That is right
The orthodox pristes are not doing good.
And the result is divided the church congrigation.
So plz either worship Isias of Jesus Christ.
No one can worship two Lords.
The title of your piece does not represent your piece, and would like to disagree with you that the Orthodox Church Bishops have a dormant spirituality.
If you agree with me that the Orthodox Church has been victimized by the Provisional Government of Eritrea and its PFDJ internal circle, then we have to recognize that many of the clergy, some bishops and the laity did indeed express their discontent of the interference of the the PGE and its illicit operatives, in the affairs of the Church. It is bizarre to see that an atheist organization (pfdj)is manipulating the administration of the Church.
All of those who opposed the anti-Godly organization’s interference are in prison without trial. The Patriarch is under house arrest. Abune Mekarios, such spiritual, intellectual and wise man of the church is in exile. Many of the Orthodox priests are in exile too.
These people know that the pfdj is destroying their church and the entire social structure of the Eritrean society.
In my view, ዝደንዘዘ መንፈስኩም ይበራበር should aim at the PFDJ operatives who blindly follow orders, and the source of all the evils of the Eritrean society as well as the internal affairs of the church.
If you want to point your finger it should be directed at the baddies. I believe that not all the bishops are silent but they lack the means and platform. God willing, the pfdj will go to the sewage of history and we will heat all the suffering sustained by the Church as much of the Eritrean society.
Please read Yoseif Ghebrehiwots’s essay posted at asmarino.com if you have the time.
Here is how the best mind in Horn African politics, ato Yosief Ghebrehiwet, explains and dissects the problem within the Tewahdo Church, in recent excellent article:
Catholic Bishops Sounding the “Extinction” Alarm in Eritrea
… With no such revolutionary or nationalistic malaise clouding their eyes, the Bishops are telling us in no unclear terms that such extinction is in fact in the making. What makes the Pastoral Letter unique is that it is the first time any Eritrean organization, be it religious or secular, to have focused on the existential predicament of the nation with such intensity. But the questions still remain: Why the Catholic Church only? Why not the Twahdo Church? Below, I will first repost an abridged version of my article Tewahdos’ Complicity in the Demise of their Church, written in May 2008, to provide us a point of contrast, before I come back to the six points mentioned above.
Begin quote:
Tewahdos’ Complicity in the Demise of their Church [9]
An all out assault against the Tewahdo Church has now been going on for years: its reform-minded pastors thrown behind bars; thousands of its youth prohibited from attending Sunday School; its Patriarch vilified, demoted and house-arrested; its monasteries raided (giffa) in utter contempt to tradition and religion; its priests and monks forcefully conscripted into the army; its administrative body overtaken by a layman; its leaders hand-picked by the Isaias regime; its progress in reform totally reversed by regressive forces; its very structure drastically altered from top to bottom to fit Shaebia’s evil designs; its body isolated from its parental Coptic Church in Alexandria; etc. Yet, among the Tewahdos, no sense of outrage can be detected; none at all. It is as if all this is happening to an entity totally alien to themselves …
Almost all the ills that have been stoking the Eritrean masses can be traced to one tragic confluence: that of the culture of abuse of ghedli with that of the culture of conformity of the masses. To each of these cultures, many contributing strands can be mentioned. But in this article, I will confine myself to looking at the meeting of two strands only, one from each, in the all-out assault against the Tewahdo Church that Shaebia has successfully unleashed: (a) Shaebia’s vulgar pragmatism, one of its most potent weapons in its arsenal of abuse; (b) and the Tigrignas’ weak and confused sense of identity that is to account for their tendency to romanticize and embrace the ghedli-concocted identity, one that often gives in to the slightest bit of coercion and manipulation.
Shaebia is very much known for its vulgar pragmatism, but pragmatism nevertheless. It is vulgar because whatever it does is guided by no higher economic, social, cultural, ethical, political or ideological principle; this “pragmatism” is nihilistic to the core. The single objective of this pragmatism always remains the same: self-preservation above anything else. The means of achieving this objective is: whatever it takes or anything that works. The only inhibiting question that it asks in pursuing this objective is: can I get away with it? In the process of doing so, nothing else matters; even the nation’s very existence is fair game.
The despot of Asmara is not as irrational as we make him to be. Even the most outrageous steps he takes are done only after carefully testing the waters. This is especially so when the step entertained is thought to be very sensitive. True to his vulgar pragmatism, the only question that he asks as he ventures into one social experimentation after another is: would they let me do it? And to find out, like a meticulous scientist, he carefully conducts his social experimentation starting from a relaxed one, working his way up to the stringiest one; always sizing up the situation as he increases the pressure incrementally. At every incremental level, he keeps testing the waters by carefully assessing the reaction of the masses. If we look at how he handled two very sensitive cases – that of G-15 and that of Patriarch Antonios – we will notice that it took him a long stretch of time in each case to accomplish his mission, a step by step approach that kept constantly testing the people’s level of tolerance.
