N E G A S H I - OJ

Ever since the Mekelle university attempted to implement the new regulation the Ministry of Education drafted with regard to religious practices in educational institutions, Ethiopian Muslims have given the issue highest priority and percieved as an a direct attempt to curtain their rights of education. The nation wide protest by Muslim students agains the measure taken by Mekelle University thereby the new regulation, forced the Ministry to seek feedback from the various communities of the various educational institutions.

Sources indicate that had the step taken by Mekelle university not met by strong opposition, the regulation was as good as final and was intented for immediate implementation. The Ministry had very much underestimated the reaction of the civil society to its initiatives.

The Muslim community has now taken upto itself to stop this measure widely received as an attempt to exclude Muslims from this basic and fundamental provision. Various discussions are under way on how to react to the situation. Representatives of Addis Ababa Majlis will meet the Minister tomorrow, Wednesday 30 January 2008.

The Diaspora Muslim community has also put itself at the forefront of this struggle. BADR International Ethiopian Muslims Federation has already setup a special Code Review Committee to follow up the case and to take all steps it deem necessary for the issue to get the attention of the country’s leadership. The committee is mandated to review the educational code and to prepare possible alternative arrengements.

Salafiya weekly NL published an article that assessed the difficulty Ethiopian Muslims have been facing in their quest to get educated and equip themselves with all what they need to help their people and their country. This quest has never been easy and even in the 21st century that status-quo is not showing fundamental change. To the surprise of all of us the Ministry of Education has lately issued a directive that shall put education beyond the reach of Muslims. The regulation oblige Muslims to change themselves. It intends even to introduce them to another form of worship - yehilena Tselot - denying them the right to exercise what prescribed in their religion.

Yes, Education has never been an open access to Muslims. Now it is becoming even harder. Salafiya takes us 100 years back and revisit the agony of being Muslim and Student at the same time. One can wonder then if, thank to the Ministry of Education, our history is to repeat itself. Read the Article - Enqifat Yalteleyew ye Muslimu yememar Mebit (1900-2000)

A conference organised by Addis Ababa Univeristy and Inter Africa Group, local NGO, discussed about “Tolerance” among Ethiopians. Some have admired it while others had to bleed of disappointment and frustration not knowing well what was it all about. An observer of the event forwarded us what he witnessed. Click here to read the Article (pdf).

Earlier the Reporter repoted on the event(Amharic) and even interviewd one of the organisors - Director of the Inter Africa Group(English). Ethiopia for Equality for Justice has the Report in English.

The Diaspora Ethiopian Muslim Community has been deliberating on the draft rule and regulation the Ethiopian Ministry of Education prepared and aspired to implement. BADR International Ethiopian Muslims Federation wrote earlier to the Prime Minister and expressed its concern on the document that seriously affects the right of citizens to freely exercise their religious and keep their cultural and historical values.

The Diaspora community joined hands with the local Muslim Community and students of Ethiopian educational institutions in their opposition to the intended regulation whose primary targets are Muslims and their values. To make this of their position clear, they issued a statement which you may access by clicking here (for text of the statement). You can also access the original scanned document from ethiopianmuslims.net or by clicking here.

Negashi OJ

Addis Ababa, January 9, 2008 (Addis Ababa) - Preparations have been underway to introduce and promote the “Nejashi Mosque”, one of the historical relics of Ethiopia in Tigray region, to the rest of the world, the Asehama Nejashi Culture and Education Center said.

It also said preparations have been finalized to celebrate the “Ashura” of the Millennium, a holyday of Muslims coming a month after Id Al Aldaha, on 18 Jan. 2007 on the premise of the mosque.

Center Director General, Mohamed Ahmed told ENA that the mosque is named after an Ethiopia king who welcomed Muslim refugees some 1,400 years ago.

Mohamed said the mosque, which is taken as a symbol of religious co-existence, is becoming one of the tourist attractions worldwide.

The deed of the king enabled Prophet Mohamed, who is the icon of Muslim history, to substantiate that Ethiopia is a country of brotherhood and sympathy, he said.

The king was also known to fight against corruption, which is the evil of the current heads of state and government worldwide.

The government of Ethiopia is striving to register the mosque as one of the world historical heritages, he said.

The center, established in 1990 E.C, has already received 110, 000 Sq. meters of land to build research and other facilities.

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Source: ENA

The Ethiopian decision to invade Somalia in December 2006 altered the balance of power in the Horn of Africa.

On 28 December 2006, they (Ethiopian Forces) helped government forces remove Islamists from the capital, Mogadishu, which they had controlled for six months.

The invasion has:

• Left Ethiopia bogged down in Somalia
• Forced around 600,000 Somalis to flee their homes, in what the UN has described as one of the worst humanitarian situations in Africa
• Brought the United States into the conflict, allied to Ethiopia
• Left Eritrea even more isolated from the international community and threatened with being declared a terrorist state by Washington.

Ethiopia in Somalia - One year On from BBC