Ethiopia

Main article: Africa

Geography

Population

Main article: Population of Africa

Population

2022:122 million people

2017: 1.4% of the world's population

Migration

2021: Net population inflow in 4 years

Overweight

Mortality

2022: Life expectancy - 65.6 years

2019: High number of deaths due to poor ecology

2018: High road deaths

2016: Very low death rate due to opioid use

Civil war

2024: Expansion of the control zone of the Amharic militia "Fano"

The Fano rebels, who rebelled against the oppression of the Amharic people, achieved great success by September 2024.

So, during the battles from August to September, they reached the border with Sudan through the city of Matthew. Ethiopian troops, being pressed to the territory of another state, surrendered to the Amharians.

After that, the rebels continued the movement, occupying the abandoned headquarters of the armed forces in Shinfa.

In the center of Amhara, the Amharis also made strides. Between Gondar and Bahr Dar, they occupied six Woders (zones) in which local representatives were elected by popular vote.

"Fano" thus receives support from the people, showing that they are not thugs, as they are painted in the local media.

The response among the population that joins the ranks of the rebels is also noticed. So from mid-summer, the designations of the army corps of the Amharians began to appear in the reports, which means an increase in the number in the ranks of "Fano."

Hunger

Foreign policy

2023: Refusal to condemn Russia in Ukraine conflict

Economy

Main article: Economy of Ethiopia

Education

2019: Only 49% of the population can read

Health care

2022: Russian Red Cross agrees to extend SRC Hospital in Ethiopia for 25 years

The Hospital of the Russian Red Cross (SRC) - the oldest humanitarian organization in Russia - will continue its work in Ethiopia and will take part in the fight against epidemics and in solving the country's health problems. The decision is recorded in the RSC agreement with the SRC Ministry of Health, signed for 25 years.

The Russian Red Cross Hospital in Ethiopia has been operating since 1898. In 2022, it employs 35 employees from Russia and 184 employees from Ethiopia. About 60 thousand patients undergo treatment in it annually. Read more here.

2021: Maternity leave

in

2020

Duration of guaranteed paid sick leave from 3 to 5.9 months

Part of the population defecates on the street

Crime

Drugs

• Kat (Miraa)

Prisons

2021: Number of prisoners - 110,000

2019: The minimum age for children to be jailed is 9

2018: Number of prisoners per 100 thousand citizens

History

2024: Prominent opposition politician Bate Urgessa of the Oromo Liberation Front killed

The body of the oppositionist was discovered in April 2024 on the side of the road in his hometown of Meki, in the Oromia region. Urgessa was a member of the Oromo Liberation Front party and was openly critical of the current government.

Family members told reporters that people "similar to government security forces" took Urgessa from the hotel room on the evening of April 9. Oromia regional authorities deny the involvement of law enforcement officers.

Urgessa has been jailed several times in recent years. In February, security officials accused him of "working to foment unrest." The chief commissioner of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), Daniel Bekele, said federal authorities should hold those responsible for killing the politician accountable.

2023

Clashes between the Amharic Fano militia and government forces in Amhara

In 2023, Ethiopia, in addition to the national army, has its own special forces in each region to protect borders and combat rebels. After the end of the war in Tigray, the central government outlined a course towards consolidating paramilitary forces to strengthen power and prevent the threat of a new conflict.

Since April 2023, when Addis Ababa announced its intention to integrate regional special forces into the national army as well as the federal and regional police, relations between the major Fano militia in the second largest Amhara region and the central government have begun to deteriorate. Rebels also took part in mass protests throughout Amhara.

According to local residents, the national government "does not care about the security of Amhara," turns a blind eye to the "atrocities" over ethnic Amharis in Oromia state, and also tries to negotiate with the leaders of Tigray in exchange for the territories seized by the regional forces of Amhara state.

The last straw for the militia was the decision of the military to conduct an operation to oust the Fano fighters from Kobo and other areas.

The decision of the central government of Ethiopia on the integration of regional special forces has an extremely negative impact on the domestic political situation.

