ICC Note: During his recent trip to Ethiopia, President Obama failed to discuss the plight of persecuted Christians with Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. Although the majority of Ethiopia is nominally Christian, different religious tensions exist between the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, traditional Protestant churches, and non-traditional Protestant sects. Furthermore, in Muslim-majority pockets in Ethiopia, the Christian minority faces both social and legal discrimination and oppression.
7/28/15, Ethiopia (World Watch Monitor) – U.S. President Barak Obama is visiting Ethiopia on 27 and 28 July, providing an opportunity for America to prod its ally on its human-rights record, which gets low marks from world capitals.
With Ethiopia Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn sharing the stage, Obama alluded to the country’s record: “[W]hen people know that they’re included in the political process, that makes a country stronger and more successful and more innovative. So we discussed steps that Ethiopia can take to show progress on promoting good governance, protecting human rights, fundamental freedoms, and strengthening democracy,” Obama said during a joint news conference in Addis Ababa, the capital and the seat of the African Union, which the president is scheduled to address on 28 July.
Ethiopia ranks 22nd on the 2015 World Watch List, an annual list of the countries where life as a Christian is most difficult. The list is published by Open Doors International, a global charity that provides aid to Christians living under pressure.
Neither Obama nor Desalegn took the opportunity to address the case of three Christians convicted of arson.
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