Baptists in Ethiopia are requesting prayer from the international Baptist community on recent happenings in the East African country.
Over the past two months, beginning on August 5, Ethiopia has been beset by unrest that has led to the loss of hundreds of lives and the arrest of thousands.
Anti-government protests took place over alleged human rights abuses, unfair distribution of wealth, political marginalization, land seizure by government, hundreds of extra-judicial killings by police and mass arrests, among other grievances.
“I am sending you this mail to request all Baptist families to join us in prayer about Ethiopia,” wrote Jima Dilbo, president of the Emmanuel Baptist Church of Ethiopia. “The situation here in our country is getting worse. Opposition against the incumbent government is increasing from time to time and the way government is responding so far is not constructive.”
As an example, Dilbo cited an incident where official reports state that 55 persons were killed in clashes with security forces during a gathering of some two million persons from the Oromo tribe. Dilbo said opposition sources claim the death toll from the incident was more than 500.
A six-month state of emergency was declared by the government in October.
“Please present our country and the situation we are in before the Almighty God, so that peace prevails in this difficult situation in Ethiopia!” Dilbo asked.
Baptist World Alliance®
© October 11, 2016