Archbishop Denounces Drone Strikes While the Chief of Staff Affirms their Continuation

ESG – OCP News Service – 23/12/2023

Addis Ababa- Ethiopia: His Grace Abune Lukas, the Archbishop of Eastern Australia and New Zealand, denounced drone strikes on civilians in the Amhara Regional State during his benediction at the annual feast day of Saint Mary of Zion at Debere Bereket Saint Mary’s Church (Gemenaye Mariam) in Addis Ababa on Friday, December 1, 2023.

His Grace added that harvests should not be set on fire, children should not be killed, cities should not be battlegrounds, and soldiers should protect borders and not become thorns that pierce their kin, the people.

Excerpt from the elderly Archbishop’s Benediction:
“. . . Prosperity while people starve?! Prosperity while people are dying in great numbers?! To whom is the prosperity? . . . If we die, to whom is the prosperity? . . . Who is there to listen?! Is there anyone who will listen?! We seek judges!… Today, if you enter a Church, you would be taken out and killed. If you enter even the sacristy, the person there would give you up, and you would be killed. Where is the place of refuge?! . . . The trees and the forest are being destroyed so that we will not have anyone to pray for us. The monks, the righteous, have entered cities. The bandits, the outlaws on the other hand, have entered the monasteries. When you go there, to the monasteries, he/the bandit/ will strangle and kill you. The spy entered the monasteries, and matters have become undone. This is what has happened to us . . . Have you not heard about Wellega? About Arsi? Have you not heard of the slaughter of the priests? Have you not heard? . . . God’s mighty hand, when it is stretched forth [in wrath], it will be difficult. It will be difficult. Even the insect He ordered did not let the Pharoah sit on his throne. The fly made him move from his throne. Pharoah’s city was vexed by flies, by insects. God’s battalion is mighty! . . . His fingers [let alone His whole hand] are stout! Listen, O my people. Listen. Please, please listen to the Church.”

Even though the Archbishop grieved in such a way regarding what Ethiopia was grappling with, the country’s Chief of Staff (Chief of General Staff), Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, stated that the drone strikes would continue and efforts would be made to minimize civilian casualties in an interview with state media (on December 11, 2023), affirming that they were bought for this reason and not for show.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission had earlier reported in its press release on October 30, 2023, that civilians, including a one year and seven-month-old child, were killed by drone strikes in Northern Shewa, Berehet District, Meteh Bela Town on October 16, in Debre Markos City on October 19, and stated about extrajudicial killings of civilians that included twelve of the Church’s traditional school students (that were killed in Adet Town on October 10) by government soldiers. The report stated that over 200 women, including IDPs and health workers, were also raped from July until the day the report was compiled. It also mentioned that harvests were destroyed, and businesses and public institutions were looted or devastated. In its concluding remark, the Commission suggested not to target civilians, which seems to have fallen on deaf ears as the strikes had since continued in places like Ayana Bugna District of North Wollo Zone, where 73 had died per Wazema Radio’s report, and per VOA Amharic’s report, civilian casualties were amongst the deceased in Southern Wollo, Mehal Sayint, and Delanta Districts and Eastern Gojjam at different locations including strikes that occurred on Wednesday, December 20, 2023, in the locality of Feres Bet where heavy weapons like mortars and ZU – 23 were also used, resulting in several victims and many fleeing to forests and gorges seeking shelter.

Sources:
Ethiopian Human Rights Commission
Fana Television
VOA Amharic
BBC Amharic
DW Amharic
Wazema Radio