Given the above, it is no wonder that Shaebia prefers to conduct its social experimentations first and foremost on one ethnic group – the Tigrigna – that has so far shown no sense of outrage when it comes to the brutalization of its various population groups: its womenfolk, its peasants, its heads of families, its exiled youth, its minority churches, its main religious denomination, its Patriarch, etc. No wonder that the more this population lets him do whatever he wants, the more the despot demands of it. And the more the Tigrignas let themselves be Shaebia’s guinea pigs, the more contempt the tyrant has for that population and the more brutal get his experimentations.
Here is another excellent analysis on the Tewahdo clergy from ato Yosief Ghebrehiwet:
(b) Clergy conscription into the army
That Shaebia doesn’t have the slightest bit of respect for the age-old tradition of the people is not only displayed in its forced conscription of women into the army, but also of the clergy. As pointed out above, it would be worthwhile to note that in the 17 centuries of Christianity in the region, not a single ruler has ever attempted to undertake such a sacrilegious act. So Shaebia’s contempt for tradition and religion is, in this case, as clear and as tangible as could be. Yet, the tyrant again shows his pragmatism when applying this demonic policy on the ground. He selectively raids Coptic churches and monasteries to round up the clergy to be sent to Sawa. The reason why Shaebia has so far refrained from doing the same thing to the Catholic Church is, again, simple: the Catholic Church has courageously, and with one voice, stood up against the incursion of the despot in its domain. They even responded to him with a strongly worded letter objecting to his efforts to recruit their clergy into the army. It also helps that the Church has the power, prestige and influence of the Vatican behind it.
In contrast, the Orthodox Church has neither a strong institution of international renown to back it up nor the cohesion among its clergy and its followers necessary in such confrontation. In fact, it was able to withstand the onslaught of the Isaias regime as long as it did through the sheer courage and integrity of one man: Patriarch Antonios. As soon as Shaebia got a foothold in the Church’s domain, it was not hard for this criminal organization to divide the Church and sow discord among its clergy and parishioners. Since the day of the plan’s inception, slowly but meticulously, the tyrant has been inching his way up to the total domination of the Coptic Church. And now, with the final arrest of the Patriarch, his nefarious mission is accomplished.
Now, what we have to ask is this: Why does Shaebia prey on the Tewahdos, among the major religions, disproportionately? What is it about the Tigrignas, in general, and the Tewahdos, in particular, that Shaebia finds it conducive for its social experimentation? There are two characteristics that we need to look at: the confused sense of identity of the Tigrignas and the vulnerability of Tewahdo in face of modernity.
The Eritrean Orthodox Church’s Statement (Translated into English by Semere T Habtemariam)
In a statement issued on the occasion of Eritrea’s Martyrs’ Memorial Day, June 20th, the Arch Diocese of North America of the Eritrean Orthodox Church expressed its unequivocal support for the Year-of-Faith’s Pastoral Letter of the four bishops of the Eritrean Catholic Church.
It is to be recalled that Abune Antonious, the legitimate patriarch of the Church, was dethroned from his papacy for his refusal to accept the regime’s interference in the affairs of the Church. In a letter dated January 13th, 2006, the patriarch attributed his removal from office to his “longstanding belief and vehement stand that it is illegal and unacceptable for Mr. Yoftahe Dimetros, a layperson of absolutely no clerical credentials, to become the highest administrator of our Church.”
Yaftahe Dimetros is the son of the notorious patron-saint of “andnetism” and one who proudly served the Derge as ambassador to Israel till Eritrea’s independence. He was brought back to Eritrea by Isaias to do exactly what his father did before him for the king of Ethiopia: give him the Orthodox Church in a silver platter.
When the government controlled synod passed a resolution that removed the “the duly consecrated Patriarch;” abune Antonious denounced it: “The reasons for your actions cannot be the result of your ignorance of the Canon of the church; it is rather because you have become a law unto yourselves. There is one thing that you need to be reminded of: No one can be above the law. Whosoever tries to trample the law underfoot will himself end up being trampled over by the law.” (The abune’s letter can be found at http://tewahdo.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=110:letter-from-hh-antonios-patriarch-of-the-eritrean-orthodox-church-&Itemid=115)
His Grace, Bishop Mekarious of the Eritrean Orthodox Church Arch Diocese of North America, was one of the first religious leaders who attributed the plight of our youth to the mismanagement of the country. In a sermon known by many as “intezey tdefani men metsdefeni: I would not have fallen down the cliff if you did not push me,” the bishop held the regime responsible for all the tragedies afflicting our nation and people. Three years later, in a public mourning held in Atlanta concerning the unforgettable Lampedusa tragedy, the bishop further elaborated on the sad state of our affairs. For his Lampedusa sermon, click here to listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1W0Nwy5u3k.
