Extremist Groups:

While there are no established extremist groups perpetrating acts of violence, there are incidents of harassment. These incidents are often as racially motivated as religiously. Tensions have erupted into harassment, intimidation, and violence between Muslims and Christians in the Oromiya and Somali regions. These actions are sometimes fueled by the historic perception that Christians are elitists. Tensions also exist between Orthodox churches and those belonging to Pentecostal or Protestant churches. In 1997, an Orthodox priest was arrested for inciting violence during a peaceful rally staged by Pentecostals and Protestants.

Government: The constitution provides for the freedom of religion, including the right of conversion and the freedom of worship.

Recent Actions:

• March 7, 2003 - Two Christians being held in connection with the shooting of an Orthodox man were acquitted and finally released from police custody (see below). Kiros Meles and Abebayeh Desalegn have been reunited with their families. (Compass Direct)
      
• February 21, 2003 - Two evangelical Christians continue to be held without official charges in connection with the shooting of an Orthodox young man (see April 22, 2002 below). Prosecutors seem to be stalling as the case has been postponed 13 times already. It is believed that local police are trying to cover up the guilt of an off-duty police officer who witnesses say fired the shot. Even the parents of the deceased young man have said that Kiros Meles and Abebayeh Desalegn are innocent. According to Ethiopian law, the men should be released since no formal charges have been brought against them. (Compass Direct)
      
• July 17, 2002 - In Merawi, the northwestern part of Ethiopia, an evangelical Christian pastor, Brother Dantew, was attacked and killed by a mob of Orthodox Church members led by priests. The riot was in protest of the Merawi's Full Gospel Church securing property and building a church. Dantew's wife, Tsige, was hit in the face with a stone but managed to escape. Dantew was assaulted and finally struck down with the blow of an axe to his head. His sons were imprisoned in the house with their dying father all night. Dantew died while his wife was taking him to the hospital the next morning. Eight other church member's homes were attacked. One member, Melkamu, was hospitalized after being severely beaten with axes and sticks. His wife broke her leg after jumping the fence to escape. (Compass Direct)
     
• April 22, 2002 - Five evangelical churches were attacked in the town of Maychew after local police attempted to investigate an Orthodox priest accused of stirring up hatred against Protestants. The priest, believing evangelicals were behind the investigation, led an angry mob to attack the churches, seriously damaging and looting them. In the confusion a shot was fired which killed an Orthodox Church member. A policeman is believed to have fired the shot. However, Pastor Kiros Meles was arrested, supposedly for his own protection. He was later told he was a suspect in the murder. Then on May 10, another evangelical Christian, Abebayeh Desalegn was arrested in connection with the murder. Neither have been officially charged with any crime. (Compass)
     
• March 7, 2002 - Two churches near Wello were destroyed by a militant Muslim mob, which also attacked church members. During the same week a Muslim convert was attacked and hospitalized. He has received death threats since helping to translate the Bible into a tribal language. (VOM)
     
• February 15, 2002 - The government destroyed a church in Agressa after Muslim demands that revenge be taken for American attacks in Afghanistan. Three church leaders, Hanna Bekelle, Solomon Worku and Zewdnesh Bekele, were arrested. (VOM)
     
• January 19, 2001 - A riot between Muslims and Christians broke out after Christians reportedly entered a mosque and disrupted the service. Armed forces who were called in to control the crowd shot and killed at least five people. Over a hundred people were eventually arrested and charged with disturbing the peace, inflicting bodily harm, and destruction of property.
     
• February 1999 – Ethiopian Orthodox church members threw stones at the building where a Seventh-Day Adventist minister was holding a service.

• 1998 – Orthodox individuals acted to prevent the construction of a Protestant Church in Agaro.

• 1997 – In two separate incidents in Debre Zeit and Arba Minch, Orthodox Christians disrupted Pentecostal revivals, inflicting injuries and destroying property.

Prisoners: Kiros Meles and Abebayeh Desalegn continue to be held in connection with the killing of an Orthodox church member (see April 22, 2002 above). They have not been officially charged.