The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) blamed Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for promoting “illegitimacy” as he proposed negotiation between the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) and a group of Bishops, who broke away from it
In a meeting with his cabinet on Tuesday, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called for discussion between the two sides to reconcile their differences.
His call came as tension has escalated between the Holy Synod of the EOTC and those Bishops, who ordained other 25 archbishops ‘illegally’ and have been working to establish an ethnic-Oromo-based Patriarchate in Ethiopia.
The church on Wednesday in a statement said the premier’s remark is tantamount to interfering in the affairs of the church and undermining its decision.
The church also expressed its resentment over the remark of the premier for equalizing the Holy Synod, which is a legal entity with an illegitimate group.
Noting that Abiy warned his ministers not to be involved in any form in the ongoing dispute, the church said the premier has ruled out that government officials at different levels will not be discharging their constitutional responsibilities of protecting the legally established entity.
The church further blamed the premier for disseminating wrong information saying that the government has given the church over 1,045,000 Square Meters plots of land over the last four years.
The church said the stated plots of land were already on the hands of the church for years.
According to the church’s statement, it is not surprising that the church acquired the stated area of plots of lands considering that more than 75 percent of the residents in Addis Ababa are followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
The church also warned that it will organize a public demonstration if the government fails to discharge its responsibility of defending the legally established Holy Synod.