It therefore comes as no surprise that the Eritrean Orthodox Arch Diocese of North America is the first to express its strong support of the Pastoral Letter of the Four Bishops of the Eritrean Catholic Church. It is my hope that the rest will follow this great example. This is the moment where every other Eritrean religious group and denomination should strongly and unequivocally support the courageous and unprecedented act of the four Eritrean Catholic Bishops . This is the strongest moral criticism the regime has faced from inside the country, and it is only right that we build upon this momentum. As long as a voice of righteousness calls us from the wilderness we need to respond in kind regardless of whether that voice speaks with a Catholic, Muslim, Protestant, or Tewahdo accent. Let’s show unity of purpose and unity of righteousness..
As part of “What can I do to help” commitment, I’ve also taken it upon myself to translate the Tigrinya statement of the Arch Diocese of North America of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church. I hope I have done some justice to their work. I am responsible for any mistakes or misrepresentation of their message; and as a final arbiter of meaning I encourage you all to read the Tigrinya version at: http://tewahdo.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1465:-84&catid=61:2008-08-24-02-52-35&Itemid=54
Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church
Arch Diocese of North America
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails (Hab 1:4).
Statement of the Arch Diocese of North America On
The Current State of Our Church and Country
When Israel was void of the rule-of-law, justice was lost, and the people were aggrieved; the prophet Habakkuk, in tears and lamentation, conveyed God’s message to the people of Israel: “Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted” (Hab 1:4). Since our current situation is getting worse; likewise we find these words very relevant and applicable to us Eritreans.
After a long period of time, the Eritrean people brought justice inside their homes (from outside); having achieved justice they breathed a sigh of relief, but only to see her buried inside their own homes. Today the Eritrean people find themselves in a situation no less serious than previous miseries, unbridled oppressions, humiliation-degradations, aggressions and exiles.
This people deserve to enjoy all the things they were deprived of during their colonization: peace-prosperity, respect, freedom and justice; and today contrary to expectation they find themselves under a shadow of extinction. A country that should have been administered by the rule of law and the pillar of the truth, finds itself the mere possession of a few who cater to their whims and fancies. Because the supremacy of the rule-of-law has been stamped on, Eritreans are forced, against the desires of their heart, to flee their country into exile; and have fallen victims to human and organ trafficking where they are treated lower than animals and traded like articles of merchandise; where their bodies are cut open and their body parts harvested to be traded to the highest bidder.
Unfortunately nobody listened to his words at the time, but His Holiness the Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church, Abune Antonious, who recognized the impending disaster early on, relayed his message to the people in an open letter that concerns all; and duly warned, “When you stamp on the law; the law would come back to stamp on you.” Today, with the day-to-day events, the truths of these words are being lived in front of our eyes. Because the law has been stamped on; we have all been stamped on.
Our county is being deserted and depopulated; its people are fleeing in droves. Those Eritreans, men of the cloth and the faithful, had advised those who were transgressing the law to change their ways and do the right thing, for their transgressions has serious ramifications; but their advice fell on deaf ears. To the contrary, they had been subjected to treatments devoid of any compassion; even his holiness the Patriarch, Abune Antonious, was not spared; and his fate has become confinement.
In our prevailing critical and alarming conditions, where our survival is at risk and we are facing extinction, four Eritrean Catholic Bishops, in their Year-of-Faith Pastoral Letter, “Where is your brother?” have conveyed a timely message that has reached many. Their message is in line with and supports the truth his Holiness Patriarch Abune Antonious, and his Grace Bishop Mekarious of the Arch Diocese of North America, Europe and the Middle East had said before the crisis have gotten out of hand; and hence we express our support to their message that has the peoples’ and country’s interest at heart—salvation. Every person with a sense of morality must raise and address the important question of “Where is your brother?” and seek solutions.
Today we commemorate the martyrs who fell in line of duty for our sake; they have sacrificed their most precious lives because their hopes and aspirations were to see their people live in peace and prosperity. “Victory to the masses,” was the slogan they uttered right before their martyrdom; it was to wish the masses who survived them victory. “Victory of the masses” can only be realized when the people fully enjoy their God-given freedoms, and freely and without any fear and coercion, work to develop and take care of the land that God has given them. In other words, it is to own a country that is guided by the rule of law, justice and fairness.
Dear Eritrean people;
On the occasion we commemorate our martyrs, we call upon you, on behalf of our holy Church, to shoulder your responsibility and do your part so peace and prosperity can reign, our miseries can end, and we can have a country that fears God and respects people, and it is administered in justice and fairness.
May the Lord rest the soul of our martyrs in peace. Amen!
Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church
Arch Diocese of North America
June 20, 2014
Eritreans become slaves.
The worest Thing.
why why why.
I am sure insted of suffering the whole People
with only 200 People marytiers the whole People could be free forever.
abraham June 30, 2014
That is right
The orthodox pristes are not doing good.
And the result is divided the church congrigation.
So plz either worship Isias of Jesus Christ.
No one can worship two Lords.
