Stop Forced Indoctrination of Ethiopian Muslims with Ahbash Ideology; Respect for their fundamental

Dear Prime Minister Meles Zenawi:

 The Ethiopian Muslims in the capital Addis Ababa have been rallying for the last several weeks, protesting against government’s flagrant violation of their religious freedom. They are determined to continue their peaceful struggle tenaciously and thus formed an ad-hoc committee to give structure and continuity for their demand. We, the peace-loving Ethiopians, whose names are mentioned here-under, request your government to give a just and immediate response to the following fundamental issues.

1. Ethiopian Muslims have been denied of establishing any viable institution that endeavor to find necessary solution for their multifaceted problems and represent their interest. The incumbent so-called Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council (EIASC, Mejlis) , from federal down to regions and districts, have been occupied not only by individuals who are not elected by the people they supposedly serve, but also violates in its structure the principles of the religion it claims to represent. As a faith institution, the leadership should have been centered on Mosques and it was indispensible that those in the leadership possessed deep understanding of the religion as well as been skilled in leadership. However, unlike what we observe in other religious organization in the country, the current administrative system of the Mejlis is pursuant to the political structure of the ruling party. This apparently distinguish them as the political institution that furnish cadre to promote the political agenda of the government, albeit unofficially. In order to redress all these issues, we demand that:

a. The leaders of the Mejlis who currently hold office relinquish their position immediately and a new leadership be restructured; the leadership to be centered on the congregation of the faithful (i.e. Mosque) and be according to the value and principle of the Islam. The government should refrain from interfering in all the process of forming this new leadership, except for providing logistic assistance and other support if needed;

b. The current Mejlis is recognized as an ordinary Non-Governmental Organization (NGO). This has downgraded the ability of the institution to represent the Muslims population and is in fact an indicator of how unfair and low the government looks upon Ethiopian Muslims. We request thus that the institution to be restructured in a similar way other religious institution are established i.e. by proclamation from the Ethiopian house of peoples representatives.

2. We demand that the government unconditionally stop its engagement to coercively impose the Ahbash ideology on Ethiopian Muslims. Ahbash is a religious-political group that is denounced by worldwide Muslims population for its deviation from mainstream Islamic teachings and for its erratic methodology in its preaching. Contrary to the provision of the Ethiopian constitution on separation of state and religion (Article 11), the government is engaged in forcing Muslims to accept the teachings of the Ahbash group. Those who refuse to do so are harassed and thrown to jails. Several Muslim scholars and community leaders are reported to be languishing under the custody of the security forces just for their refusal to follow Ahbash doctrines. We demand for all those in detention to be released promptly; for the intimidation and terrorization of Muslims who are exercise their constitutional right by practicing their religion of choice to stop immediately.

3. On many occasions, the Muslim community expressed its concern about the Majlis leaderships’ power abuse and misappropriation of the property and money

of the institution and the people. Despite persistent appeal, the government deliberately remained unresponsive and insolent. We demand here again for the government to establish an investigative team and bring to justice those who embezzled people wealth and used their power inappropriately.

4. As part of the government’s wider insidious engagement to replace the mainstream Islamic teaching with the Ahbash ideology, several religious, academic, charity and financial institutions that serve Muslims communities are either closed down or transferred to the Ahbash group. We demand that government refrain from such abominable measures. We request that the legal working license of the closed institutions to be reissued and those put under the control of Ahbash be returned to their rightful owners and allowed to resume their services to the Muslim community and the wider Ethiopian society.

As it is mentioned above, the Ethiopian Muslims in Addis Ababa has established ad-hoc committee that would lead and coordinate their ongoing peaceful demonstration demanding full respect of their constitutional rights. The ad-hoc committee, which consists of seventeen members, is also intended to serve as liaison with government representing the mass and its demands. The following are the members of this committee.

1. Shaykh Mekete Muhye (Ulema)

2. Shaykh Muhammed Kedir (Ulema)

3. Shaykh Sultan Aman (Ulema)

4. Shaykh Tahir Abdulkadier (Ulema)

5. Hajji Ayenew Mohammed (Elder)

6. Ato Umer Abdurezack (Scholar)

7. Shaykh Abdella Indris (Ulema)

8. Shaykh Yusuf Muzemile (Elder)

9. Yassin Nuru (Da’ee)

10. Abubker Ahmed (Da’ee)

11. Ahmed Mustefa (Scholar)

12. Jemal Yassin (Da’ee)

13. Kamil Shemsu (Da’ee)

14. Hajji Hussien Aleneda (Elder)

15. Asst. Prof. Adem Kamil (Scholar)

16. Hajji Kemal Nuri (Elder)

17. Ahmedin Jebel (Scholar)

We express our strong support for the Ethiopian Muslims peaceful protest and the established Ad-Hoc Committees. We demand that the government earnestly address the Muslims concern in timely manner and give the committee official recognition as a legitimate representative of the Muslims Voice and provide all the necessary support so that it broadens its coverage to the rest of the country; thereby facilitate the restructuring of the new Majlis that represents Ethiopian Muslims and stand for their interest.