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(OPINION) The conflict in Northern Ethiopia has resulted in a severe humanitarian crisis, characterized by widespread atrocities such as war crimes, mass killings and sexual violence committed by all parties involved — the federal government, the TPLF and Eritrean troops.

These violations have been confirmed by Joint Report of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, as well as by organizations Amnesty International.

The ongoing violence highlights Ethiopia’s fragile peace, further strained by instability in Tigray, Amhara and Oromia. Despite the Pretoria Agreement offering a glimmer of hope, achieving lasting peace remains uncertain due to persistent political distrust and a struggling economy. Transitional justice has yet to be realized, leaving many grievances unresolved. In this challenging context, faith communities are called to emerge as crucial actors in peacebuilding.

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Ethiopia — with its rich historical heritage and 84 ethnolinguistic groups — faces ongoing challenges despite its democratic aspirations. The nation has struggled with cycles of political violence and persistent poverty, shaped by the 1974 Marxist military revolution and the 1991 rise of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). Peace remains elusive amid continuing conflicts and economic difficulties.

The Tigray civil war, between the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), caused an estimated 600,000 civilian deaths and affected over 20 million people, primarily women and children. Despite some recent improvements, around 4.4 million internally displaced persons still face severe impacts from conflict and climate-related shocks, necessitating increased multisectoral aid for recovery.

The Pretoria Agreement, signed on Nov. 2, 2022, ended the Tigray conflict but left Ethiopia’s peace precarious. Internal TPLF fragmentation and ongoing conflicts in Amhara (state of emergency) and Oromia, coupled with economic strains and currency devaluation, challenge stability. The Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission (ENDC), established to address these issues, offers hope for progress. The commission's success could be bolstered by Ethiopia’s faith communities, whose interfaith collaborations can bridge divisions and promote a more cohesive society.

In December 2018, shortly after Dr. Abiy Ahmed took office, he proposed the establishment of the Ethiopian Reconciliation Commission (ERC) to Parliament. This initiative aimed to foster peace, reconciliation, and national understanding through a commission of 41 members. Despite initial optimism, the ERC’s efforts were hampered by escalating conflicts in Northern Ethiopia, leading to its eventual dissolution.

In response, the ENDC was formally established by Parliament. The ENDC, with 11 commissioners selected from 42 candidates, operates under the House of Peoples Representatives. Led by Mesfin Araya, a respected psychiatrist and elder, the ENDC represents a renewed effort towards national reconciliation and unity.

The ENDC’s mandate is to facilitate a transparent national dialogue to address and resolve deep-seated divisions in Ethiopian society. By promoting open discussions and fostering trust, the ENDC aims to navigate Ethiopia toward a more unified and harmonious political landscape.

Lingering challenges of political cynicism

The Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission (ENDC) faces substantial challenges in its role as a neutral mediator within a highly polarized environment.

The commission’s mission to facilitate national reconciliation is significantly hindered by deep-seated political distrust and skepticism, particularly from the TPLF, the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA, also known as Shene), and the Fano militia — a collection of disjointed armed groups scattered across the Amhara region without central governance.

These dynamics create a difficult backdrop for the ENDC’s efforts to promote dialogue and unity. Overcoming political bias and skepticism about its neutrality is a major hurdle, as mistrust from key factions and competing parties complicates its mission. Equally, these factions need to acknowledge the ENDC’s efforts and guard against political dismissiveness. Despite these obstacles, the ENDC remains committed to its mission, driven by a belief that national reconciliation and unity are achievable goals. The ENDC’s ongoing efforts to foster dialogue and unity are crucial for advancing toward a stable and unified Ethiopia.

Faith communities as peace-builders

In Ethiopia’s complex sociopolitical landscape, marked by ethnic tensions and regional strife, faith communities hold significant potential for peace-building, though this potential is often underutilized. Despite facing internal challenges, these communities have a substantial capacity for fostering reconciliation and unity.

The potential of these communities is evident in the coexistence between Christian and Muslim, maintained despite occasional radical extremism and ethnic conflicts. This harmony demonstrates their ability to promote mutual respect and social cohesion. Although their peace-building efforts have varied, the core values of compassion and human dignity within these communities provide a solid foundation for advancing reconciliation. By engaging in dialogue and leveraging their ethical principles, faith communities can address underlying causes of conflict and offer crucial pathways to understanding and unity in Ethiopia’s diverse society.

Setting the horizon for faith communities

In Ethiopia's complex sociopolitical landscape, characterized by deep-seated divisions and political cynicism, faith communities play a pivotal role in fostering peace. Their collaboration offers a significant opportunity to bridge divides through shared values of compassion and respect for human dignity. As Pope John Paul II articulated:

“In a divided world, continually propelled towards separation and particularism, unity becomes an urgent imperative. Individuals from diverse religions and cultures are summoned to embark on the path of encounter and dialogue. It’s crucial to understand that unity does not necessitate uniformity. True peace doesn't arise from mutual ignorance, but from engaging in dialogue and fostering encounters.”

Faith communities are uniquely positioned to address both the emotional and psychological dimensions of conflict. They play a crucial role in memory healing, addressing intergenerational trauma and painful memories through reflective dialogue. By tackling the collective pain from prolonged conflict and historical injustices, they foster empathy and mutual understanding.

Moreover, in Ethiopia's polarized environment, faith communities are essential for reconciliation. They act as mediators, bridging ethnic boundaries and helping to deconstruct false narratives. Through the critical examination of historical accounts and the confrontation of biases, they can serve as a medium of grace towards mutual healing. Despite internal polarization, faith communities hold significant potential to be catalysts for peace and unity.

