is generally fine and to say daytime sunshine rains coming in to southern portugal, trying to get into western island. but no. where else are usual weather for west africa, particularly for western sahara martini now moved into our tyria morocco. that rain has been reco. breaking place, isn't it still there? and then the wind, the har mattson, is quite strong, picking up both the dust and the sand. ah. the tough times, the man tough question. what exactly are you asking for you? what troops on the ground? rigorous debate, we challenge conventional wisdom racism is some deeply entrenched in the country that is identified with america. so when you challenge racism, it looks as if you're challenging american and demand the truth. there is no serious discussion about this because it goes to the very root of who we are up front with me, mark lamb on hill one out there. if you will be as influential orthodox church is

facing a crisis that sparked weeks of unrest. it began after rebel bishops formed their own assembly in romeo region. the government has restricted social media and band protests. but is that enough? this is inside stored. ah. hello and welcome to the program. i'm hammer, jim, john, ethiopia, as orthodox tele, hendo church is one of the largest and oldest in africa, but a split within its ranks last month lead to weeks of unrest, divisions, and restrictions for social media users. and the fallout could still have ramifications for the church itself and the country. we have a lot to discuss with our guests, but 1st this report from katya lopez. what do you ah,

the scenes of the united ethiopian orthodox church after weeks of tension and unrest? visuals like this one in a des, ababa, or a show of strength for one of the oldest christian bodies in the world. the crisis began when a group of rebel bishops created their own assembly and or am i a regional saying they faced discrimination under the church's current system. they say their culture and language has been consistently ignored by the religious hierarchy. accusations, the church leaders have denied a set of romo archbishops and bishops who broke away from the orthodox church. and then the aroma regional government was actually i'm helping those brinkley bishops, essentially i take over the dd orthodox church and, and, and put their people in in place violent protest, father between supporters on both sides and security forces. the church says at least 30 people have been killed in

a week and access the social media has been widely restricted on prime minister abbey arc med has asked his ministers to stay out of the dispute. the government issued a ban on church. let demonstrations met to oppose the break away movement. but religious leaders describe that move as a decoration to destroy the church. this is a really difficult situation for the prime minister. his political base of being in power has primarily been between the aroma, which is the ethnic group. he comes from an, an ethiopian a largest ethnic group, and the em horror. ah, ah, we, which has dominated the ethiopian orthodox church. ha, with more than $36000000.00 followers, the feel be an orthodox church has been around for centuries, with vast religious cultural and political influence. for now tensions have the escalated but for their divisions may fuel more conflicts that threat to extend well beyond the church. katia lopez,

leon. now jose here as katya mentioned, the ethiopian orthodox church has been around for a long time. christianity was introduced to ethiopia in the 4th century that shortly before it arrived in england. the church has between 36 and 49000000 followers and represents about 43 percent of ethiopia as population. but many young christians have become protestants, a denomination they feel as more accommodating of ethiopia as diverse culture. ah, all right, let's go and bring in our guests in dallas, texas father l. m a year, who desta a priest at the holy trinity ethiopian orthodox church to i had a church in copenhagen, a rager, gitane theologians specializing in ethiopia as extensive religious groups. and in charlotte, north carolina, to withdraw as tier fe chairman of the m horror association of america. a warm welcome to you all and thanks so much for joining us today on inside. sorry,

father ella, my yahoo! let me start with you to day these rebel bishops created their own assembly in romeo region. why did that cause such a crisis? and what was the initial response from the church? when was a thank you for having me. first, why they have done is babies can the trans grace, very basic, and most important aspect of the church cannon and one of its sacraments, which is a sacramento priesthood. ah, by appointing bishops, without having the appropriate authority. what they have done is a precedent or to disintegrate. they changed according to the origin and stay at the church. this point was basically to denounce it in the 1st place. and then he's wondering,