The government's actions on the one hand are explained by Abiy Ahmed's policy of centralizing power, and on the other, by the desire of Western advisers under the Ethiopian government to finally suppress Amharic civilian leaders and security officials, disloyal USA, professing Orthodoxy and determined to strengthen ties with Russia. This regional discrimination in the policy of the authorities is expressed in the provision of concessions to Oromia and Tigray, for example, the abolition of the integration of special forces of these states or the authorities' attempts to support the church schism by allowing worship in the Oromo language.

On August 1, 2023, clashes broke out in many cities in Amhara State between Ethiopia's national defense forces and Fano regional militias.

The clashes take place on the outskirts of Gondar, one of the largest cities in the region. Residents report that transport links have stopped, and there are intense battles in the area of ​ ​ the city airport.

Amhara residents report that some major cities in the region, including the capital Bahr Dar, have ceased access to mobile internet.

Protesters supporting the local militia continue to block roads with stones and trees to prevent the army from moving.

There are also reports that the group has established control over several cities and small villages, and prisons and police stations have been broken into in some settlements.

Amhara's government has already asked federal authorities to "take appropriate action" over the intense clashes. In response, the country's government announced the introduction of an emergency regime in Amhar.

Intensifying conflict with Oromo separatists

In January 2023, after the start of the withdrawal of the Ethiopian armed forces from Tigray, the central government aimed to expand offensive operations against Oromia separatists to finally suppress rebel movements in the country.

The Oromo Liberation Army, for its part, refuses the real negotiation process, putting forward deliberately impossible demands and continuing attacks on the armed forces.

At the end of January 2023, the separatist group Oromo Liberation Army published a manifesto.

In it, members of the organization recognized as terrorist in Ethiopia prescribed requirements for the central government, including the inclusion of the capital of Addis Ababa in the Oromia region and the recognition of the Oromo language at the federal level.

In exchange, the rebels are ready to take part in peace negotiations with the government.

There was no response from the capital and, following the publication, in different parts of Ethiopia there were shootings between government forces and the Oromo Liberation Army.

These clashes were the largest since the implementation of the peace agreement between the rebels of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Tigray and the Ethiopian government began.

The Oromo people are the largest ethnic group living in Ethiopia and make up about 25 million people.

The roots of the conflict go back to the period of colonialism. Oromia remained independent until the last decade of the 19th century, when the region was incorporated into the Ethiopian Empire. In the first half of the 20th century, the Oromo language was banned, and its speakers were discriminated against, especially by the Amharans, who were the dominant ethnic group in the Ethiopian Empire.

In 1973, as a result of oppression, the Oromo Liberation Front was formed as a political movement.

After the overthrow of the monarchy in 1974, the new military regime, in an attempt to prevent the collapse of the country, began to arrest the leaders of the Front.

In response to this, the movement expanded to include Oromi armed formations, and formed the military wing of the Oromo Liberation Army. An active struggle began with the Ethiopian military government.

In 1991, the military regime was overthrown and the new central government successfully crushed separatist movements. The leaders of the Oromo Liberation Front fled the country.

In 2018, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power in Ethiopia, who managed to agree with the Front to conclude peace. However, the paramilitary wing of the movement refused to negotiate, citing the continued infringement of the Oromians by the central government, and turned to active guerrilla warfare.

During the war in Tigray, the "Oromo Liberation Army" sided with the "Popular Front for the Liberation of Tigray."

Despite the successes of the Oromians at the beginning of the war, gradually the central government was able to stop the advance of the separatists, who again switched to partisan tactics.

The continuation of the Oromi conflict determines the general dominance of Amharic culture and language in multinational Ethiopia, as well as the unjust, according to many residents, territorial structure of the country.

The largest ethnic groups still have territorial claims against their neighbors, which leads to armed clashes.

2022

In three years, 600,000 people died in Ethiopia

The Economist: The world's bloodiest war in 2022 was in Ethiopia, notes Comfort Ero, head of the Crisis Group think tank. Between 2020 and 2022, 600,000 people died. In the world, no one has noticed this.