Abraham
ኣርዓዶም ውፉይ ንሓርነት June 30, 2014
መርሓዊ ማሓርዝጊ
ኦርቶዶክሳውያን ዶ ኣይኮኑን ክሳብ ለይቲ ሎሚ ምእንቲ ሓቒ ተኣሲሮም ዘለው። ስለምንታይ ኣሽሙር ትዛረብ ኣለካ፣ ስለምንታይከ ቓልሲ ኣቦታትና ጳጳሳት ኦርቶዶክስ ተነኣእስ ኣለኻ። ኣቡነ ኣንቶንዮዎስ ዶ ኣይኩኑን ምእንቲ ሓቒ ክሳብ ሕጂ ኣብ ማሕዩር ዝበልዩ ዘለው። ክንደይ ካህናትን ሊቓውንትን ብህግደፍ ከም ዝጠፍ ኡ ትፈልጥ እንዲካ። ካቶሊካውያን ሎሚ እዮም ተሲ ኦም እምበር፣ እዚ ኹሉ ዓመታት ኦርቶዶክሳውያን እንዳ ተቓለሱ ኣበይ ነሮም። ሎሚ ግን እታ ዘይትምሕር ንኹሉ ህዝቢ ሽግር ስለዘርከበት ከም ጀጋኑ ኮይኖም እምበር ጀመርትስ ኦርቶዶክሳውያን ብዓል ደክተር ቐሺ ፍጹም ደረስቲ ዝነበሩን ብዓል ኣቦና ኣንቶንዮስ እዮም። ስለምንታይ ንቓልሶም ተራኽሶ ኣለኻ ግን ዘገርምን ዘተሓታትትን ኢዩ። ልክዕ ምስ ህግደፍ ወጊኖም ዘገልግሉ ኣለው፣ እንተኾነ ግን ዋላ ኣብ ካቶሊካውያን ውን ክሳብ ሕጂ ምስ ህግደፍ ወጊኖም ዘገልግሉ ብዙሃት ኢዮም። እሞ`ከዳ እንታይ ወሪዱካ ጉንጭል ኣቢልካ ቓልሲ ኦርቶዶክሳውያን ተነኣእስ። እዞም ኩሎም ኣብ ሰሜን ኣመሪካ ኮይኖም ምእንቲ ሰላም ዝቓለሱ ዝነበሩን ዘለውን ጳጳሳት ኦርቶዶክስ ከ ኣበይ ረሲዕካዮም። ብጣዕሚ ተሕዝን ሰብ ኢኻ። እንተኾነ ግን ብዕላማ ስለዝጸሓፍካዮ ካቶሊካዊ ብምኻንካ ትከውን ድማ ኦርቶዶክስ ከምዘይ ተቓለሱ ካቶሊኣውያን ድማ ልዕሊ ህዝቦም ከም ዝተቓለሱ ኣምሲልካ ምቕራብካ ዘተሓታት ጉዳይ እዩ። ኣበይ`ሞ ጸብጻቢት ኣይትነብርን እመበር መኖም ቐንዲ ንሰላም ከም ዝተቓለሰ ምተፈልጠ።
Selamawi' July 1, 2014
ጉጀለ ጸየቕቲ ህግደዝፍ ንሕዝቢ ኤርትራ ብብዙሕ መገድታት ክጎጃጅሉዎ ዝተፈላለየ ብልሃት እንድዮም ዝጥቀሙ፥ ኣርዓዶም ከኣ ክኢለዮ ኢልካ ዲኻ ንጸሓፋይ ካቶሊካዊ ኢኻ ቢልካ ትኸሶ ዘለኻ፧
ካድረታት ግዝያዊ መንግስቲ ኤርትራ ኣብ ዓዲ ይኹን ኣብ ወጻኢ፥ ነቲ ኻቶሊካውያን ጳጳሳት ኤርትራ ዝጸሓፉዎ መንፈሳዊን ማሕበራዊን መዳያት ዘጠቓለለ ምርኡይ ጽሑፍ፥ ብጽሞና ሰሚዖም ኣብ ክንዲ ዝጥቀሙሉ፥ እቲ ነውራም ዝኾነ ናይ ጸለመ ስራሖም ይቕጽሉ ኣለዉ። ጽሑፍካ ከኣ ካብ ክእርም ክዝልፍ፥ ካብ ከፋቐር ኬባእስ ዝደለየ ይመስል እሞ፥ ብስም ልዑል ፈጣሪ ክልምነካ ግደፍ። ክርስትያን እንተዄንካ ወንጌል ተፋቐሩ ደኣምበር ተበኣሱ ኣይብለን ኢዩ ከምዝበሉዎ ሓደ ካብቶም ዓበይቲ ጳጳሳት (ኣቶ ኢሳያስ ኣብ መንደፈራ ኣኪቦም ንካቶሊካውያን ኔው በሉዎም ምስበሉዎም ዝመለሱዋ ቃል ኢዩ)። ክስታናይ እንተ ዘይኮንካ ግን በጃኻ በቦኻን በደኻን ካብ መገዲ ባእሲ ምርሓቕ ይሓይሽ ክብል እፈቱ። ኤርትራዊ እንተዝይኮንካ ድማ፥ በጃኻ ሕማቕ ዘርኢ ኣይፅራእ መርገም ከይኮነካ።
ጸሓፋይ ግን ዝደንዘዘ መንፈስ ሕግደፍን ካድረታቶምን ሰለይቶምን ዝብል ኃይለ ቃል እንተዝሓሪ ምሓሾ ነይሩ እመስለኒ።
ኽ ኣብ ሕጊ ኣይትሕለፍ ካብ ጥዑም ኣይትትረፍ
meharenazghi July 1, 2014