is that what he quoted all the bishops within the country and from abroad to come to the country for an emergency meeting. so tiny that took 4 days my guess with meeting took for this for this was also important because it was time for these renegade individuals to consider the role that they have done that that could lead to do he among the faithful at, based on that ethnic rhetoric that is really much made up and so they have had that only one person among the ones that they need to have appointed and apologized for their own being. but notice of a met. so that's what the church and he found responsibility for additional stations before it's excommunicated. this individual is

a rigor. are there other reasons that are underlying all of this that have caused this split in the orthodox church? and if so, what are they actually the keys? and i'm curious that even though it's not there, but there are options for a, from the church, the former 3 because tried to appoint their own because and consecrated microsecond leg. and the generation for this has been a political motivation in order to advance the all my projects, if your function of power by the current prime minister of a young man, if you will. so this movement has been inspected into 1000 and we should try to establish on if you do not have an installation administrative packet in on the out of all they are in the order. i did not know it

was to do my unit and to break up the date, you could just cuz i mean on the 2nd to advise me on a project which is where am i doing poorly? so for me, the me motivation for this is policy got to my group for example, in teaching my language is not true because the church is and if it's legal and the competition, for example, come on, we've got all of these people must buy their own language so there is a preaching and in figuring out, you know, in other words, even if, if you go to the south. so the language issue is another in order to mobilize, keep them behind or, um, i think the company and bring it to do that. i

know that and so let is of in the that so it was a rigor there was just talking about a the language issue, which is something that's coming up a lot in this dispute. and there are clerics that are accusing the main church of ethnic discrimination. is this language issue at the heart of that? the language issue is really a whole black map, the, the real intent of individuals, but not just these individual individuals have the support of prime minister, be a 100 and also the president or the president of the, the ultimate goal, really of the individuals and many of those in the state apparatus is to establish an romeo republic in order for them to do that, they must remove all semblance of from the region including european, wider church as were just previously stated by

the other. the ethiopian of orthodox, why the church provide teaching in multiple languages in a hurry or leading life, including english. i myself taught sunday school a youthful and the local and that's why the church, the curriculum was in english and i taught those lessons in english. so the individuals are not acting on their own, they are acting well the best course of comment to be a 100. and depending on the region schuman this, after the individuals who have been excommunicated, since it's claiming to have, or de bishops and other p on january 22nd. what followed really was the killing of over 35 followers of the ethiopian orthodox

church. the arrest a dozen of if you open orthodox followers, be a rich and will arrest the and the also exactly bishops from the diocese, the earlier regions and also with the support of the security forces. d, individuals took over the churches that belonged to the you open docs church. so this is they take over the open orthodox, the why do church property? these individuals are not acting on their own. this is not, this is an attack to get your ducks church by the state apparatus. and one thing i would like out also, and i say that they are part of the template of you from the region. the, the almost special forces with joint operation of your liberation army have killed tens of thousands of m r and other non. busy urls and ethnically moves over 1000000

miles from the earlier regions. these matters that have been ethnically says are not just christy, but they are predominantly muslim r as well. so this is really the ultimate goal, and it is really critically important that the international community pay attention to this crisis. they condemn the actions of prime minister abby and presidential melissa. there are many tools of the international community can use to really hold the individuals responsible. and i hope the international community can around one thing you mentioned before, and one thing the tailored roses mentioning was the word politics and political motivations. you know, prime minister had entered into this dispute when he called for rivals to engage in dialogue and reportedly said that both sides had their own truths in this dispute. that is something that has sparked outrage. i want to ask you, why is that? primarily because miss robin is from the aroma community, is the belief that he is supporting these rebel bishops. actually,

that speech was the main reason for the reasons to kill initiative because he just to compare to just reach out. and the functions are individual plan is that he just got him. it's protected by the condition where the government, including the prime minister, is supporting the options because that for all, and he's not wanting the order. but by saying if you're out on the and i think that's cool and he's trying to get there are become you from the catch point of view. they don't know. you know, there is one of the one feeling and that's really close on the people. if you're on the final or so, these are going to be including the on. if you see the people who are here, most of them are all from you. can you girl?

