Today’s post is by Adiam Asfaha, my guest writer who currently resides in Addis Ababa. He writes about a timely topic as we hear news reports about Muslim protests in Ethiopia’s capital city. His account serves as a backdrop of the Christian/Muslim relationship in the country. My favorite parts of the piece are the last two sentences because they are the truth; people in Ethiopia live in an information, or rather misinformation, bubble. As always, enjoy.
Men in prayer.
Religious conflict isn’t often associated with Ethiopia. The country is just about divided equally between Muslims and Orthodox Christians. Statistics provided by a professor at Hawassa University indicate the following numbers*: Muslim 38.1%, Orthodox 37.7%,, Protestant 20.2%. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has always had a grip on the country’s internal affairs but I’ve always believed Ethiopia to be an example of how Christians and Muslims could live in harmony; well, at least until recently.
It wasn’t until the past few months when I started hearing some news and noticing certain taboos. The first came at a wedding. I arrived late and I was the last person to get to the buffet. As I walked up and the down the buffet looking into the emptied trays, I noticed the almost-virgin roasted lamb. I walked over and asked if I could have some. The butcher grabbed his knife and said “It’s Muslim meat.” I replied “No problem.” As I was eating my food I noticed that there were at least 300 people. There was a Christian majority present, the “assertive type” and almost all of them didn’t eat the lamb because it was “Muslim meat”.
For those who are not familiar with Ethiopian culture, before livestock are slaughtered they are almost always blessed. A Christian butcher would say, “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen” and then slits the animals throat and then you have Christian meat. I’m not exactly sure what a Muslim butcher would say but it’s something along the lines of “Allah bless my food” and there you have Muslim meat. Butcher shops are separate, even between Protestant and Orthodox Christians. It’s blasphemous to eat meat that’s been blessed outside of one’s religion. Nonetheless, I enjoyed my delicious lamb as its molecular structure wasn’t different to that of any other lamb.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is a very powerful institution. During fasting season, which adds up to just about half of the year, Christian butcher shops are closed on Wednesdays and Fridays. You’re not supposed to eat meat (or dairy products) on those days so you can’t get any tibs or raw meat almost anywhere. There’s no law preventing them from opening but businesses don’t open out of fear of outrage from their customers. By today’s standards I think this qualifies as somewhat extreme.
I was speaking to a government official the other day and he stated that the Ethiopian government had a “safety valve.” In fact, he assured me that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church will never have “extremist” priests interfere in politics or ascend to a position of power. So I asked him what the “safety valve” was. He said “Gedams,” which are monasteries for Orthodox priests.
These monasteries are secluded and priests go there to spend the rest of their lives praying with almost no contact with the outside world. So what do these monasteries have to do with anything? He then further explained. There is a board at the Ministry of Information that was specifically established to receive complaints from the Orthodox Church. The board consists of government representatives and senior priests. He told me stories of how some priests would come ask the government to ban mini-skirts, lipstick and so on. The board receives these types of grievances and usually gives the complainant one of two choices: accept the way things work or go to the monasteries to spend the rest of your live confined to kolo, bread and water. So if you’re wondering why the Church is not burning people at the stake like 15th century Europe, there’s your answer.
So is Ethiopia a country where Christians and Muslims coexist in peace? It may appear that way from the outside but it’s certainly not the case. There is relative peace in the country but there are bursts of violence every now and then. Most of these acts of religious extremism happen in the outskirts of the country where government has a smaller presence. This kind of news doesn’t get broadcasted, it travels. About four months ago, 39 Christian Amharas were killed by Afar Muslims because they were Christians that chose to settle in a Muslim majority region of Ethiopia. This happened outside of Dire Dawa but it was never reported on the news. The government quickly deployed troops to end the violence.
Until last Friday I believe that these acts of violence were exclusive to the countryside where bandits and hyenas reigned supreme. I was driving to lunch when I saw four police officers smile and wave, which usually translates to “I need a ride.” (I must interject here. Major side eye…) So I pulled over and as we were driving they asked me if I heard what happened last night and I hadn’t. This past Thursday evening there was a riot that was incited by Muslim extremists that were passing out flyers at a mosque in Merkato. Merkato is located in Addis Ababa and is a 10-15 minute drive from downtown. According to the police officers there were no casualties but eight policemen were injured.
Then my aunt calls me the following night to tell me not to leave the house. There were protests in Kera, incited by Muslims once more. Kera is about two miles from my neighborhood and this time it was reported. According to the news, the protesters were terrorists trying to provoke anarchy during the African Union meeting that was taking place last week. The protest was swiftly suppressed and no one was hurt. The African Union meetings concluded and I haven’t heard any news about any religious violence or any other kind of violence since.
