MASS PROTESTS ERUPT IN ADDIS ABABA AFTER AUTHORITIES DEMOLISH 19 MOSQUES

Sat 27 May 2023:

Protests erupted in Addis Ababa after Friday prayers in response to outrage over mosque demolitions in neighboring Shegger, local media reported.

Mass protests broke out in Addis Ababa following Friday prayers as a result of anger over mosque demolitions in the neighboring Shegger city.

The demonstrations took place around mosques in the capital on Thursday (May 23, 2023), including the Grand Anwar Mosque.

📢#UPDATE: Today members of the Muslim community in Addis Ababa city, Ethiopia protested the demolition of several Mosques in Sheger city. Sheger is a new city under the Oromia Region which was established by annexing land from the outskirts of Addis Ababa.

Source: Ashara Media pic.twitter.com/P6ybJCTZMc

— Amhara Association of America(AAA) የዐማራ ማህበር በአሜሪካ (@AAA_Amhara) May 26, 2023

Demonstrators demanded an immediate halt to demolitions as well as the reconstruction of the 19 mosques that had already been demolished in recent weeks.

The demolitions have sparked widespread social media outrage, with videos showing police officers in riot gear preventing irate protesters circulating widely.

ኧረ የኢትዮጵያ ህዝብ በኔ አልደረሰም ብላችሁ ዝም ያላችሁ ነገ እናንተም ጋር ያንኳኳል
ኧረ ወዴት እንጩህ 😭😭😭💔💔
የአምልኮ ቦታ መስጂድ የታጠቀ ሀይል የሚገባው #Ethiopia #Muslim pic.twitter.com/hGO7eqke0z

— Lemiy Lulu Tube (@LemiyLuluTube) May 26, 2023

Ethiopia please keep Muslims right pic.twitter.com/pbMc4AuFp3

— naasir mohamed (@naasirmohamed4) May 27, 2023

Muslim community protesting against massive demolition of mosques in Addis suburbs of #Ethiopia. #PPmustGo #RerouteRemittance #SanctionEthiopianGovt @washingtonpost @BBCWorld @CNN @AlJazeera @Reuters pic.twitter.com/2kJ4jI04bp

— JusticeIsNotFree (@Amharafirst88) May 26, 2023

Previously, the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council and the Oromia Region Islamic Affairs Council expressed their opposition to the demolitions and called for immediate action by the government.

The Addis Ababa Police Commission reported on Friday that there were two deaths following the protest around the Grand Anwar Mosque.

The Commission also reported that 37 police personnel and 15 police assistants were injured during the protest. Police also reported that approximately 114 suspects were detained for allegedly playing “a main role in coordinating the protest.”

Muslim activists and religious leaders have voiced deep dismay over what transpired during the protest.

“It is heartbreaking that the government deployed force against peaceful protesters voicing opposition to the sweeping mosque demolitions,” prominent Muslim figure Ahmedin Jebel posted on his Facebook account, which has over 979,000 followers.

Another Muslim figure, Bedru Hussien, called the situation disheartening.

“The government needs to sit down and discuss with institutions representing the Muslim community, instead of trying to silence them by using force,” he said on his Facebook account, which has over 400,000 followers.

A few months after being established surrounding Addis Ababa, administrators of Shaggar City and the Oromia Regional State have been accused by rights groups of demolishing several residential houses and exhibiting ethnic bias during the process, which the city administration denied.

The Ethiopian Islamic Council also wrote a letter to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed last week regarding interference from his office, demanding the mosques to be reconstructed. The Oromia Council, for its part, disclosed that at least 19 mosques were demolished in Shaggar City.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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