In Collaboration
  With Majlis To Indoctrinate Their Community With The Ideology Of A Sect Called
  “Ahbash”.
  The Government Has Put The Ahbash In Charge Of The Religious Affairs Of
  Ethiopia’s Muslims.
  Muslims Say The Government Move In Violation Of The Constitution. Which
  Prevents The Government Interference In Religious Affairs.
  Muslims Also Accuse The Ahbash Of Launching An “Indoctrination Program”
  In Predominantly Muslim Areas, Forcing People To Attend “Religious Training”
  Camps Or Risk Police Interrogation And Possible Arrest.
  Prior To The Prayer, Muslim Worshipers Have Successfully Prevented Officials
  Of The Addis Ababa Islamic Affairs Council From Delivering Speeches By Shouting
  Aloud Takbira (Allahu Akbar) That Fully Dominated The Speech.
  It Was Customary In The Past Years For Federal And City Majlis Officials As Well
  As The Mayor Of The Addis Ababa City Government To Deliver Speeches Before
  ‘Eid Prayer.
  Ahead Of The Prayers, Activists Have Rallied To Mobilize Muslims To Protest
  Against Government Interference In Their Affairs. “The ‘Eid Al-Fitr Is An Important
  Occasion In Which We Shall Show The Government And The Nation That We
  Won’t Give Up On Our Legitimate Demands And We Are United In Our Cause,” Read
  A Message Posted On A Popular Facebook Page Called Dimtsachinyisema !
  (Let Our Voices Be Heard!).
  “We Shall Send A Strong Message For Our Government To Hear Our Collective
  Voices.”
  Last Week, The Human Rights Watch Called On The Ethiopian Government To
  Release Muslim Leaders Detained During Protests Against Interference In Relgious
  Affairs.
  The Ethiopian Government Should Address The Grievances Of Its Muslim Community
  Through Dialogue, Not Violence,”Ben Rawlence, Senior Africa Researcher At
  Human Rights Watch, Said In A Statement.
  “The Security Forces Should Be Upholding The Law, Not Breaking It.”