I’d like to remain optimistic and finish this article on a good note but I can’t. The simple fact is that I don’t know the everyday events that take place in this country. One thing you learn from living in Ethiopia is that by the time you get the news, it’s usually history.
In case you missed Adiam’s first post on a favorite topic, Ethiopian coffee, check it out here.
*Figures from the 2007 Census indicate the following: Orthodox 43.5%, Muslim 33.9%, Protestant 18.6%, traditional 2.6%, Catholic 0.7%, other 0.7%.
It is an interesting read but there are factual errors and information bias.
Here are some:
1. Here is the 2007 census result on religions in Ethiopia:
Orthodox 43.5%, Muslim 33.9%, Protestant 18.6%, traditional 2.6%, Catholic 0.7%, other 0.7% (2007 Census) …
The above figures basically make this statement false:
“The single largest religion in Ethiopia is Islam; Muslims outnumber the more dominant religion of Orthodox Christianity.” I don’t know where the writer got his information. I think we have to be careful when we make statements that can easily be googled and disproved.
2. I agree that religious conflicts that dont get reported happen in the countryside every now and then. I’ve tried to address that in my recent article though not thoroughly. But these conflicts are not often because of the Muslims waging war on the Christians. There have been incidents where Christians were the instigators. In other occasions, politicians were the responsible ones, both the ruling party and its opponents. So blaming it only on one group will only exacerbate the problem. There are many actors involved in this problem and the govt takes the biggest share of it.
3. “Christian Meat” vs “Muslim Meat” …. for someone who is new to this culture, this may seem a shocker. But this is a tradition that has been in Ethiopia perhaps since the two religions began co-existing. It’s all about boundary. People respect it. And everyone is cool with it. It has little to do with discrimination or lack of tolerance as the writer tries to suggest. It is important to undertand why it happens before we really judge it. For example, I’ve lived in the US for a while now, and I eat whatever I get. But the moment I step my legs in my small town. I don’t cross that boundary I grew up with. If I do it, 1) I will be disrespecting my parents 2) I will give the impression to my muslim friends that I’ve converted my religion or I’ve lost respect for my parent’s religion. Etc. It is something the people from the two sides have created as a rule to co-exist. It works for them. And it shouldn’t be either judged or ridiculed harshly. It’s actually very symbolic of the concept of co-existence itself. “You do your thing (eat “christian” meat); I do my thing (eat “muslim” meat). We live together.” Seems silly, but it’s what it is. It has value for those who follow it.
4. The last part where he talked about the Muslims protesting in Addis, I think the writer only heard the gov’t side of the story, which makes the information a misinformation. The article would have been more balanced had the writer also presented the protesters’ side of the story, which obviously is totally the opposite of what he has written. According to the protesters, for example, the event at AU was staged by the government to make it look like the protesters were resorting to violence. And given what has happened so far, I would rather believe them more than I believe the government’s version of the story.
Cheers,
Genet, thanks for coming to my rescue but I you should’ve gave me a heads up. The gentleman has valid points.
Mr. Kiros,
Thank you for checking up on my numbers, I would have done the same. Here are some more recent statistics: Muslim 38.1%, Orthodox 37.7%,, Protestant 20.2%…. I got these numbers from a Hawassa University Statistics Professor. He invited me to attended one of his seminars he held in Addis; he also reported Addis Ababa population to be around 3.65 million (suburbs not included). The CIA world fact book reported 2.86 million people living in Addis two years. And it was for this reason that I chose to use his research instead of using outdated information.
Moving on to your second point, I think you missed the title of the piece “religious extremism” and not “Violence in Ethiopia”. Some poor woman was raped in Jimma yesterday and the rapists did not stand trial or get jailed. There; did mentioning irrelevant acts of violence really help?
Your third point doesn’t negate anything I said in my article. Thanks for adding.
Your last point I really can’t disagree. I only talked to the police officers I mentioned and I don’t believe they had any reason to lie to me. I’m not an investigative reporter and I don’t have an interest in pursuing a career in journalism. Genet asked me to share some news in Ethiopia every now and then and that’s exactly what I did.
Your second post is just… Well I would really appreciate it if you pointed out exactly where I criticized Ethiopian culture. You on the other hand continue to contradict yourself:
“Having said that I am not here to defend the many Ethiopian cultures that have flaws in them. Of course there are things that need to change, and one of them is this “christian vs muslim meat” thing.”
