The tolerance among religions in Ethiopian
Tesfaye Lemma
Christians throughout the country have celebrated their Easter, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In fact, this holiday marked among Orthodox believers in many countries including Egypt, Armenia and Russia.
Fathers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church and evangelical churches gave blessings and benedictions to the faithful and pride for peace and progress in the country. Peace, hope and love is what Ethiopians have been enjoying since time immemorial that all religions coexist peacefully.
Unlike other countries in the world, Ethiopians have been enjoying harmonious cooperation among different religions. Christians and Muslims usually share their happiness and sorrow. Whenever Christians celebrate their holidays, their Muslim brothers enjoy together and vise-verse. Ethiopians are well known for religious peaceful coexistence.
Since time immemorial, Christians and Muslims in Ethiopia have a strong bond, tolerance and love to one another.
It is a recent history, some three decades ago, Ethiopia was one of the countries where freedom of religion was at an impediment as the then ideology stuck to one nation; one religion.
As a result, people were deprived of their religious rights and they were forbidden to gather in their religious institutions so as to perform their religious duties.
In fact, that absolute imposition has altered since the past two decades. Religious imposition is relegated to the limbo of history at the moment. Ethiopians have now managed to enjoy their respective religion without any interference in accordance to the constitution, which guaranteed the people the right to follow any religion upon their preferences.
With so diversified religions, believers of various religions coexist peacefully with mutual respect, love and sympathy to one another in the populous country consisting of 76 nations, nationalities and peoples accredited by the Council of House of Federation.
Some analysts argue that intermarried Ethiopians work and live together. They never wrangle and rush to conflict whenever they face any negative religious tones. Rather they solve their problems together as they usually give precedence to peaceful co-existence considering their differences as their beauty, which was manifested even during the past regimes while religious freedom was at a trouble.
While religious differences are causing havoc around the world, Ethiopians have been living peacefully with respect and love to one another and the country has sustained its exemplary virtue in religious endurance.
This doesn’t mean there is no problem being ignited under the pretext of religion. Some groups have been attempting to destabilize Ethiopia under the guise of religion .They have been exerting unreserved elbow grease to export religious conflicts to the peaceful country.
Despite various poisoning attempts, citizens have been living side by side. In fact, it is impossible to separate the socially bonded Ethiopians using religion as a smoke screen. No matter hard the enemies have been attempting to drive wedges among the people, it is impossible for them to change the mindset of the people as religious tolerance has already become a norm among them.
In the not distant past, there were some signs and attempts to foment religious conflicts in the country; thereby, using religion as a pretext for political consumption. However, the recent ill practices initiated by different groups have not really affected their long lasting permissiveness.
Previously, these groups attempted hard to bring the Christians and Muslims to a confrontation. They trained some youngsters and let them go to Churches dressing in Muslim clothes and others to disturb mosques wearing Christian clothes.
However, at the beginning there were some confusions, the people took no time to comprehend their ill motives and gave them no space.
In recent years, some extremists have also attempted to misled a number of youngsters and used them as an instrument to carry out their hidden political agenda; thereby, to erode the religious freedom guaranteed to Ethiopians by the constitution.
The entire population, religious fathers and leaders have also witnessed that religious freedom is respected in Ethiopia. The rights to perform religious duties freely is guaranteed and practiced in the past twenty five years. The heinous motives of these anti-peace groups usually fall through thanks to the strong belief of the people to religious tolerance and peaceful existence.
While religious differences are causing havoc around the world, Ethiopians have been living peacefully with respects and love to one another despite the venom of some groups who have been attempting to destabilize the country under the pretext of religion. These groups include chauvinists, rent collectors, extremists and other politically motivated individuals who have been attempting to poison the long lasting peaceful coexistence of the Ethiopian people and jeopardize the fast economic development of the country under the pretext of religion.
These groups have been exerting unreserved efforts to create conflicts among religions and even within religions. Some ten years ago they worked hard to bring the Christians and Muslims to a confrontation. They trained some youngsters and let them to go to churches wearing Muslims clothes and others attempted to disturb mosques wearing Christian clothes; intentionally made by some politically motivated groups who don’t want to see peaceful and developed Ethiopia.
Recently, some extremists have also attempted to lead the Muslim community into bloodshed. They have worked to mislead the people under the pretext of religion to carry out their hidden political agenda and to erode the religious freedom the constitution guaranteed to citizens.
Religious fathers confirmed that the freedom of all religious people to freely perform their religious duties is already respected. But there is a hidden agenda behind the curtains which is destabilizing the country and jeopardize its development efforts. The group, in one or another reason felt discomfort in Ethiopia’s development and stability used the religion as a pretense.
However, the people have strong belief of tolerance and peaceful existence. Religious leaders have also a significant role in bringing peace to this country if they have enough commitment.
In fact, it is essential to comprehend the capability and need to back them towards working together for peace. All religions have religious duty to promote peace, love and hope. They could meaningfully advocate tolerance mutual respect and sympathy among people.
This will be possible under an environment where religious freedom is guaranteed. Although religions have the responsibility to work hard for peace, there are many other stakeholders: the government, political parties, peace institutions and the public at large. They share their part for the thriving of lasting peace and end of conflicts and wars in every corner of the world.
Religious fathers and leaders as well as the entire public however play the significant role in creating stability and peace. The implication is the fact that people consider any religious order for granted.
That is why extremists, chauvinists and rent seekers exerted unreserved effort to use religion as a pretext for their hidden agenda in contrary to what any religion preaches. However, religion is one of the crucial segments in any religious tasks.
However, this existed notion must be sustained and strengthened further. Every religion has religious duty of sustaining and promoting peace, love and hope among followers. As religions have an indispensable role in realizing lasting peace, the faithful have to work in collaboration with other stakeholders like the government and political parties for the thriving of lasting peace and end of conflicts.