that's really it was chris. so there isn't a lot of them and these are kind of who did it by which not, excuse me, in order to define what i'm going to be in order to divide, the few not, i think is more committed politic. i'm in an hour later, the key conduct sheet and me fix the end of this problem. that means the problem created by the government and know they're paying the to buy them. suddenly it is very simple. the problem is when i load the carriage problem in time 90, it's 133 to interpreting the church just in time because it hasn't come on. you can reach me. but can, can, can be handy for me to, because i'm living in order for it is american. you know, the government,

you know, one is going to the end of the they, they prepared to keep it or use it. they will be on this problem is there is no problem with you. not only happening father. the maya, who the church is accused the government of interfering in its affairs. where do things stand right now between the church and between the government of prime minister robert? at times when i was after the prime minister, i made the speak to you just refreshed the charge father's delegation of the shops . i have met with the prime minister on friday and the prime minister be, according to the statements made by the holy scene on the prime minister,

acknowledged it all the church was tennis and agreed to solve the problem. but since then, the massive massive detentions advertise the tensions continuing and right after the meeting between the prime minister and the delegation of bishops. tremendous had this printed out of the region. he said that he's going to continue with full force while he has visited the force of the church so that that's where it starts really and go back to the prime minister's speech. it seems that he has forgotten that if you can, orthodox church is an entity that has punished additional, right, or legal protection against any entity that compromises its principles and it's put for existence. and one of the things that he had not mentioned. first of all, it took at least

a week before he added his issue. and when he addressed it, not only did he make equivalency between the on this, you know, then they're gonna get groups as my colleague already mention they. he also didn't mention our ad chose not to mention the math and we tried the patients and the breaking of the church property. and so before his speech and he speaks the same thing after he has met with the imprisonment that arbitrary dictation actually has continued. and as we speak, even today, a street has been approved for for night just for a bit, pedestrian social. and i don't remember in recent times

when pedestrians were restricted on passing through a certain regions. and there are some church social where the faith will have not been. and now that 20 for worship and want to sunday morning is there a particular is men what day. and so they are, these are just between have a m and a to change. now in one of the church that's one day and i think that's in the center of ad is people who started willing to check for it because they were regular. i find it and so they were security guards are starting at a standing at the church and are forcing them back. so divinely tell you to wish it will be conducted without the phone attendance. and what's happening is really shameful. that's where it stands right. it, there are reports,

the prime minister are b may meet with patriarch or do you think this is going to happen? and if so, will it, will it help to de escalate the situation? in order to get to the escalator situation, while prime minister abbey needs to do immediately is to release all the prisoners that he has arrested. to safeguard the, the bishops that have been picked out from the earlier region and allow them to return to their church diety and not to resume the service, to stop the restriction of movement of individuals and also the internet and other social media. restricted. before meeting the pressure, there are many things that the prime minister. but this is not only what you know, this is not only the responsibility of the prime minister. you know, parliament needs to understand that they have

a responsibility here and they have an obligation. they really need to come and understand the gravity of the situation and quickly to remove, administer, abby, and establish a transitional government and prepare the country to hold that should wash it for all because the previous election that gave a 105 years of additional license and power was really a far selections, and if they do not do this, we were concerned that the country will continue to detroit. and we cannot have a touchy over 110000000 people become a failed state. this has implications not only to the horn of africa, but part of africa, the middle east europe, and including the united states. and that's why we're asking the international community to quickly and provide for a support to the not only to the open or production church, but also to all europeans. i cannot understand how serious this issue is. and this

issue really is, is a creation of prime minister abbey, consult a reg, as i understand it, there was a similar dispute that grip the church in 2019. how was that solved and who was involved in mediating that? yeah, this movement was started immediately when the prime minister departing. and when they created on the question with solid by all the people who and, and they were, should be the individual in order to come back to their character. and this was the problem in time, not usually they ended up one of the caps for one of them is by incorporating about knowing your check in and out of now become a member of the church administrative structure. when the in the article kind of

