A group of bishops who recently established a new Synod against the Canon of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) has called for a counter protest next Sunday to denounce the decision passed by the Holy Synod of the church.
Spokesperson of the new Synod known as ‘Oromia and Nations and Nationalities Synod’ Hailemichael Tadesse announced the counter protest late on Tuesday.
The Holy Synod also set next Sunday a date for peaceful protest if the Ethiopian government fails to take practical actions to reverse the illegal activities of the group of bishops which it referred them to as an “illegal group”.
”Both protests are planned to take place at Meskel Square in Addis Ababa at the same time. The government did not comment on the matter but if the rallies are to take place the same day and place, there will be a serious security disaster.
ETOC has blamed the government for supporting the ‘illegal group’ to take over the helm of the church.
Government security forces, especially the Oromia Special Force, have been accused of escorting members of the illegal group and attacking hundreds of faithful who denied the group access to various churches across the country.
According to information reached Mereja.com, the federal police have ordered its regional, zonal and district branch offices to prohibit those faithful, who were going to churches wearing black clothes, from attending church activities and prayers.
Accordingly,security forces in Oromia Regional State have arrested hundreds of faithful just for wearing black clothes.
The regional government is also accused of mobilizing young people to attack faithful with black cloths.
The Holy Synod of EOTC last week ordered its faithful to observe the three days of Fast of Nineveh from Monday 06 to Wednesday 08 February, by wearing black to protest against what the Synod said is a government supported coup attempt to overthrow the Holy Synod by the “illegal group.”
EOTC also announced that about 20 religious fathers have been kidnapped by the government security forces and their whereabouts are unknown yet.
