ETHIOPIA: Amidst Escalating Ethiopia’s Tigray Conflict AMECEA Bishops Appeal for Peaceful Dialogue
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
The Prelates from the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) have expressed concern following the ongoing fight between Ethiopia’s Federal Government troops and the Tigray forces, calling on the people of Ethiopia to have peaceful dialogue to end the disagreements.
In a statement addressed to the President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Ethiopia (CBCE) and Archbishop of Addis Ababa, the AMECEA bishops unite with Pope Francis in asking the stakeholders to stop intensifying the conflict.
“We join hands with the Holy Father Pope Francis and you our brother Bishops in Ethiopia in appealing to the Federal Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) to stop fueling this conflict by military operations and accusing each other for the deadly events that are happening,” reads in part the statement signed by AMECEA chairman Bishop Charles Kasonde.
“We too condemn the use of military power as it will only transform the conflict into civil war, making the beautiful country of Ethiopia to become more destabilized. Instead, we appeal for peaceful dialogue,” the statement reads further.
Chairman of AMECEA Bishop Kasonde of Zambia’s Solwezi Diocese has pleaded on behalf of the bishops for the need of Ethiopia government to speed up the negotiation process lest the conflict leads to damage of more property, more injuries to citizens and more deaths.
“Although we believe that there is still hope that this conflict can be resolved peacefully and avoid turning this conflict into a civil war, we are aware that this can only happen if there is political will for negotiation for a peaceful solution,” the Bishop chair noted in the statement dated Friday, November, 13.
He added, “Without quickly doing so, this discord between the Federal Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front in a political landscape which is already characterized by ethnic alliances is likely to result into more casualties on the troops, more blood shade among the civilians, destruction of properties and displacement of millions of the people.”
Speaking at St. Peter’s square in Vatican, Rome, after the Angelus prayer on Sunday, November 8, Pope Francis said, “I am following with concern the news arriving from Ethiopia.”
“While I urge that the temptation of an armed conflict be rejected, I invite everyone to prayer and to fraternal respect, to dialogue and to a peaceful end to the disagreements,” he added.
The tension between the Federal Government and Tigray regional State in the northern part of the country seem to have been growing for several months and on Monday, November 4, it reached its peak when the government declared a State of emergency for six months in the Tigray region after the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched military operations in response to what he said was an attack on federal troops.
According to reports, Ethiopia’s parliament has voted to dissolve the government of Tigray region and even though it is a challenge to get much details on what is going on in Tigray since the internet and phone connections were cut off, refugees are moving to Sudan for safety of their lives.
Last week, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Ethiopia (CBCE) warned the parties involved against the disagreement that has already resulted into blood shade and destruction of property in parts of the nation and asked them to engage in peaceful dialogue.
“Conflict between brotherly people does not help anyone. Instead it destroys lives of innocent people and is an act that will turn our country into a failure and extreme poverty…we urge both parties to immediately stop the armed conflict and start peaceful dialogue for the benefit of the people and resolve their differences in the spirit of understanding, mutual respect and trust,” the Church leaders said.
The AMECEA bishops have expressed their solidarity with the members of CBCE and “all the people who are so much affected by the worsening situation in Tigray so much that hundreds of people are already reported to have died and thousands have fled to Sudan.”
“We commend all the efforts so far being carried out by CBCE, other religious leaders and stakeholders to restore peace to the Tigray region and support those affected,” the Friday statement read as the bishops invite all the faithful and the people of good will to continue praying for the leadership of the Federal Government and the TPLF.
“We remain united with you that all the key stakeholders play a positive role that can foster the restoration of peace, reconciliation among the ethnic groups in Tigray region and the return of stability to Ethiopia as a country,” they concluded.
