This archive report was first published on 27 September 2019.
As Ethiopia prepares to celebrate the Meskel holiday, a significant Christian holiday, church officials are urging Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to protect them from religious violence and hold perpetrators accountable.
"The Orthodox Christians are not happy with the government," said Aklil Damtew, the church's project coordinator, in an interview with AFP on Friday.
"The people expect the government to say something about the church. Why is the government remaining silent?" he asked.
With tensions rising between the Orthodox leadership and Abiy's administration, the country is facing a new element of instability ahead of elections planned for next year.
On Thursday night, federal police issued a statement warning against any attempt to disrupt the celebrations, banning "writings, displays and unofficial flags".
At least 25 churches have burned down throughout the country over the past two years, according to Aklil, a figure he described as unprecedented.
Church officials say the burnings reflect anti-Orthodox sentiment, but the motives for the attacks are likely more complex, involving disputes over land use, ethnicity, and other issues.
Terje Ostebo, an expert on religion in Ethiopia at the University of Florida, noted that conflicts often appear to be rooted in religion but are also shaped by other factors.