Mr. Kiros, this is where I would have to disagreed with you. Cultures do not have flaws. “christian vs muslim meat” belief is not something that needs correcting. Making such statement is snobby and brainwashed; especially coming from
“those of us who live or have lived abroad, definitely we must put aside our Westernized eyeglasses when we enter Ethiopia’s complicated world of culture, religion and politics.”
Sir, you don’t know anything about me please refrain passing judgment. I wasn’t born here but I’ve lived in Ethiopia between the ages of 9 and 16. I have a romantic attachment to Ethiopia and that’s why I live here. I chose to live here as I chose not to be another diasporas that criticizes Ethiopia sitting thousands of miles behind a keyboard. Ethiopia has a long way to go as far as development but Ethiopian culture is above reproach.
I really enjoy discussing politics and other topics concerning Ethiopia. Mr. Kiros I would love to discuss other problems you may have heard about. Feel free to email me at adiamasfaha@live.com.
Respectfully,
Adiam Asfaha
Ok my friend, I will take your response and criticism. Btw please do not get offended. You wrote something and as a reader I’ve reacted to it. If by any chance my words sounded offensive to you, my apology. I’ve pointed out what I observed were flaws in your article, and you’ve done the same with my response. And I believe that is the whole point of sharing your opinion to begin with. If you were sharing it for the sake of just sharing it, well, I didnt know that, and I will make sure next time I reserve myself from commenting or criticizing. Cheers,
Hi Elyas,
I always appreciate you saying things w/a smile lol
Thanks for your feedback, you shared good info. I’d like to preface your comment by saying that the writer is based in Addis Ababa and so doesn’t have as easy access to information and resources as we in the U.S. do. We can instantly Google a quick fact, take our sweet time blogging, reading articles and basically chillaxing on the net lol. He does not. He allocated time to write the post and I think he did a great job of sharing the everyday experience of religion in Ethiopia. To address some of your points:
1. That’s the figure I usually see, too. I’m sure the writer didn’t intentionally mean to misinform or misrepresent. But of course, statistics and figures are a tricky/unstable thing, just the other day I learned that Ethiopia’s population has reached 93 million. When did that happen?
2. I agree with you. Especially with recent policies, the gov’t is on the fast track to pissing off a lot of ppl, Christians and Muslims (and other groups) alike.
3. That’s interesting, I see your point. However, I view it as being snobby when someone refuses to eat a certain kind of meat because it was blessed a certain way. Meat is meat (in my eyes). Food is a blessing from God. What matters most is what comes out of your mouth, not what goes in. How/who blesses it is a ceremony, it shouldn’t turn people off and have them scoff at the concept of eating Christian/Muslim meat. I understand what you’re saying about respecting parent’s religion, coexisting and boundary but not all people who believe in this practice do it with the purest of intentions. Some adopt an attitude of religious superiority. Again, these are my opinions and experiences. It could be because the current state of my personal religious views/practices. There are a lot of ceremonies, practices, beliefs within the Orthodox faith that I simply don’t believe in and do not practice just for the sake of tradition or because “that’s how I was raised.” It is a practice that has existed for a long time and will continue to do so, I just won’t partake it in. It’s not really a harsh attack, people can do as they please but perhaps because all 3 of us involved have lived or currently live in the U.S., we have a different perspective.
4. Yes, as he’s in Ethiopia, he probably only heard the government side of the story. He didn’t go too much into detail about the current protests because he doesn’t have the full story and he didn’t claim to. Even for me, it’s an issue I have to continue reading up on and your post was definitely helpful. (http://kweschn.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/ethiopian-muslims-and-their-struggle-for-self-determination/)
Again, thanks for your feedback, always appreciated
With some discussion and research, I hope to edit this post and include updated info.
Hi Genet,
Thanks for your reply.
After reading your comment, I felt compelled to reply to your responses in defense of the writer.
1. I’ve a big problem with this statement:
“I’d like to preface your comment by saying that the writer is based in Addis Ababa and so doesn’t have as easy access to information and resources as we in the U.S. do. We can instantly Google a quick fact, take our sweet time blogging, reading articles and basically chillaxing on the net lol. He does not. He allocated time to write the post and I think he did a great job of sharing the everyday experience of religion in Ethiopia.”
I agree with you that the writer may not have access to wider info as I do, but I disagree with the assertion that he can make a biased statement or use wrong statistics as a result of that. As much as there is a shortage of information, if one decides to write an article to share with a wider public, should take his or her sweet time, to make it more or less accurate. Instant access to google may not be the option when one lives in Addis, but there is an access to google however long it will take.