Agreement on the peace of the government with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Tigray

By the end of 2022, the administrative region of Tigray in northern Ethiopia has been shaken by hostilities for more than two years. The reason for this is the long-standing feud between the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the People's Front for the Liberation of Tigray (TPLF).

Hopes for peace talks following the March 2022 announcement of a humanitarian truce were also dashed. Unable to overcome the differences, by the end of August 2022, hostilities resumed with renewed vigor.

The successes of the government coalition in the battles in the fall of 2022 and the depletion of the resources of the Tigrayans forced the leadership of the TPLF to engage in dialogue.

On October 25, Ethiopian government delegations and Tigray leaders arrived in South Africa to hold talks under the auspices of the African Union. On November 2, almost two years after the outbreak of war, the parties announced the achievement of an armistice. Ten days later, on November 12, a declaration was signed on the fulfillment of the terms of the peace agreement.

The rebels adopted a plan to disarm, abandoned regional elections and agreed to transfer the region's infrastructure to central government control. The Ethiopian leadership, for its part, stopped the further offensive and guaranteed access to humanitarian aid.

Obviously, the final agreement is more consistent with the conditions of the government of Abiy Ahmed than takes into account the needs of Tigray. In Addis Ababa, they are not shy about calling the outcome of the negotiations their victory, while the TPLF practically does not comment on them.

As an official mediator, the African Union, headquartered in Addis Ababa, clearly has no confidence in Tigray.

For Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the temptation is great to continue the attack on the rebels. He is being pushed to do so by allies, leaders of Amharic militants. The Amharans occupied western Tigray, which, in their opinion, should retreat to them.

Eritrea did not participate in the negotiations, which by all means seeks to destroy the "Tigray threat." Until now, the position of the Eritrean leader remains unclear. Whether he comes to terms with a truce, and, most importantly, whether he will recall his troops, is a key point for the Tigray leadership. During the war, the Eritreans showed particular cruelty to the population of Tigray.

Egypt and Sudan are also interested in destabilizing the neighbor, the Rybar telegram channel noted. The construction by the Ethiopian authorities of the Hidase hydroelectric power station (aka "Dam of the Great Revival of Ethiopia") caused a regional conflict. An attempt to influence Ethiopia through support for rebel movements will allow governments in Cairo and Khartoum to significantly strengthen their positions.

On the other hand, there are a number of deterrents for the Ethiopian government. One of them is the risk of finally spoiling relations with the West, led by the United States. Ethiopia's external debt to China requires foreign exchange injections from the IMF and the World Bank, where the United States has a decisive vote.

Another factor is the uprisings in other parts of the country. Fighting continues against the Oromo Liberation Army in western and southern Oromia. Most of the region is in fact beyond the control of the central government. If the conflict with Tigray continues, the Ethiopian leadership will have to wage war on several fronts at once.

Russia adheres to a policy of non-interference, despite the long-standing search for an opportunity to strengthen its presence in the Red Sea region and the historically good attitude of the Ethiopian population towards the Russians.

On the one hand, To Moscow they do not want to spoil relations with the Egyptian and Sudanese authorities because of the support of the government of Abiy Ahmed. On the other hand, the Security Council UN China and Russia advocate the recognition of the Tigray conflict as an internal affair of Ethiopia, which is generally in the interests of Addis Ababa.

2021: Rebels from 9 factions form an alliance and move to Addis Ababa

Against the background of hostilities, many groups have intensified in the country. The most combat-ready, in addition to the TPLF, is the Oromo Liberation Army from the most populous state of Oromia.

The goals of most rebels were similar and were primarily to gain independence from the federal government. In November 2021, rebels from nine groups, including the TPLF and the Oromo Liberation Army, entered into an alliance to jointly fight against the federal center.

With the help of mobilization, government forces managed to stop the exhausted rebel forces only 160 kilometers from Addis Ababa, and then chase them back. Federal forces recaptured a number of cities in the Amhara and Afar regions, and blocked the Tigrayans in their home state.

