The Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has strongly condemned the killing of innocent Ethiopian Christians in Libya, even more so when they were supposedly committed in the name of religion.
According to the government, "Atrocities of this kind have nothing to do with religion: they merely illustrate the psychotic nature of terrorism and violent extremism. There is no excuse for such deliberate crimes against humanity."
The government said "Ethiopia will remain vigilant to ward off terrorism and extremism."
The government also said it is ready to repatriate any and all Ethiopians in Libya. Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called on all Ethiopians residing in Libya to contact the nearest Ethiopian Embassies in Cairo and Khartoum for assistance. The government is also contacting other stakeholders to help Ethiopian citizens leave Libya.
Photo: Reuters
A woman mourns with the framed picture of a man said to be among the 30 Ethiopian victims killed by Daesh militants in Addis Ababa
Both the Ethiopian Muslim Affairs Supreme Council (EMASC) and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (EOC) have condemned Islamic State’s barbaric acts.
The EMASC strongly condemned the slayings as “genocidal acts”. EMASC President Hajji Mohammed Aman Jemal said “the slaying committed by the terrorists is a shocking deed which stands contrary to the Holy Quran. Human beings are sacred.. so says the Holy Quran. This shows the respect it has for mankind, oblivious of their colour, ethnic origin and religion.”
He added that the Prophet Mohammed explicitly ordered Muslims not to harm Ethiopia. The act perpetrated by extremists is therefore an atrocity that blatantly disrespects Islam and the Holy Quran.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church condemned the killings. The patriarch, His Holiness Abune Mathias, said the victims are Ethiopians and followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The act does not represent any religious institution and faith, but is an act committed by terrorists that should be condemned, he said.
The patriarch added that the EOC supports the efforts of the government to safely bring back citizens. He advised citizens to focus on earning their livelihood in their own country “instead of going to countries that do not guarantee their safety, religion and property”. He affirmed that the church will extend support to those who come back from Libya.
The members of the Security Council strongly condemned "the heinous and cowardly apparent murder in Libya of over 30 Ethiopian Christians by an affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh)."
It said the "crime once again demonstrates the brutality of ISIL, which is responsible for thousands of crimes and abuses against people from all faiths, ethnicities and nationalities, and without regard to any basic value of humanity."
The members of the Security Council stressed again that ISIL must be defeated and that the intolerance, violence and hatred it espouses must be stamped out. The members of the Council further emphasized that such continued acts of barbarism perpetrated by ISIL do not intimidate them, but rather stiffen their resolve that there has to be a common effort amongst Governments and institutions, including those in the region most affected, to counter ISIL, groups that have pledged allegiance to ISIL, Ansar Al Shari’a entities, and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida, as the Council resolved in United Nations Security Council resolutions 2170 (2014), 2199 (2015) and 2214 (2015).
The members of the Security Council demanded the immediate, safe and unconditional release of all those who are kept hostage by ISIL, groups that have pledged allegiance to ISIL, Ansar Al Shari’a entities, and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida.
The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice. The members of the Security Council stressed that those responsible for these killings shall be held accountable, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with Libya, Ethiopia and all other relevant authorities in this regard.
The members of the Security Council further recalled that ISIL is included on the Al-Qaida Sanctions List, and is thus subject to the asset freeze and arms embargo in resolution 2161 (2014), and further recalls that any individual or entity that provides financial or material support to the group, including the provision of arms or recruits, is eligible to be added to the Al-Qaida Sanctions List and subject to sanctions measures. The members of the Security Council underscored the need for full implementation of resolution 2199 (2015), adopted on 12 February, to cut off ISIL’s support networks, and resolution 2214 (2015) that focuses on countering ISIL, groups that have pledged allegiance to ISIL, Ansar Al Shari’a entities, and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida operating in Libya.
The members of the Security Council reaffirmed grave concern about ISIL, groups that have pledged allegiance to ISIL, Ansar Al Charia Benghazi and Ansar Al Charia Derna and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida operating in Libya, and about the negative impact of their presence, violent extremist ideology and actions on stability in Libya, neighbouring countries, and the region, including the devastating humanitarian impact on the civilian populations.
The members of the Security Council reaffirmed the need to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.
The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their full support for Special Representative of the Secretary-General Bernardino León and urged all parties in Libya to engage constructively with his efforts to continue an inclusive political process aimed at addressing the political and security challenges facing the country. Council members also reaffirmed that only through national unity and dialogue, with a view to finding a peaceful solution, can Libyans build their State and its institutions so as to defeat terrorism and prevent such grave crimes.
Ethiopia has been in the frontline in the fight against terrorism for a number of years now. Its determination to prevent terrorism taking root in Ethiopia and the region underlines why it has taken an active role in responding to the terrorist activities of Al-Shabaab in neighboring Somalia, elsewhere in the sub-region and internationally.
Ethiopia has declared a 3-day period of mourning, beginning today.