“… the TPLF launched a series of conferences or ‘seminars’ for selected parish priests in 1979 to win them over. The underlying motive of the seminars was to isolate the church in Tigrai from the wider Ethiopian church in order to foster Tigraian nationalism along the lines of the TPLF’s strategic objective. Suppressed Tigraian nationalism was invoked to challenge the dominant Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The initial woreda seminars for priests were conducted by an eloquent TPLF fighter, Gebre- Kidan Desta, a graduate of the Theological College at Addis Ababa University. The themes of the seminars were to replace the Ethiopian Church’s authority by a TPLFminded church and the language in the church with Tigrigna and, ultimately, to further Tigraian nationalism and identity. This process involved the mobilization of parish priests and ordinary Christians to isolate them from the church’s national hierarchy. To weaken church authority, an intelligence group was formed under Sibhat Nega to infiltrate the well-established monasteries in Tigrai, such as Debre Damo, by planting TPLF members camouflaged asmonks and influencing church activities in the interests of the TPLF. In 1987 and 1989, regional and national conferences for priests were organized by the TPLF in liberated territories to reshape the Tigrai Church in line with the TPLF’s programme. A separate secretariat of the Orthodox Church was formed in the liberated areas of Tigrai and was supposed to operate under TPLF guidelines. Practically, the Ethiopian Church was divided in two separate secretariats, one under the regime and theother under the TPLF.” A Political History of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (1975-1991): Revolt, Ideology and Mobilisation in Ethiopia Aregawi Berhe harep.org/ifaapr/7219.pdf
Posted on: Sat, 10 Aug 2013 05:39:37 +0000