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Fire at Asebot Monastery in eastern Ethiopia (VOA)

Ethiopian monasteries are under attack. Last week, the Woyanne junta started to demolish 18 churches at Woldeba Monastery in northern Ethiopia. Yesterday, the historic Ziquala Monastery in southern Ethiopia was being threatened with a raging forest fire. VOA reports that Asebot Monastery in eastern Ethiopia is also engulfed with fire. Listen below:

22 thoughts on “Fire at Asebot Monastery in eastern Ethiopia (VOA)

  1. i am tiered of hearing all kind of such news. Is there any “mergemit” by. I do not know why such crap has happened to Ethiopia? why is it all? i am so confused to think about the whole such disastrous news all day and all night. Is there any historical nation in the world that has passed through in such nasty events as Ethiopia? I dont think so. God help us release out of the hands of evils.

  2. Some say Ethiopia’s Meles Zenawi’s forming close ties with china’s government recently is directly attributing to the destruction of the monastries. As we all know Yenesew Gebre’s heroic action somehow resembled the action that is being taken Tibetans protesting the Chinese policies in the region.According to VOA Thousands of people gathered in an ethnic Tibetan area of China’s western Qinghai province this past Sunday to mourn the death of a farmer (Sonam Dargye) who set himself on fire Saturday to protest Chinese policies in the region.

    རྨ་ལྷོ་སོག་རྫོང་དུ་བོད་མི་གཉིས་སྟོང་ལྷག་གིས་ཞི་བའི་ངོ་རྒོལ་བྱས་འདུག

    Witnesses told VOA that protesters demanded freedom, human rights for Tibet, and the return from exile of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

    The 44-year-old farmer and father of three set himself on fire near the town center of Rongwo in Qinghai. His act followed another self-immolation protest earlier in the week by a monk in southwestern China’s Sichuan province, where many Tibetans live.

    The London-based Free Tibet rights group quoted an eyewitness as saying “[Sunday’s protest] is the biggest gathering of people I have ever seen in this place. People are pouring in from the villages.”

    March has long been a tense time for China and its Tibetan areas, as the month marks key anniversaries in the Tibetan struggle for more freedom.

    Twenty-nine Tibetans, mostly Buddhist monks, have set themselves on fire in the past year to draw attention to what they describe as Beijing’s oppression of the Tibetan religion and culture. At least 20 have died.

    The Chinese government has described the self-immolations as barbaric and terrorists acts. It accuses overseas groups and the Dalai Lama of inciting separatism. Beijing also has also portrayed those who have set themselves on fire as outcasts and criminals.

    http://www.voanews.com/tibetan-english/news/Thousands-Mourn-Tibetan-Self-Immolator-in-China-143304956.html

  3. It is not a secret that Meles is an agent with a mission to destroy Ethiopia and its history and culture. That includes its religion. They know that the orthodox religion is the one that united the majority Christians. We need to get rid of these anti-Ethiopian rulers lead by Meles. If we don’t do any thing but blame God, nothing would change.
    We brought this on ourselves when we revolt against Haile Selassie II, who really loves his people and his country. We called him “leba” and “blood sucker”. Then God gave us Mengistu to show us what Blood sucker look like. And gave us Meles to show us what “Leba” look like. Since we brought this on ourselves, we are that the ones that should fight and remove these evil leaders who have a mission to destroy Ethiopia and Ethiopians.

  4. Who ever is torching the Ethiopian Christians’ historical monasteries, whether he is an evangelical Christian or an Ethiopian Muslim bought by the Saudi king to do such a heinous crime on Christian Churches and monasteries, one thing is clear that the perpetrators could not burn or destroy the resilient spirits of the Ethiopian Christians. Let the Ethiopian Muslims or the Ethiopian Evangelical arsonists burn the entire Ethiopian Churches, we still could rebuild them.

    The Holy City of Jerusalem had been besieged, attacked, captured, and burned down by various invaders, but the Children of God, the Jewish people, were able to restore it to its former glory. Shame on the arsonist Ethiopian Muslims or Ethiopian Evangelical Christian arsonists who think their faith in Jesus Christ is superior to the solid faith of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Christians in their eternal God, Jesus Christ.