pricing, we either just, for example, mostly in protest in order to divide the judge has been by that when you come next monday and the prime minister. so that it is a very, very amazing not just for the people by their own language, support them a 3 before they never sat there, for example, or preaching just in our own. and they made a comment that jobs. but before, in the, in the pony, if you don't get out by all means for example, i want to not, not in but be for one of the folks then in order in order to get, even though that appointed be trucks. you know, they never did this either, not at all. so they just used to buy it as through and in order to do the check to

be put back, they were a member of the what they come out on a q. we want in order to protect, create other folks and even other before was able to start using it to me. so we can hear you come along when he's not getting a good the with the character, for example, just the now what is lacking for me. but what bridging for, even for science vision and taking the church money that comes to you know, come numbers, way of the way, what's the under? so this is never been a problem for your end. there are so many books. we only know we can, we can leave and fund them to me. so this woman is simply supported by the government, the government in the federal government, in order to get the point. this is not always for the upgrade. you

know, the must have you spoken to in so much for many is our way of being not, not played to the my right regardless. i'm sorry to interrupt you. we're just starting to run out of time. father, who right now the reports are that access, social media has been widely restricted. there are fears that there might be a complete internet shut down in the coming days. how concerned are you that this might happen and what the fall out from that might be i'm very much concerned because even with the word watching right now, a government is pending with full force with arbitrary dictations. and if there is a blackout, if we sit, which is really an attempt to collect

a disguise or to hide what's happening in the country, i'm afraid that the destruction well i feel my life and to the property of the church is going to be seriously. apostrophe, and that's what we see really every day happening by the way, that the killing stuff happened in. casually, i normally a region was not a killing one for testers. that's what persisting on the street. the shooting was. i mean, i was often on the 5th for that gathered in the church. so all of those dad is 72 because is what i have heard. i were in the church compound that opening fire on the fence industry comp on that. and if a government is really capable of doing this, i imagine what they would do when there's going to be a mass protest on the streets. and so the big question is really that that is an

attempt to hide what they're doing and, and the killings and the patients and the destruction is going to be catastrophic. this bill county really 1st the government intention to destroy one of the oldest and most historic sanity on eric. and i don't think it could be watching silently. father le, let me just follow up, but we only have a couple of minutes left us. if i could ask you just just quickly, if there are more divisions going forward, i mean, we're talking about the fact that you're worried there could be a catastrophe or catastrophic consequences if there are more divisions going forward. do you believe that could fuel more conflict and could it extend beyond the church a it even before before we got into this, there has been already a leaks in different parts of the country. and then what is happening in the case

now, which is a crisis that is government made, it is making things worse, a race and language has never been an issue in the church. you know, one of the most important aspects of peace and stability is the preservation of institutions that had the bedrock of the one on it. and that's because you want to or to that still have to change it has been and that's what they are destroying. and trying to do to i have this ethnic patients that causing it. so it definitely is going to ask you outside of the orthodox church. and there are many muslim and persistent rather than very much concerned about what's going on. and that's a really, i guess the government and i would like to mention here also that in this effort to

destroy the change, those that have been detained for, for the most part of the case i was in the army or region and who were preaching and conducting church service in one week, what we see from the absence of the security governments and from some testimonials, um, as those who have been afflicted with this crisis is that there has been an indoctrination of hey, i get the check and that's what we see. and definitely going to be out of the check and make a note the horn of africa. all right, we have run out of time, so we're going to have to leave the conversation there. thanks so much. all our guests father. lemme who does just a regular guitar and to address and thank you for watching. you can see the program again any time visiting our website or 0 dot com. and further discussion to go to

our facebook page at facebook dot com forward slash ha inside story. you can also join the conversation on twitter or handle is at ha, inside story for me, mohammed from jerome and a whole team here in doha bye for now. a ah. the small town in the river valley, with its breathtaking scenery and high altitude is a renowned athletics hob. here you'll find athletes known for middle and long distance running. many have worn numerous awards and gold medals. yet,

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