N E G A S H I - OJ

We have read astonishing reportings about the incident in Jimma which was all started when fanatic Christians attempted to burn Mosques on the eve of “Mesqel” - Sept. 26, 2006 in three separate towns in Jimma zone. In one of these towns four Muslims were immediatly killed by automatic rifle right at the spot and many others were critically wounded. In the days that followed the situation got worse and the attack on Mosques spread to Illubabor and Wollega. That all resulted in further loss of lives and property. For Muslims the attacks had gone beyond their capacity to bear after sustaining various assaults on their religion and their interests for some 10 months non-stop.

During all these times, no one dared to even report what happened to Muslims let alone to issue statements of condemnation. Muslims have been calling for other religious, political and civil society groups to work with them and help stop the tide of attacks being perpetrated agains them before it gets late. Every one gave his/her deaf ears and blind eyes to these cries of Muslims - why to care as long as they are not touched, their values are safe and they are dominating and dictating!

Now, since what happened in Jimma, we have seen reportings flooding the net and the press. Various groups have also issued statements condemning the atrocities made against civilians. While such statements are to be welcome, they are disappointing for Muslims in that no one could feel their sufferings and pains for this long. Saddly when the same happened to them and the values they hold dear are touched, they wake up all of a sudden and run to issue statements and report happenings. Even now, not many dared to mention the damage inflicted on Muslims or wanted to go behind the real cause of the menace. As such these statements could only mean “I don’t care so long as I am not touched, my values are safe and I am dominating“.

Below are two statements made in conjuction to the incident:

• Read more: “I don’t care as long as I am not touched, my values are safe and I am dominating”

• A Mosque was attacked in Dire  Dawa, Muslims arrested!
• “Nothing new has happened which is not unusual” the governor of Axum told Muslims.
• Christians have continued with publishing partially-true and biased reportings on the incident in Jimma, Illubabor and Wollega - a Video is also being circulated.
• The well-known Oromiffa Menzuma composer, Raya Aba Mecha, is being sought by police, His no. 14 Audio Cassette has been prevented from sale.

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In a continued attack on Islam, Muslims and their values through out the country, a Mosque in Dire Dawa was attacked on the night of 24/10/06. In this latest incident, the attack was started when two Christians began attacking a Muslim who stood at the gate of the Mosque. The two were later joined by many others and they started to stone the Mosque. The Mosque sustained a significant damage where its doors and windows were broken.

• Read more: Attacking Muslims and their interest in Ethiopia has continued

Network of Ethiopian Muslims

Muslims in Axum, northern Ethiopia, were prevented by Christians of the town from preforming their Eid Prayer. Eid al-fitr is a culmination of Ramadhan and consists of among others congregational prayers. Eid was celebrated in Ethiopia as most in the Muslim world on the 23rd of October, 2006.

After receiving the above alert message, NEME contacted the office of the regional Supreme Council in Mekele hoping to get detailed information on the cause and extent of the incident. The representative at the office was however unwilling to shed any information beyond affirming the incident and suggesting to us to contact the administrationn in Axum. Its effort to reach its correspondents in the country was unsuccessful merely because of problem with tel. connection.

• Read more: Muslims prevented from performing Eid prayers!

Negashi OJ sends out its wish for a happy and joyfull Eid to all its visitors, Ethiopian Muslims and Muslims world wide. May Allah accept our fasting and all other good deeds and make the benefit we harvested during this month of Mercy long lasting. Amen!

Lets all remember though that despite the fasting month is over, our being God-Conscious has to continue.

___________

I have been away from the net for a number of days now. I checked my inbox only today and found it filled with messages carrying info. on the continued attack on Muslims in different parts of the country by fanatic Orthodox Christians, Protestant missionaries and their agents. The problem that kept me away from the net needs still some time to be solve. Please bear with me until I come back.

Negashi

Prof. Lapiso G. Dilbo

With the abundant information available on the net, with its explicit merit, we are confronted with difficulty to identify the real story from the falsehood - which one to believe and which one to deny? which one to hold and which one to reject? This has to some extent put us in a situation where we accept stories that are more likely close to what we (want to) believe in and not necessarily the real one. In cases where we ourselves are not part of that given story, the extent to be misled is high.

We have witnessed when fabricated stories taken as truth and moved the world. With the passage of time, however, their legitimacy fades away. As the saying goes “truth may become emaciated but never die”, no matter how a fabricated story is propagated, it will remain as “fabrication” and never come out as truth. It is possible that the fabricators harvest temporary benefits while others suffer from it. But eventually, truth will triumph.

Coming to my point, Ethiopian and Islam, fabrication of stories and propagating them as truth is not new to Ethiopian Muslims. At the top of all such false propaganda stood the claim that “Ethiopia was/is a Christian nation”. This false presentation of Ethiopia has misled the world. Unbeaten by factual data made available by well recognised institutions, there are many even today who carry and advance this false perception of Ethiopia and Ethiopians. It is an extension to this very idea that we see resonating on every report that discusses/reports religious issues in Ethiopia. It is not uncommen to read closing remarks as ”the predominantly Christian nation”, “mainly Christian Ethiopia”, …

• Read more: Criminalizing the true Victims of Criminal Acts - the Dembi Case

FM 96.3 hosted yesterday, 06.10.06 a live discussion on the attacks launched by Fanatic Christians on Mosques in various towns in Jimma and Illu-Aba Bora (Illubabor) zones and the subsequent retalatory action taken by the Muslims of the area. The discussion was re-broadcasted later in the night by the national Radio. Among the participants was the face of the “Ethiopian Islamic Supreme Council” Ato Elias Ridman.

• Read more: “Ethiopian Muslim news letters have to be shut down or put under its control” says the Majlis

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful the Compassionate!

Negashi OJ reported about the wave of attacks on Mosques in Southern Ethiopia - Jimma Zone. The violence that erupted after fanatic Christian “gangsters” attacked simultaneously three Mosques in three different towns and tried to burn them, had continued and costed the life of many and others had to be displaced. Nejashi had received the daily news on the days themselves. However because of technical problem it was not possible to publish them as they came in. Insha Allah, the complete account of the situation will soon be online.

In the mean time AFP reported on the situation. However, the report by AFP and its assertion (replicated across the net) that Muslims initiated the violence is far from the truth. The reporter’s deception and biasness is actually vivid from the same report when he/she claimed that “Orthodox Christians account for 60% of the 77m Ethiopian population” while the world knows only 35-40% of Ethiopian population are Christians, Orthodox and other denominations together. To read the full report click here.

• Read more: Attack on Mosques in South Ethiopia, Cont.