A warning statement is issued calling authorities in Amhara region of Ethiopia to address five demands over burned Mosques in Motta or face a nationwide protest. However, Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council has dismissed that it does not recognize the demonstration called for December 27, 2019.
Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council has issued a warning on Thursday calling for Amhara regional state to address demands of the Muslim by January 1, 2010, or The Federal Muslim council will call a nationwide demonstration, according to a report by DW Amharic service.
The Council also extended appreciation to entities that acted to contain the problem and condemned the act of burning of Mosques in Motta Town, Gojjam, in western Ethiopia.
Amhara region Islamic Affairs Council has expressed support to the ultimatum of Ethiopia’s Islamic Affairs Council
Sheik Saed Mohammed Omar, President of Amhara Region Islamic Affairs, on his part said that he has disclosed to the government that damage has been caused to Mosques in Motta because of failure to take necessary caution, and that he fully supports the statement from Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Council, as reported by DW Amharic Service
Demands of the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council are:
1) The government to provide all necessary support to the Committee established to investigate the origin of the problem and the damage caused as a result of it.
2) To capture individuals and/or groups who were chanting and ranting in an outlandish manner after burning places of worship, and hold them legally responsible so that they get appropriate retribution
3) Indemnity be paid to individuals and organization who suffered damage to private property or in other forms
4) To rebuild all burned Mosques quickly so as to enable them to offer their daily services
5) To establish a committee capable of investigating problems Muslims in the region face and resolve them, and start acting soon.
Amhara regional government has disclosed that so far it has arrested about 33 suspects in connection with the incident in Motta.
On December 20, 2019, several Mosques were attacked in the town (at least three of them burned completely) after an ancient church in the town was burned.
As well, Muslim owned businesses were targeted during the attacks. At least 18 are reportedly destroyed. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has issued a statement immediately condemning the attack and expressing readiness to help the effort to bring perpetrators to justice.
There have been protests, in Jijiga for example, calling for perpetrators of the attack to be held responsible.
The Ethiopian government says that those who are engaged in the act of burning places of worship (dozens of churches have also been burned in this past year) are groups with political agenda of their own and their intention is to trigger religious-based clashes in the country.
Meanwhile, Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council said that the demonstration called for December 27, 2019 does not have a recognition, as reported by Fana Broadcasting Corporation.
Secretary of the Council, Haji Sheck Kassim Tajudin, said in a statement on Thursday that the demonstration called for Friday does not have a recognition from the Council and advised members of the muslim community to focus on their Friday prayers.
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