Sectarianism in Eritrea Does the Regime Embrace or Exploit it
Author: Dr. Hamid Mohamed Halafa Source: Zajel Eritrean News Agency
A new book initiative calling on the people of religion in Eritrea to lead the scene.
The plan is the Eritrean Zajel News Agency "Zina" provides a reading about this initiative author who wants the people of religion to take the lead in the political scene; in the name of God to contribute positively in addressing the chronic national issue.
The plan is the Eritrean Zajel News Agency “Zina” provides a reading about this initiative. The book talks about what others avoid mentioning, despite they are aware of what drives the attitude and manages relations between citizens because of the reprehensible affiliation to reprehensible sectarianism.
Book Name: Sectarianism in Eritrea - Does the Regime Embrace or Exploit it?
The book includes three chapters, nine parts classified into many sections. It concludes with a summary, consisting of eleven findings and ten recommendations. The content of the book traces the positions of the Eritrean Muslims and Christians throughout their history; the study, as compiled by this author, found that Muslims are innocent of the accusation of reprehensible sectarianism, because:-
They did not raise a slogan to monopolize power and wealth, and that was never their attitude or motive.
The elder generation of the Muslims did not instill a narrative that targets Christians, Nor the current generation aims fighting their Christian counterparts.
On the contrary, the Muslims’ history and present motive is pure totally innocent of the accusation. Muslims always play a leading role in strengthening inclusive national initiatives; and Eritrea’s national independence was their unwavering project, whilst others were calling for uniting with Ethiopia to monopolize power and wealth. The political and military struggle for national independence was the Muslims’ project; later climbed to by the unionist, with the aim of reaping the fruit of the struggle.
The research found that a positive attribute of the Muslims is, their doors are always open for the other party to join them. Not only that, they also show a degree of compromise on religious necessities, as dictated by objective circumstances, in order to reassure the other party. Examples include:-
• Muslims abandoned their historical name “Islamic League” in order to win over the other partner.
• In present, Muslims abandoned “the name of Islamic Jihad”, again to win the other partner.
• Muslims stripped their documents of any Islamic text, in order to instill confidence in the other party.
• Historically, there was no Islamic support provided to the revolution to be used against Christians.
Rather, the Arab support to the Eritrean cause was due to political and strategic considerations related to the supporter and the receiver. Thus, there were many Arab supporters providing support to various factions. And none of these factions received support to fight against the Christians, because that was not the goal of the Eritrean Muslims in starting the revolution.
On the other hand, the book reveals the other party (Christians), especially spearheaded by the Eritrean Orthodox Church, sided with and led the project to join Ethiopia, dragging with it the rest of the churches and some Muslims who disagreed with their fellow Muslim brothers. The accusation of sectarianism by the Orthodox church is being arbitrarily blamed on the Muslims, to the extent that this unjust and unfounded accusation was planted in the hearts of many Christians.
During the course of the revolution, the Orthodox church affiliated to an organization that had bad goals which used bad {violent} means. The attack to the other {liberation} organizations came from everywhere, including sectarian alliance with the Tigrayan revolution. This alliance expelled the Eritrean Liberation Front from the scene. The sectarian alliance achieved the goal of unjust sectarian domination, aimed at monopolizing power and wealth. However, the harvest was bitter for the oppressor and the oppressed; the ruler and the ruled; for unjust path leads to unjust result.
The unjust sectarian alliance disintegrated at the end, and its intentions and endeavors failed. Bad fold and hateful digging ended the alliance in the abyss of a bloody struggle, to the extent the reprehensible sectarianism engaged in self-destruction, burned Eritrea in a senseless war and repulsive policies.
More than thirty years have passed; neither stability, political consensus, development, nor freedom have been achieved in Eritrea. Rather, the reprehensible sectarian government continued to fight in all directions to keep the regime in power. It could not go beyond the transitional attribute that accompanied the regime in all its stages.
The {Orthodox} church was accused because it remained silent and supportive of the regime; it did not condemn the injustices that had occurred. The sectarian driven dominance extended its infringement on the rights of others to include land grabbing, denying access to sea, and total monopoly of wealth and power.
The {conspirators’} people of Kabbasa strongly supported the project of sectarian dominance. It is a failed experiment that requires an apology, an apology that leads to a comprehensive national reconciliation.
The conclusion of the book bears responsibility to the Eritrean regime and the incubating church for all kinds of current failures. The recommendations call on the {Orthodox} church to separate itself from the regime, and join coalition of religious people of various sects. This religion-led entity aims to achieve a noble goal of comprehensive national reconciliation, driven by noble religion values and common interests in which Eritrean citizens find themselves in creed, behavior, feelings and rights.
The book promises success and opportunities, awaiting to Muslim scholars and priests, if they open their hearts to each other, their efforts are united, and they focus on establishing entity of the people of religion, away from the influence and pressure of local and foreign political entities.
There is a summary of the book in three languages:-
• Arabic ,
• English ,
• Tigrinya .
This is in order to provide insight into the content of the book, and to spread the initiative, which it hopes from the leaders of religion to look at it with sane calm, fair listening and reliable knowledge-based criticism.
Perhaps opinions will cross over to help mature and succeed sincere and purposeful initiatives.
It is a good instillation, dictated by good caring people to get out of mistrust planted by the regime among the citizens; and between them and the sultan of the Jahiliyyah, perched on their chests.
Frankly, this initiative was driven by the doctor’s concern for the patient’s well-being (from soaked poisons a cure!).
source: https://zenazajel.net/a-new-book-initiative-calling-on-the-people-of-religion-in-eritrea-to-lead-the-scene/
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شكري وتقدير لكم على المساهمة الفاعلة في التعريف بالكتاب
وإنه من مثلكم يرجى الجهد الطيب
سدد الله خطاكم يا أسرة موقع سماديت المحترمين
DR. Hamid Mohamed Halafa