    It seems to me both the Ethiopian Evangelical Christians and the Ethiopian rotten Muslims have conspired against that glorious Church of ours – the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church. It may take us some times until we find out who the real criminal is.

    Asebot Gedam was built on a hill, not very far from the Muslims’ villages around that area. The main point remains that both Asebot Gedam and Ziqualla Gedam are surrounded by the Ethiopian enemies – the Muhammadans. We better take care of the Haique Monastery in the Wollo region before something bad happens to it. Any Christian monastery in the Muslims’ area is in great danger!

    Meyesaw replies:

    Geltu!

    It is not the muslims who burn this churches, it is the work of the tigrean woyane, period! Destroying woyane tigreans is equivalent to destroying the arch enemies of Ethiopia and Ethiopians. Work together to destroy these cancer before they eat us all alive.

    Assta B. Gettu replies:

    Meyesaw or Mosasaw or Cosasaw,
    As an alien to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church, as an enemy to this ancient Church, and as an ignorant to the history of this renowned Church, you have no clue who the enemies of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church are, and you don’t have an interest to know her historical adversaries.

    In the old days, Gragn Muhammad burned thousands of Christian Churches, monasteries, and destroyed a number of valuable and very costly holy books. In recent days, some Ethiopian Muslims have burned Christian Churches in the south. Today, the same people may have started burning again our historical monasteries. This is not just the work of the Woyanne government: it involves the Saudi Wohabis, the Pentecostals, and the Evangelical Christians. All these foreign agents are sworn enemies of the Ethiopia Orthodox Tewahido Church. When we get rid of Meles Seitanawi (Zenawi), we must deal harshly with all our Church’s adversaries and give absolute authority to our Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church.

    Anonymous replies:

    you are a loser who blame others,dedeb it’s not only the churches burning every where Ethiopia is burning ante Diqala

    Anonymous replies:

    The Muslims and the Evangelical Christians might not care as much as the members of EOC about the burning of the monasteries, but the one who is responsible for the burning is, no one but that bloodsucker Meles and his TPLF puppets. Meles knows, not to touch Muslims and Evangelical Christians as he abused and committed despicable crimes against Ethiopian Orthodox Churches, because Meles fear of the outrage from the outside world. Meles knows darn well that the Ethiopian Orthodox Churches have no outside support. Once again, Meles has committed an act of Evil on peaceful people that have given their lives to serve the Almighty God and his son Jesus Christ. Great shame, indeed!!

    Assta B. Gettu replies:

    Anonymous,

    It is almost impossible to identify the wicked Anonymous from the righteous one; however, the immoral Anonymous wrote: “you (sic) are a loser who blame (sic) others….”

    How retarded you are! Don’t you know since Meles Seitanawi (Zenawi) took power by force, every Ethiopian has been a loser, even the Tegaru?

    By the way, where did you learn the two degrading Amharic words, “ደደብ” and “ዲቃላ”? Perhaps, your smartness and your noble birth might have driven you to call someone ደደብ and ዲቃላ respectably. The truth is, nevertheless, you are one of those diffident Jihadists who do not want to identify themselves because they are murderers. Any person whose screen name is Anonymous is a thief and a killer like Meles Seitanawi (Zenawi). Don’t hide yourself under an obscure name – Anonymous – use another screen name, and talk like a proud person.

