The Ethiopian Orthodox Church says allowing Muslims to hold Iftar in Revolution Square could threaten the harmonious co-existence b/n Muslims & Christians in Ethiopia. Says could lead to violence.

The sense of entitlement reflected here is deeply disturbing but not surprising. Revolution square, also called Meskel square, is Addis Ababa's main public plaza. Over the years, it hosted all kinds of political, cultural, and religious events. So why is the Church suddenly worried about Muslims holding Iftar there?

The cold-blooded murder of Sheikh Umar Suleyman, his wife and their three-month old child is a chilling reminder of just how dangerous Abiy Ahmed, and his PP clique have become to Oromos. For them, Oromo lives are not worthy of respect and consideration, as it has always been. Sheikh Umar is 70 years old. He is a highly regarded Muslim scholar in the area and someone who memorized the Qur’an completely. He is the Imam at the local mosque widely respected by his congregation and the local community. He is not involved in any sort of politics.

The campaign by the neo-neftegna corner against the Oromo quest for a dignified existence is coordinated from Minilik’s palace. Abiy is the “good Oromo” saving the empire from the Oromo, a nation whose longstanding demand for inclusion & justice has been dismissed as extreme. 1/7 A critical part of this strategy is to demonise the Oromo people & their institutions (OMN, OLF, OFC) as extremist, terrorist, uncivilised & barbaric. Subsequent Ethiopian govt’s policed, controlled, & persecuted people of the south and their ways of being and acting. 2/7

Thread:
Dear @1Lukex1, The claim that the Oromo language was banned from the public realm is not an opinion. It is an inviolate historical fact. Since you allege it is a lie concocted by Oromo nationalists, let us examine non-Oromo sources to clarify the historical record. 1/16

https://twitter.com/1Lukex1/status/1154501530738929664

In his article titled “Ethiopia’s Unacknowledged Problem: The Oromo”, Paul Baxter (1978) writes that “[Oromo language] was denied any official status and it was not permissible to publish, preach, teach or broadcast in Oromo.” (p. 288). 2/16

The point I made in my AJE article a few days ago didn't need proof but if you need one, here it is, ⬇️from no one but the public face of the Make Ethiopia Great Again (MEGA) warriors. I described Adwa as Ethiopia's finest hour and called for understanding and consensus.

https://twitter.com/eskinder_nega/status/1102552776691863552

MEGA warriors came out screaming "dishonest", "liar", a "Muslim", "tribal" etc. Unless we celebrate and glorify Minilik, man we hold responsible for the mass murder of our ancestors, we have no common ground. They believe they have privileged access to the Truth ...