Navigating ethnocentrism

Ethiopia’s rich tapestry of over 84 distinct ethnic groups underscores the nation’s vibrant cultural landscape. Since the collapse of the Marxist military regime, the country has adopted an ethnolinguistic-based federalism. However, achieving a credible balance between regional particularism and nationalism remains elusive, with tensions often escalating into radical extremism.

Ethnocentrism has perpetuated deep-seated prejudices and hostilities, impeding social cohesion and collective progress. The difficulty in balancing regional and national identities has led to persistent instability and conflict. Despite these challenges, there are significant opportunities for collaborative efforts to address ethnocentric biases and promote a more harmonious society through justice and sustainable peace.

Faith communities can act as catalysts for change by fostering dialogue, reconciliation, and mutual understanding. By embracing Ethiopia's diversity and upholding the sanctity of all human life, they can bridge divides and promote social harmony.

Collaborative approaches, including educational programs that promote cultural sensitivity, enable faith communities to model ways to overcome divisions and inspire a more cohesive and just society. This approach involves respecting and accepting differences while celebrating diversity, ensuring that all individuals have fair and equal opportunities within Ethiopia’s sociopolitical and economic landscape.

Seven opportunities for mutual collaboration:  

1. Listening with mutual attentiveness to the plight of victims: More than ever, faith communities should stand between opposing polarities as bridge builders who hold justice and truth in one hand and peace in the other. Faith leaders have the responsibility to serve as empathic listeners to all parties — but especially to those most victimized by the conflict. Liberation and reconciliation are indivisible. Faith communities need to be truthful and combat false media. We live in an age where truth and media worthiness are being decided by the power of money, politics and sensationalism.

2. Shepherding with earned spiritual authority: Earning personal authority as champions of love, peace and justice is vital if faith leaders are to advocate for higher virtues credibly. This entails a radical reengagement of the belief that human life cannot and should not be reduced to religious, political and ethnolinguistic identities. The credibility of a faith community’s message lies not only in saying but also in being — as true apostles of peace, love and justice.

3. Advocating for victims and against violence: Neutrality in the face of injustice is itself unjust. Faith leaders must stand with victims of sociopolitical and economic oppression and oppose their aggressors. This requires a firm commitment to fighting all forms of oppression. Staying in the “safe zone” avoids confronting abusive powers, but true reconciliation demands sacrifice, including personal risk and loss. Faith leaders must be prepared to endure these challenges to achieve real peace.

4. Supporting the ENDC toward understanding, peace, forgiveness and reconciliation: Despite significant political changes in Ethiopia over the past 50 years, injustices, pain and conflict persist. The ENDC offers a chance for transformative change. Faith communities can play a key role by fostering dialogue and reconciliation among diverse ethnic and religious groups, thus supporting the ENDC's efforts towards understanding, peace and forgiveness.

5. Maintaining a critical distance from political powers: Faith communities must stay independent from political influence to preserve their moral authority and speak effectively as “prophets.” Entanglement with political systems can compromise their integrity and message of peace. Fusion of religion, ethnicity and politics often leads to power abuse and societal divisions, creating mistrust among groups and hindering unity. It is crucial for state institutions, religious organizations, and ethnic communities to operate separately with clear boundaries. A secular state, free from ethnoreligious influence, upholds democratic values and inclusivity. Avoiding a messianic or political interpretation of religion prevents flawed self-understanding and maintains the necessary separation between religion and state.

6. Mirroring a culture of dialogue and mutual acceptance: Embracing a culture of dialogue and acceptance without resorting to violence is essential for promoting peaceful coexistence among diverse ethnic and religious communities. Interfaith dialogue, being conducted peacefully, can demonstrate that political differences should not translate into violence. Such honesty and openness can prevent religions from being exploited for political gain and protect their platforms from serving radical extremism.

7. Ensuring impartiality in addressing the question of justice: Faith communities need to uphold higher moral authority and avoid delivering justice based on ethnicity or religious identities. Impartiality ensures that justice is being administered equitably, irrespective of one’s ethnic or religious background. By maintaining impartiality, faith communities can contribute to building trust and fostering a sense of unity and solidarity among diverse ethnic and religious groups.

Ethiopia’s current moment demands a unified commitment to humility, reflection and national cohesion. The pursuit of peace transcends political and geographical boundaries and touching the core of human experience. Faith communities play a crucial role as both bridge builders and bridge crossers in this journey. Their contribution extends beyond advocacy; they are essential agents of change, guiding the nation toward a harmonious future.

Collaboration with national peace initiatives, particularly with the ENDC, is vital. It will enable faith communities to assume a redemptive role if they position themselves as credible partners in the pursuit of sustainable peace, healing and reconciliation, while aiding the nation in achieving a balanced approach to diversity and unity.

In conflict-affected regions such as Tigray, Amhara, and Oromia, faith leaders are instrumental in advancing forgiveness, reconciliation and communal healing. Their advocacy for forgiveness, grounded in shared values and religious principles, can transform societal relationships and address past hostilities. As stewards of moral integrity, faith communities are called to lead in bridging divisions and embodying the potential for genuine reconciliation.

Girma Bekele is a consultant in Christian mission studies and a visiting professor of missional leadership in the postmodern world at Tyndale University College & Seminary, Toronto, as well as Covenant Theological Seminary, St. Louis.