ዝኸበርካ ኣርዓዶም ንመልእኽተይ ብግቡእ ኣንቢብካ ስለ ዘይተረዳእካዮ ኢኻ እምበር፣እቲ መልእኽቲ ናብቶም ኣብ እምነቶም ጸኒዖም ብተወፋይነት ሓዋርያዊ መልእኽቶም ኣብ ምትግባር ዝነበሩ ቅዱስ ፓትሪያርክ እንጦንዮስ ከም ዘይኮነ፣ከምኡውን ናብቶም ኣብ ኦርቶዶክሳዊት ቤ/ክ እምነቶም ጸኒዖም ንኣማኒ ህዝቦም መንፈሳዊ ምግቢ ዝምግቡ ዝነበሩ ሕጂ በቶም ኣብ መሪሕነት ዘለዉ ናይቲ ዲክታቶሪያዊ ስርዓት ኣብ ቤት ማእሰርቲ ዝሳቐዩ ዘለዉ ኣባላት ቤተ ክህነት ኦርቶዶክሳዊት ቤተ ክርስትያን ዘተኮረ ዘይኮነ፣ከምቲ ኣብ ኣርእስቲ ጽሑፈይ ዘስፈርኩዎ ነቶም ስቅያት ናይ ህዝቦም ከይዓጠጦም ሃይማኖታዊ ሓላፍነቶም ዘንጊዖም ኣብ ስጋዊ ረብሓኦም ጥራይ ብምግዳስ ኣገልገልቲ ናይቲ ህዝብና ዘጽንት ዘሎ ስርዓት ኮይኖም ኣብቲ ስማዊ ሲኖዶስ ተኣኪቦም ብኣቡነ ዲዮስቆሮስ ዝምርሑ ዘለዉ ጳጳሳት ኢየ መንፈሰ ድንዙዛት ዝበልክዎም።እዚ ከኣ ኣሉ ዘይበሃል ሓቂ ኢዩ።ምኽንያቱ መንፈሶም እንተ ዘይድንዝዝ፣ህዝቢ እናተሳቐየ፣ህዝቢ ብዘይ ፍትሒ እናተኣስረ፣ህዝቢ ከም ጊላ እናገልገለ፣ደቁን ቤተ ሰቡን ብናይ ረሃብ ሓለንጊ እናተገርፉ፣ህዝቢ ዝፈትዋ ዓዱ ራሕሪሑ እናተሰደ እናረኣዩ ከም ዘይረኣዩ፣እናሰምዑ ከም ዘይሰምዑ፣ጓሳዪ ናይቲ ህዝቢ ክኾኑ ሓላፍነት ከም ዘይተሰከሙ፣ሕሊናኦም ስለ ዝቐተሉ ኢዩ እምበር ሕሊና እንተ ዝነብሮም መንፈሶም መባራበሮም’ሞ ኣፎም ከፊቶም ብድፍረት ነቲ ብናይ ኣርዑት ጭቆና ንህዝብና ዘሳቂ ዘሎ ስርዓት ዓገብ ኪብሉ ምኸኣሉ።ዓገብ ክሳዕ ዘይበሉ ግን መንፈሶም ደንዚዙ ኢዩ ዘሎ።
Selamawi June 30, 2014
Dear Ato Merhawi,
The title of your piece does not represent your piece, and would like to disagree with you that the Orthodox Church Bishops have a dormant spirituality.
If you agree with me that the Orthodox Church has been victimized by the Provisional Government of Eritrea and its PFDJ internal circle, then we have to recognize that many of the clergy, some bishops and the laity did indeed express their discontent of the interference of the the PGE and its illicit operatives, in the affairs of the Church. It is bizarre to see that an atheist organization (pfdj)is manipulating the administration of the Church.
All of those who opposed the anti-Godly organization’s interference are in prison without trial. The Patriarch is under house arrest. Abune Mekarios, such spiritual, intellectual and wise man of the church is in exile. Many of the Orthodox priests are in exile too.
These people know that the pfdj is destroying their church and the entire social structure of the Eritrean society.
In my view, ዝደንዘዘ መንፈስኩም ይበራበር should aim at the PFDJ operatives who blindly follow orders, and the source of all the evils of the Eritrean society as well as the internal affairs of the church.
