GPE strongly condemns the targeting of religious institutions by the government in Ethiopia











Genocide Prevention in Ethiopia has received credible information that the ruling Prosperity Party is escalating violent attacks on civilians massacring more than forty (40) laity and two clergymen to date while arresting several hundreds of peaceful worshipers, and clergymen, exasperating an already volatile situation. The illegal detention of the faithful has continued right until we issued this statement.

GPE has asserted that the government and its various legal and illegal agencies as beingthe primary actors of many of the countries human rights violations & crimes againsthumanity (genocide, war crimes, mass murder, mass arrest, disappearances of well-knownadvocates) kidnapping and robbing of banks along with arming illegal groups.Over the course of the last four years, the government has been the central agitator andsponsor of violence in religious and educational institutions through its various agents. Thegovernment was involved in the overthrowing of the spiritual leader of the legitimateIslamic Council as well as the continued harassing of worshipers during religious holidays.In effect, the government is committing the crimes, as well as acting as law enforcement.It is engaged in shady practices disrupting civic organizations, by facilitating andcoordinating with non-state criminal actors that massacred ethnically targeted people.Thousands of innocent civilians, most of whom were women, children, and elderly weregunned down or hacked to death with machetes with their bodies spread over fields left forvultures and wild animals denied even burial rights. The involvement of the government incriminal endeavors has now extended to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, itsleaders, and the faithful.

GPE condemns the ongoing killing and persecution of the faithful, forceful entry intoworship places and religious institutions, and all disruptive and irresponsible acts by thegovernment and its agencies. We call upon the government to dispense its duties to protectinstead of perpetrating crimes against humanity.

GPE also warns that the very agitating press release by the Oromo National RegionalThe government may create a hostile environment that encourages hate-driven mobs to carry out ethnic and religious-based attacks we have seen take place in the past. It is important to note since 2018 there was consistent and horrific targeting of ethnic Amharas and Orthodox Christians in the region. The regional officials will need to take responsibility for any attack their aggravating announcements may spur.

GPE warns members of the international community that there is an imminent danger oflarge-scale genocide if there is no pressure placed on the government to tamper its rhetoricand threats to illegally interfere in matters of faith.