  5. I am one of those countrymen who have a fond memory of this monastery. We used to go there in July to celebrate Selasewoch. I will never forget the nights we spent in the compound and the meal served by the monks and deacons. There are two churches and Selasewoch is on the higher ground. This monastery was dismantled by the Italians in the 1930’s and they did that to appease the local Oromos. They brought the tin roofs from the church to build their regional garrison and offices in Mieso. But the local Oromos did not find anything beneficial from that utter destruction because they know the monks did not bother anyone around them. But it was rebuilt after the war following the demise of the fascist army. The monastery was practically self sufficient to sustain itself. They have saved the mountain from erosion and therefore deforestation. I also remember growing up in the nearby town that fire used to erupt during the year probably started by lightening. I vividly recall one instance when two deacons stood by the edge of our small town screaming for help (ou-ou-taa) and every one began running toward the mountain to put out the fire. This was about 50-52 years ago. I mean every one, every able man from that small town regardless of religion. They put out the fire before it reached the complex. I guess that was a time of harmony and fraternity. But in this day and age of extremist Wahabis, anything is possible. I hope and piously pray that is not the case. I am sure those of you who are still alive and reside anywhere in the West will also join me reminiscing our march to the monastery for the celebration. Wow!!!! Those good days are just gone by with no chance of coming back. With all this regions’n’all, I don’t think I will be allowed to go back and live where I was born and raised even though I was brought up by a poor family where my mother used to sell injera to provide for me and my sister(RIP). My crime and only crime – I am an Amhara. My mother was born just outside that small town; my father was born in Arba Raketie. I don’t even know which locality in the Amhara region where my ancestors came from. My mother was from Bulga and my father from Menz. I don’t think they even knew which village from Bulga and Menz their parents actually came from. I always thought I am Harargeyan and still consider myself as that. It is sad. Right? I am just like one those Bosnians, Serbs and Croats who were cleansed out of villages where they lived for centuries. And they still call me a Neftegna? Very, very sad!!!!

    Anonymous replies:

    Your comment is probably the first might also be the last I ever read with utmost nostalgic feeling on news outlets like this one. You see the Ethiopian king, Dawit said ”Ethiopia stretches her hand to God” – Yes! he meant ONLY and ONLY to God not to the UN and the likes. One day I believe we will have the same harmony and peace you experienced in early times. God Bless.

    Ye Tabia Lij replies:

    Yes a lot of childhood memories. The way we marched to that mountain, all those schools songs we chanted, the drums that we made out of cow and goat skins we beat in well harmonized rhythms, the mule our school headmaster was riding on (that mule was rented out for the trip from a Muslim Oromo owner) and what we saw by the edge of the mountain during one of those trips have started rewinding in my indelible memory RAM. It was at the beginning of the month of Hamle (July) and seasonal springs were gushing out from many directions. I remember an old nun sitting by one of those rushing springs in her shinning white robe. I think she was just meditating and praying. I am not sure if they allowed nuns to reside in that monastery and she might have been on her pilgrimage trip just like us. She blessed us all and we proceeded going up that uphill road to the church. If any one of us exhausted the school headmaster would let us mount the mule until we catch our breath. And on that day of the celebration, Hamle 7, that place would be crowded with hundreds of pilgrims chanting and dancing with songs made for the occasion. I wished if it had gone unabated for days. And the main priest? Talk about preaching!!! I will never forget one of his presentations where he put one of Jesus Parables about the Prodigal Son. He was going back and forth in Geez and very eloquent Amharic on the Parable. That is stuck with me until today just Selasewoch have helped and protected me all my life. They have blanketed me from evil and evil doers. They have blessed my children at no charge. They told me to go this way and I did. They told me to do that way and I did. They had advised to avoid and avoid that and I did just that. Selasewoch were and are with me all the time and they will be with me to eternity. I will go and see them someday there in Asabot. And it is a promise from Them Almighty Selasewoch to me, me just one faceless fine grain of dirt. May Selasewoch’s Peace Be Upon Us now and forever!!!!!
    Then after the ceremony is over we used to go back to our home town some times in a different direction.

  6. Let us think about this soberly.It is very odd in deed to think in a country where there is a functional government such things will go with out notice by the outhorities,unless the government,for its own benefit,is permitting this things to happen.If indeed this event was the work of some individuals and extrimist groups,by now we could have heard about it from the goverment media.The media is silent,no group is claiming responsiblity and the conclusion is becomes clear the government is behind it.

    After all,the government in recent weeks made it clker to the Monkes in Waldeba and its surruondings it wants to clear the monastry and 18 churches around it.Since this annoucement just this week we learned the burning of Ziquall and Asebot monastries. It does not appear this are just mere happenings, it must be the work of methodical planners such as weyane.

