Ethiopia bans broadcasts from Orthodox Church-affiliated channel for allegedly stoking tensions

May 22. (EUROPE PRESS) –

The Ethiopian Media Authority (EMA) has banned a channel affiliated with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church from broadcasting over content that it says could fuel internal tensions as the Synod is taking place in the capital, Addis Ababa. .

The agency has indicated that the decision affects Mahibere Kidusan TV due to information published on Sunday that stated that a committee had been created to address tensions within the Synod on the appointment of new members of the episcopate in the region of Oromia, according to the newspaper ‘Addis Standard’.

Thus, the chain cited a statement from the committee itself in which it was pointed out that it would “monitor” certain unidentified bishops whom it accused of promoting an “agenda” within the body, which has led the EMA to emphasize that the news “is outside the role of the religious media” in inciting against the current assembly.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church assured in February that it had resolved an internal dispute after a group of bishops declared a schism within it, a decision reached after a process of talks in which the prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, reportedly participated.

The tension began on January 22, when three Orthodox bishops declared the creation of the so-called Holy Synod of Oromia, Nations and Nationalities, initially made up of 25 episcopates. All of them were suddenly excommunicated three days later by the main branch, the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, followed by some 50 million faithful throughout the country.

Behind the split is Archbishop Abune Sawiros, who explained his decision to dissociate himself from the Tewahedo Church, considering that its leaders had not worked to offer religious services in tribal languages, which had led to the loss of millions of faithful during recent years in Oromia and the southern region.

The crisis escalated on February 4, when eight people died as a result of the repression of an attempt to occupy the church of Saint Michael the Archangel, according to a complaint by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. Currently, the Synod of the Orthodox Church is holding its annual conference in Addis Ababa.