If you want to point your finger it should be directed at the baddies. I believe that not all the bishops are silent but they lack the means and platform. God willing, the pfdj will go to the sewage of history and we will heat all the suffering sustained by the Church as much of the Eritrean society.
Please read Yoseif Ghebrehiwots’s essay posted at asmarino.com if you have the time.
God save our nation from complete demise.
Yosief June 30, 2014
Amanuel,
Please tell them to avoid inflammatory texts.The media has to be used only to narrow the gab b/n communities.
Hazhaz June 30, 2014
Here is how the best mind in Horn African politics, ato Yosief Ghebrehiwet, explains and dissects the problem within the Tewahdo Church, in recent excellent article:
Catholic Bishops Sounding the “Extinction” Alarm in Eritrea
http://www.asmarino.com/articles/2108-catholic-bishops-sounding-the-extinction-alarm-in-eritrea
… With no such revolutionary or nationalistic malaise clouding their eyes, the Bishops are telling us in no unclear terms that such extinction is in fact in the making. What makes the Pastoral Letter unique is that it is the first time any Eritrean organization, be it religious or secular, to have focused on the existential predicament of the nation with such intensity. But the questions still remain: Why the Catholic Church only? Why not the Twahdo Church? Below, I will first repost an abridged version of my article Tewahdos’ Complicity in the Demise of their Church, written in May 2008, to provide us a point of contrast, before I come back to the six points mentioned above.
Begin quote:
Tewahdos’ Complicity in the Demise of their Church [9]
An all out assault against the Tewahdo Church has now been going on for years: its reform-minded pastors thrown behind bars; thousands of its youth prohibited from attending Sunday School; its Patriarch vilified, demoted and house-arrested; its monasteries raided (giffa) in utter contempt to tradition and religion; its priests and monks forcefully conscripted into the army; its administrative body overtaken by a layman; its leaders hand-picked by the Isaias regime; its progress in reform totally reversed by regressive forces; its very structure drastically altered from top to bottom to fit Shaebia’s evil designs; its body isolated from its parental Coptic Church in Alexandria; etc. Yet, among the Tewahdos, no sense of outrage can be detected; none at all. It is as if all this is happening to an entity totally alien to themselves …
Almost all the ills that have been stoking the Eritrean masses can be traced to one tragic confluence: that of the culture of abuse of ghedli with that of the culture of conformity of the masses. To each of these cultures, many contributing strands can be mentioned. But in this article, I will confine myself to looking at the meeting of two strands only, one from each, in the all-out assault against the Tewahdo Church that Shaebia has successfully unleashed: (a) Shaebia’s vulgar pragmatism, one of its most potent weapons in its arsenal of abuse; (b) and the Tigrignas’ weak and confused sense of identity that is to account for their tendency to romanticize and embrace the ghedli-concocted identity, one that often gives in to the slightest bit of coercion and manipulation.
…
Hazhaz June 30, 2014
…
Shaebia’s vulgar pragmatism
Shaebia is very much known for its vulgar pragmatism, but pragmatism nevertheless. It is vulgar because whatever it does is guided by no higher economic, social, cultural, ethical, political or ideological principle; this “pragmatism” is nihilistic to the core. The single objective of this pragmatism always remains the same: self-preservation above anything else. The means of achieving this objective is: whatever it takes or anything that works. The only inhibiting question that it asks in pursuing this objective is: can I get away with it? In the process of doing so, nothing else matters; even the nation’s very existence is fair game.
The despot of Asmara is not as irrational as we make him to be. Even the most outrageous steps he takes are done only after carefully testing the waters. This is especially so when the step entertained is thought to be very sensitive. True to his vulgar pragmatism, the only question that he asks as he ventures into one social experimentation after another is: would they let me do it? And to find out, like a meticulous scientist, he carefully conducts his social experimentation starting from a relaxed one, working his way up to the stringiest one; always sizing up the situation as he increases the pressure incrementally. At every incremental level, he keeps testing the waters by carefully assessing the reaction of the masses. If we look at how he handled two very sensitive cases – that of G-15 and that of Patriarch Antonios – we will notice that it took him a long stretch of time in each case to accomplish his mission, a step by step approach that kept constantly testing the people’s level of tolerance.
Given the above, it is no wonder that Shaebia prefers to conduct its social experimentations first and foremost on one ethnic group – the Tigrigna – that has so far shown no sense of outrage when it comes to the brutalization of its various population groups: its womenfolk, its peasants, its heads of families, its exiled youth, its minority churches, its main religious denomination, its Patriarch, etc. No wonder that the more this population lets him do whatever he wants, the more the despot demands of it. And the more the Tigrignas let themselves be Shaebia’s guinea pigs, the more contempt the tyrant has for that population and the more brutal get his experimentations.