Whether the statistics is believable or not, that is the official statistics as of 2007. Of course, we are in 2012 now, and if the population is 93 million, I wouldn’t be surprised given the highest fertility rate the country has. And again unless we are saying the orthodox have stopped giving birth since 2007, which is impossible, there is no evidence that suggests their number has declined over the past few years. Unless one is very confident and has an alternative source to back one’s claim, can’t make a sweeping statement that contradicts the official figure. Is the official figure fully accurate? Could it be tampered by those in power? Maybe. Maybe not. We can question its accuracy but we still have to use it as it remains the official data that is internationally used. After we use it, we can make statements that question its accuracy. And the writer has failed to do that. I am not saying he did it purposely to mislead. It may be a genuine mistake that could have been resolved if he had taken the time to cross check facts. And I don’t accept your excuse for him.
2. Interesting you mentioned snobbiness in your third point. I was going to use to criticize the writer. But I opted out. lol Now I could use it. Why? Because I have observed on many occasions that Ethiopians who live or have lived abroad or have been exposed to liberal ideals while still in Ethiopia, including myself, often tend to be very judgmental of the traditions that have kept our people together for centuries. We mostly criticize without fully understanding the historical and cultural significance of those traditions. There is a typical Eurocentric approach to the Afrocentric reality. It’s like the foreign educated or raised Ethiopian suddenly becomes the new tourist looking down on his or her culture. And that is not only being snobby but brainwashed since we only prefer to look at the things we’ve been raised with or encounter for the first time from the negative angle. (Note: I dont believe all tourists are biased).
Having said that I am not here to defend the many Ethiopian cultures that have flaws in them.
Of course there are things that need to change, and one of them is this “christian vs muslim meat” thing. Theoretically speaking, I agree with you and the writer that food is food, doesn’t matter whether Christian slaughtered the sheep or a Muslim. But for our people it does matter, and changing it will take time and a less prejudiced approach. In other words, particularly those of us who live or have lived abroad, definitely we must put aside our Westernized eyeglasses when we enter Ethiopia’s complicated world of culture, religion and politics.
Cheers,
Hi Elyas. I resent being called brainwashed. I’m not. I’m just an adult who exercises my right to practice and believe the things that I believe are right for me. I’d like to give myself credit and say I know how to weigh different values for myself. I don’t need to accept everything about my culture. Ethiopians do not come in a nice, homogeneously wrapped box. I really don’t like it when Ethiopians automatically assume that just because someone has a differing opinion on a traditional subject, he or she has been Americanized and is now out of the realm of “Ethiopian thinking.” It’s possible to be within a culture and not agree with stuff. We don’t all need to walk and talk the same tune. This kind of labeling puts a wedge and a separation between a group of people.
I don’t believe it’s just “Americanized” ppl who might not agree with this cultural practice. I think you’re pitting it as Western Ethiopians vs. Ethiopians on the ground. That’s not a fair assessment. There are people who live in America/Europe who live and think just as they would if they were in Ethiopia. They haven’t been “brainwashed,” as you say. And there are ppl in Ethio. who’ve never crossed the border but have been influenced by outside culture. Female circumcision might have kept our society together for generations, as you say but cutting up a woman is dangerous. I understand why it’s done. I get the cultural and historical significance. Even so, knowing this information doesn’t keep me from criticizing.
In all of this, I was simply stating my opinion. I’m not going to go out on a crusade and get Orth. Christians + Muslims to start eating each other’s meat. It’s really none of my business what kind of meat people eat. To each his own. I’m not trying to force my view on anyone, I’m just saying I personally won’t practice it. I respect ppl who do. My own family does it. I’m not far removed from this line of thinking, it exists in my daily sphere. And that’s fine with me. But I don’t believe that just because something has kept my culture and my people together for so long, I should continue it.
I wasn’t saying the population statistic is not reliable/accurate. I was just surprised the number had grown that much in such a short period of time. It’s a significant increase, which is a feature of many African countries, not just Ethiopia. The writer’s religious statistics have now been updated.
Cheers.
Hi Genet,
I am sorry if I offended you. That wasn’t my intention at all. But it seems it came out that way. But as I stated it in the comment, I didn’t want to go the labeling direction to begin with. However, I went to that direction after I read your comment about people being snobby. And so I decided to also point out that there are people look down on their own culture. I wasn’t directly pointing my finger at you or at the writer. I have met such people in person and have heard them talk and I resent it as much as you resent the fact I used the word “brainwashed.”
It is common for individuals that after they get exposed to a different “better” culture to demand a higher standard from theirs when they go back to it. But it’s an unrealistic demand that puts pressure on the people on the ground who haven’t had the same exposure. For example, it’s known how some people from diaspora complain on every little thing when they go to Ethiopia, starting with customer service etc, … I am not saying what happens in Ethiopia is right and it should stay the same always. Am just saying that it is not also right to expect Ethiopia be like America or to measure it with an American standard or value system. I was mainly criticizing that because I have encountered it a lot. And to some extent it was reflected in this article.