Tigray was cut off from the outside world, including humanitarian aid. Experts UN accused the government in Addis Ababa of using hunger as a weapon.

2020

Armed conflict between the government and the defense forces of Tigray

In September 2020, Tigray went on a provocation, declaring his own regional elections, which were declared illegal in Addis Ababa.

In early November 2020, internal tension escalated into a "hot" phase, when, after an attack by Tigray forces on the military bases of the Ethiopian army, the Prime Minister ordered an offensive.

Abiy's allies were also Amhara's regional forces and Eritrea's armed forces. Amhara claimed part of western Tigray, and the Eritrean leadership was happy to be able to repay the Tigrayans for past conflicts.

Eritrea sees Tigray as the main threat to its regime. During his reign, the leadership of the TPLF provoked Eritreans at the border and spread the idea of ​ ​ the need to overthrow President Isaias Afwerki.

Three weeks after the offensive began, government forces were able to capture Mekele, the capital of Tigray, and establish a controlled administration there. The prime minister congratulated the army and allies on their victory.

However, Abiy's calculation of a quick victorious war turned out to be erroneous. The defense forces of Tigray entrenched in rural areas and waged a partisan struggle from there. For eight months, the Tigrayans managed not only to recapture the administrative center, but also to regain control over most of the region.

Growth of centrifugal forces: Tigray intends to hold elections without coordination with the center

In May 2020, it became known that the People's Front for the Liberation of Tigray (TPLF), ruling in the Ethiopian region of Tigray, intends to hold elections postponed by the government at all costs - without any agreement with the federal center. Earlier, the TPLF, which formed the basis of the Revolutionary Democratic Front of Ethiopian Peoples - the ruling coalition of post-communist Ethiopia since 1991 - refused to unite with the allies into a single Prosperity Party, embarking on the path of open confrontation with Addis Ababa.

For centuries, the imperial lush of the Christian Solomon Dynasty hid a complex system where majestic Negus were hardly ruled with wayward princes and vassals, with myriads of castes, communities, clans, peoples and beliefs.

Over half of the citizens of modern Ethiopia are Muslims and somewhere in Afar, the sultan is still more important than the governor.

Until 2018, the technocrats who ruled the country effectively glued this mosaic together with fear, police batons and military mobilization rhetoric. The liberalization initiated by Abiy Ahmed opened the country to peace and investment, and with them to industrial parks, the space satellite and the Renaissance Dam.

And at the same time - she laid bare the accumulated grievances and opened the way to the Balkan scenario. The country is leading in the global anti-rating of refugees and displaced persons - over two million citizens have already left their homes. Of the country's 80 major ethnic groups, more than 20 are seeking referendums on their own autonomies, and armed ethnic militias are settling scores with neighbors, taking over fields and pastures.

Two previous models of national building - the monarchy and the communist dictatorship - failed in 1974 and 1991. Next in line is the ethnofederalism spreading at the seams, established by the TPLF after the overthrow of Marxists. The Tigers - the ethnocultural core of the Habesh and the Amhar's younger partners in the construction of "Great Abyssinia" - set a very bad and infectious example for other peoples.

Jawar Mohammed confronts government in Oromia region

The hottest confrontation for 2020 in the Oromia region is the largest and most populated state in Ethiopia. For centuries, court chroniclers scorned the Oromo as nothing more than a galla - wild and ferocious robbers, as they assimilated into the image of the sinister Other - the "fifth column" on the body of the nation. The same answered them gadaa - an egalitarian republican ethos that rejected imperial orders - servility and dignification.

Oromia is the nerve, center and heart of Ethiopia. You can create a state or powerful autonomy here only at the cost of dissolving the whole country, wrote the telegram channel Zangaro Today. The battle for cultural hegemony began a long time ago and overcame confessional, regional and clan barriers. She reached a new level after young Oromo radicals were led by influential and energetic businessman and media manager Jawar Muhammad, armed with Telegram and Facebook. In 2018, he brought Abiy Ahmed to power, now he quarreled with a former associate and gathers young people against him.