Full article at: http://www.asmarino.com/articles/2108-catholic-bishops-sounding-the-extinction-alarm-in-eritrea
————–
Selamawi' July 1, 2014
Dear Hazhaz,
You describe Yosief Ghebrehiwot as ‘the best mind in East Africa’
I do not think this is factually true. Simply there is no mechanism to measure this.
In my opinion Yosief is better described as an authoritative figure in the contemporary Eritrean socio-political situation.
Best wishes
Hazhaz June 30, 2014
Here is another excellent analysis on the Tewahdo clergy from ato Yosief Ghebrehiwet:
(b) Clergy conscription into the army
That Shaebia doesn’t have the slightest bit of respect for the age-old tradition of the people is not only displayed in its forced conscription of women into the army, but also of the clergy. As pointed out above, it would be worthwhile to note that in the 17 centuries of Christianity in the region, not a single ruler has ever attempted to undertake such a sacrilegious act. So Shaebia’s contempt for tradition and religion is, in this case, as clear and as tangible as could be. Yet, the tyrant again shows his pragmatism when applying this demonic policy on the ground. He selectively raids Coptic churches and monasteries to round up the clergy to be sent to Sawa. The reason why Shaebia has so far refrained from doing the same thing to the Catholic Church is, again, simple: the Catholic Church has courageously, and with one voice, stood up against the incursion of the despot in its domain. They even responded to him with a strongly worded letter objecting to his efforts to recruit their clergy into the army. It also helps that the Church has the power, prestige and influence of the Vatican behind it.
In contrast, the Orthodox Church has neither a strong institution of international renown to back it up nor the cohesion among its clergy and its followers necessary in such confrontation. In fact, it was able to withstand the onslaught of the Isaias regime as long as it did through the sheer courage and integrity of one man: Patriarch Antonios. As soon as Shaebia got a foothold in the Church’s domain, it was not hard for this criminal organization to divide the Church and sow discord among its clergy and parishioners. Since the day of the plan’s inception, slowly but meticulously, the tyrant has been inching his way up to the total domination of the Coptic Church. And now, with the final arrest of the Patriarch, his nefarious mission is accomplished.
Now, what we have to ask is this: Why does Shaebia prey on the Tewahdos, among the major religions, disproportionately? What is it about the Tigrignas, in general, and the Tewahdos, in particular, that Shaebia finds it conducive for its social experimentation? There are two characteristics that we need to look at: the confused sense of identity of the Tigrignas and the vulnerability of Tewahdo in face of modernity.
true June 30, 2014
hzbe eriera abe klo hwka abyalo zble mlekte klo sabe yelllo alo ntom tigrga engliz zykolo barabe tttgom gdase malike eya
Almaz Gual Asmera June 30, 2014
The Eritrean Orthodox Church’s Statement (Translated into English by Semere T Habtemariam)
In a statement issued on the occasion of Eritrea’s Martyrs’ Memorial Day, June 20th, the Arch Diocese of North America of the Eritrean Orthodox Church expressed its unequivocal support for the Year-of-Faith’s Pastoral Letter of the four bishops of the Eritrean Catholic Church.
It is to be recalled that Abune Antonious, the legitimate patriarch of the Church, was dethroned from his papacy for his refusal to accept the regime’s interference in the affairs of the Church. In a letter dated January 13th, 2006, the patriarch attributed his removal from office to his “longstanding belief and vehement stand that it is illegal and unacceptable for Mr. Yoftahe Dimetros, a layperson of absolutely no clerical credentials, to become the highest administrator of our Church.”
Yaftahe Dimetros is the son of the notorious patron-saint of “andnetism” and one who proudly served the Derge as ambassador to Israel till Eritrea’s independence. He was brought back to Eritrea by Isaias to do exactly what his father did before him for the king of Ethiopia: give him the Orthodox Church in a silver platter.
When the government controlled synod passed a resolution that removed the “the duly consecrated Patriarch;” abune Antonious denounced it: “The reasons for your actions cannot be the result of your ignorance of the Canon of the church; it is rather because you have become a law unto yourselves. There is one thing that you need to be reminded of: No one can be above the law. Whosoever tries to trample the law underfoot will himself end up being trampled over by the law.” (The abune’s letter can be found at http://tewahdo.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=110:letter-from-hh-antonios-patriarch-of-the-eritrean-orthodox-church-&Itemid=115)
His Grace, Bishop Mekarious of the Eritrean Orthodox Church Arch Diocese of North America, was one of the first religious leaders who attributed the plight of our youth to the mismanagement of the country. In a sermon known by many as “intezey tdefani men metsdefeni: I would not have fallen down the cliff if you did not push me,” the bishop held the regime responsible for all the tragedies afflicting our nation and people. Three years later, in a public mourning held in Atlanta concerning the unforgettable Lampedusa tragedy, the bishop further elaborated on the sad state of our affairs. For his Lampedusa sermon, click here to listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1W0Nwy5u3k.