    In the process ,whether they know it or not, Weyane hooligans are pointing their fingers toward’s the “aple of the LORD’S eye”.
    I need to point out the follwing.We need not lose hope,we just need some faith on our part,the rest GOD will take care of the infedel weyanes.We can not and must not sit and tolerate what is happening to our country.Siting and saying nothing is not an option to A LIVING CREATURE.Only a dead person has this luxury.What shall we do then?

    First,we need Esat and other mnews outlets to inform Ethiopians about the burnings of our monastries and alert the public to put armed guards around them and watch these treasures.Second,we hve no other way to go but to say enough is enough and we need to call Ethiopian public for uprisng.in the mean time we need community leaders to use Esat and reach Ethiopians to unite and stay calm in such a time as this and urge the public to focuse on weyanes only.EBoth diaspora and Ethiopians at home will have a part to paly in this protest.

  7. God bless you yetabia Lij. We love you!

    Ye Tabia Lij replies:

    Dearest Tingirt:
    May Selasewoch Bless You and Your Family Too!!!
    Sometimes we get caught and tied up in our daily chores and hustle-bustle lives here in the West and we overlook the Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient might of Selasewoch. I know I can attest to their power and mysterious ways. They have plucked me to safety from the jaws of death. They have given me the will and the human power to go on during my seemingly insurmountable hurdles. They are my friend, my eternal sponsors, my Savior and Redeemer!!! All Praise To Them Now and Forever!!! I am now well on the road to sunset of my life but my trust in their eternal power and mysterious ways is still intact that they will let me go up on that uphill road once again after more than 50 years to Asabot Gedaam and kiss the ground at their door step!!! It is my prayer now and until the day I have my last breath!!!!!
    Some human evil hatchers may try to torch the area around that place of worship but these evil-minded individuals may be under estimating the Wrath Selasewoch are capable of unleashing upon them. These fools are rattling the wrong cage!!!!

  8. ቃጠሎውን መቆጣጠር አልተቻለም

    ከገዳሙ ጸሐፊ የደረሰን መረጃ፡-

    ቃጠሎው ከአቅም በላይ ሆኗል፡፡ መነኮሳቱና ምእመናን በመዳከም ላይ ናቸው፡፡ ከእግዚአብሔር በረከትን የምትሹ ምእመናን ድረሱልን፡፡ እሳቱ በአንድ አቅጣጫ ጠፋ ሲባል በሌላ በኩል እየተነሣ ተሰቃይተናል፡፡ ወደ ቤተ ክርስቲያኑ በመገሥገሥ ላይ ስለሆነ የቅዱስት ቤተ ክርስቲያን ልጆች፣ ማኅበራት፣ ከዩኒቨርሲቲዎችና የኮሌጅ ተማሪዎች፣ እንዲሁም ምእመናንና ወጣቶች፣ አቅም ያለው ሁሉ እሳቱን ለማጥፋት በተቻላችሁ አቅም ድረሱልን፡፡ መምጣት የማትችሉ በጸሎት አትለዩን በማለት ጥሪ አቅርበዋል፡፡

  9. Elias, I just want to thank you for not ignoring this important news. Thank you for doing an excellent job informing us about the despicable crimes the TPLF are committing on the peaceful Ethiopian Orthodox Christian monks, that have given up on worldly lives, and chosen to serve and praise God and his son Jesus Christ every second and minute of their lives. May God protect the historical monasteries and give the monks the heavenly strength to fight the evil TPLF regime.

  10. The fascist and racist Meles Zenawi is directly responsible for this crime and destruction. Inciting inter ethnic and religious strifes is the pillar of his divide and rule politics. Aite Meles hates the Amharas and sees the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and these monastries as the symbols of their past rule and hegemony. Therefore, the destruction of these ancient and historical monastries and murders of the monks and nuns living in and around them, are very immportant for aite Meels Zenawi to perpetuate his divide and rule politics.

  11. The destraction of forest is woyannes strategy since they came. Imagine how many forest have burned in all areas specialy in Oromia. They used to blame forest for harbouring OLF. Now they are cleaning for Chinise and Arabs.

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