I agree with what you’ve said about not accepting everything about one’s culture. I am not an advocate of homogeneity. Nor will I ever be. I think the way I presented my thoughts in that comment has contributed to my being misunderstood here. And if I didn’t believe in welcoming diverse opinions, I wouldn’t waste my time on your blog. The way I shared my views could have been better … but my intention was never to silence your opinion. I really don’t want you to think of it that way. I am here because I enjoy your blog, and I love what you share. I commented because I disagreed with some of the ideas, or what I considered not factual info since it deviated from the official account and there was no mention of other source. I am not an expert or a police to censor anyone’s thought.
Peace,
I see what you mean. I think we’re on the same page here. I’m a huge advocate of understanding regardless or whether not we agree about something. I just wanted you to recognize that my experience/perspective is valid, just as the traditional perspective is valid because it has existed for a long time. I believe you do. I agree, when we go to Ethiopia we are guilty of making demands. But I don’t necessarily agree that we’re demanding for “American standards,” especially on the subject of customer service. Do you really believe that good customer service is solely an American/Western value? Why can’t Ethiopians be professional and nice and actually go to work and do their jobs? lol. What is so inherently Western about respecting the people that pay you money and support your establishment? Seems like owning-a-business-101 to me lol. If you haven’t already, check out this post on Afrolens blog about this same topic, I also added my 2 cents in: http://genetparadise.wordpress.com/2012/04/30/reblogged-if-i-hear-this-is-africa-one-more-time/. Would love to read your views on that post.
I get your view that we’re making unrealistic and sometimes judgmental demands. But on the same token, we also want better for our country and for things to operate smoothly and the way the should so that all parties involved can benefit. We do, however, need to check the way we make these suggestions as to not alienate people.
Thanks for the compliment and for engaging, I appreciate your comments
Hi Genet,
Thank you for your reply. Glad to know I am forgiven. Or maybe not yet.
I will read the article you’ve linked above. But I am not sure if I am going to comment since Im afraid I may say the wrong thing unintentionally that may offend you once again.
To answer your question about customer service:
I don’t believe that professionalism is solely a western/american thing. In fact, even if we don’t practice it as we talk about it, there is this saying in Amharic: Denbegna Nigus Naw, i.e., customer is a king, which is a very customer-centered business ethic that should be commended. Unfortunately, like most things, it’s barely practiced. But the concept is there. Nevertheless, customer service in the West cannot be compared with customer service in Ethiopia. In the West, CS is beyond just a concept and is well practiced. Customers know their rights and businesses also know what customers expect from them. In other words, it’s institutionalized. And good customer service is part of the mainstream culture in business. In Ethiopia, it has yet to develop from its concept stage. Implementation-wise it’s way far behind. But there is a progress. …. So what’s my complaint? I am not saying an Ethiopian diaspora or an Ethiopian in Ethiopia shouldn’t demand a better service for their money. I am only saying the demand should take the fact CS is not yet as developed as the West into consideration. Going to Ghion hotel and expecting a 4-star hotel style CS is one thing, but going to a tiny Shai Bet and expecting the same kind of professionalism is too much….in theory both establishments must treat their customers with the best service, but in practice, most of the small businesses in Ethiopia are not there yet to embrace this simple yet important business ethic. Through education and awareness it will change. But those of us who have seen better services elsewhere should not go to the extreme of comparing apples with oranges and as a result making statements like “I will never go back to Ethiopia” etc .. That is where the Westernized mentality thing comes in. …. Gosh I blabbered a lot … Am here to learn, so pls feel free to correct my wrongs. Cheers.
“I get your view that we’re making unrealistic and sometimes judgmental demands. But on the same token, we also want better for our country and for things to operate smoothly and the way the should so that all parties involved can benefit. We do, however, need to check the way we make these suggestions as to not alienate people.” I think this comment of yours best summarizes what I basically wanted to say all this time regarding the culture topic.
really? I don’t want you to stop commenting or feel like you have to self-censor. That’s not cool :/ I enjoy reading your perspective and the knowledge I gain from it. I see what you’re saying about institutionalization, that puts things in perspective.
this the above conversation is false that are written by individual views .so every one must take care doing the things. the stastics that are generated before by the government is automaticaly correct.because you can also prove that the majority of ethiopian religion is orthodox in ethiopia by moving different part of ethiopia .even in the stastics the monastry did not considerd.