It therefore comes as no surprise that the Eritrean Orthodox Arch Diocese of North America is the first to express its strong support of the Pastoral Letter of the Four Bishops of the Eritrean Catholic Church. It is my hope that the rest will follow this great example. This is the moment where every other Eritrean religious group and denomination should strongly and unequivocally support the courageous and unprecedented act of the four Eritrean Catholic Bishops . This is the strongest moral criticism the regime has faced from inside the country, and it is only right that we build upon this momentum. As long as a voice of righteousness calls us from the wilderness we need to respond in kind regardless of whether that voice speaks with a Catholic, Muslim, Protestant, or Tewahdo accent. Let’s show unity of purpose and unity of righteousness..
As part of “What can I do to help” commitment, I’ve also taken it upon myself to translate the Tigrinya statement of the Arch Diocese of North America of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church. I hope I have done some justice to their work. I am responsible for any mistakes or misrepresentation of their message; and as a final arbiter of meaning I encourage you all to read the Tigrinya version at: http://tewahdo.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1465:-84&catid=61:2008-08-24-02-52-35&Itemid=54
Semere T Habtemariam.
Almaz Gual Asmera June 30, 2014
Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church
Arch Diocese of North America
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails (Hab 1:4).
Statement of the Arch Diocese of North America On
The Current State of Our Church and Country
When Israel was void of the rule-of-law, justice was lost, and the people were aggrieved; the prophet Habakkuk, in tears and lamentation, conveyed God’s message to the people of Israel: “Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted” (Hab 1:4). Since our current situation is getting worse; likewise we find these words very relevant and applicable to us Eritreans.
After a long period of time, the Eritrean people brought justice inside their homes (from outside); having achieved justice they breathed a sigh of relief, but only to see her buried inside their own homes. Today the Eritrean people find themselves in a situation no less serious than previous miseries, unbridled oppressions, humiliation-degradations, aggressions and exiles.
This people deserve to enjoy all the things they were deprived of during their colonization: peace-prosperity, respect, freedom and justice; and today contrary to expectation they find themselves under a shadow of extinction. A country that should have been administered by the rule of law and the pillar of the truth, finds itself the mere possession of a few who cater to their whims and fancies. Because the supremacy of the rule-of-law has been stamped on, Eritreans are forced, against the desires of their heart, to flee their country into exile; and have fallen victims to human and organ trafficking where they are treated lower than animals and traded like articles of merchandise; where their bodies are cut open and their body parts harvested to be traded to the highest bidder.
Unfortunately nobody listened to his words at the time, but His Holiness the Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church, Abune Antonious, who recognized the impending disaster early on, relayed his message to the people in an open letter that concerns all; and duly warned, “When you stamp on the law; the law would come back to stamp on you.” Today, with the day-to-day events, the truths of these words are being lived in front of our eyes. Because the law has been stamped on; we have all been stamped on.
Our county is being deserted and depopulated; its people are fleeing in droves. Those Eritreans, men of the cloth and the faithful, had advised those who were transgressing the law to change their ways and do the right thing, for their transgressions has serious ramifications; but their advice fell on deaf ears. To the contrary, they had been subjected to treatments devoid of any compassion; even his holiness the Patriarch, Abune Antonious, was not spared; and his fate has become confinement.
In our prevailing critical and alarming conditions, where our survival is at risk and we are facing extinction, four Eritrean Catholic Bishops, in their Year-of-Faith Pastoral Letter, “Where is your brother?” have conveyed a timely message that has reached many. Their message is in line with and supports the truth his Holiness Patriarch Abune Antonious, and his Grace Bishop Mekarious of the Arch Diocese of North America, Europe and the Middle East had said before the crisis have gotten out of hand; and hence we express our support to their message that has the peoples’ and country’s interest at heart—salvation. Every person with a sense of morality must raise and address the important question of “Where is your brother?” and seek solutions.
Today we commemorate the martyrs who fell in line of duty for our sake; they have sacrificed their most precious lives because their hopes and aspirations were to see their people live in peace and prosperity. “Victory to the masses,” was the slogan they uttered right before their martyrdom; it was to wish the masses who survived them victory. “Victory of the masses” can only be realized when the people fully enjoy their God-given freedoms, and freely and without any fear and coercion, work to develop and take care of the land that God has given them. In other words, it is to own a country that is guided by the rule of law, justice and fairness.
Dear Eritrean people;
On the occasion we commemorate our martyrs, we call upon you, on behalf of our holy Church, to shoulder your responsibility and do your part so peace and prosperity can reign, our miseries can end, and we can have a country that fears God and respects people, and it is administered in justice and fairness.
May the Lord rest the soul of our martyrs in peace. Amen!
Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church
Arch Diocese of North America
June 20, 2014
NB: Top image of the incarcerated Abune Antonios
Abraham June 30, 2014
Eritreans become slaves.
The worest Thing.
why why why.
I am sure insted of suffering the whole People
with only 200 People marytiers the whole People could be free forever.
Anraja,