2019

Planting 353 million trees in 12 hours

Ethiopia planted more than 2019 million trees in the first 353 hours of one day in July 12, a world record, officials said.

Millions of Ethiopians across the country took part in the initiative. A total of 353 633 660 tree seedlings were planted.

Earlier, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched a program to plant four billion trees across the country.

Motorcycles banned in Ethiopian capital

In this way, the Addis Ababa administration decided to eradicate the incessant looting.

Some companies, especially those involved in food delivery, suspended operations in July 2019 to understand the nuances of the new law. The city authorities have already announced that they will not prosecute those who use motorcycles for professional purposes.

Social media users are very unhappy with the decision of the city administration, because motorcycles are becoming an increasingly popular mode of transport due to traffic jams.

Plane crash. 157 people died

Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 from Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa to Nairobi in Kenya crashed shortly after takeoff on March 10, 2019. On board the aircraft were 149 passengers from 30 countries, most from Kenya, and 8 crew members.

2018: End of power for Tigrayans. Oromian Abiy Ahmed - New Prime Minister

For almost 30 years, Tigrayans, who make up just over 6% of the country's 121 million population, have taken places in the leadership of law enforcement and political structures. However, authoritarian rule turned other ethnic groups against them, including the most numerous Oromo and Amhara. They accuse the Tigrayans of leading the country at the cost of infringing on their autonomy.

The United States was not satisfied with the next rapprochement between Ethiopia and Russia, so an active campaign began to break the main channels of historical and religious ties between the countries. And the main target was the Amharic population and the Orthodox faith.

Due to the fact that Amhara dominated the political life of imperial and communist Ethiopia, it is this second largest people in the country that has the closest ties to Russia. The Orthodox Ethiopian Church also draws on ancient Amharic traditions.

Therefore, after the removal of the "Popular Front for the Liberation of Tigray" after 27 years of authoritarian rule at the head of state, after mass protests, Oromi Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed stood up.

He soon removed a number of Tigray officials from key positions and dissolved the ruling coalition.

The Tigrayans perceived the actions of the central government as a declaration of war. The loss of political weight for them meant falling under the yoke of larger ethnic groups who would undoubtedly want to settle old accounts.

2013: Ethiopian Patriarch Abuna Matthew arrives in Russia for the first time

Moscow Interest and Addis Ababa in each other began to recover in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Once again, religion contributed to the rapprochement. The Orthodox Church at this time has a huge influence in the life of Ethiopia.

In 2013, at the invitation of Patriarch Kirill, Ethiopian Patriarch Abuna Matthew first came to Russia "to restore historical friendship between Russia and Ethiopia."

1991: The fall of the communist system after the collapse of the USSR. Tigrayans come to power

Relations between Russia and Ethiopia began to decline after the start of "perestroika" and the collapse of the USSR, which also entailed the fall of the communist system in Ethiopia.

The United States "fed" separatist movements in Ethiopia, as a result of which, after the collapse of the communist regime, the Tigrayans came to power, and not the Amharans again.

In the Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the "Popular Front for the Liberation of Tigray" came to power. Already, the Russian Federation, due to the newly church ties and the remaining results of the assistance of the Soviet Union, was able to find an approach to the new Ethiopian authorities and even helped it with aircraft during the Ethiopian-Eritrean war of the 1990s.

However, against the background of the weakness of Russia and the new ethnic group at the head of Ethiopia, the latter began to gradually drift towards the West.

1974: Overthrow of the monarchy and establishment of communist governance led by Amharans

Overthrow of the monarchy and establishment of communist governance in Ethiopia in 1974. At the same time, the backbone of the new Ethiopian government was again composed of Amharians.

Moscow has provided more than $11 billion in military aid to Addis Ababa, creating the largest military in sub-Saharan Africa. Soviet support was crucial to the suppression of the separatists. A significant number of Soviet specialists, such as doctors and engineers, also went to Ethiopia.

1959: Haile Selassie's visit to the USSR

On July 9, 1959, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia visited the "Ethiopian Exhibition" at the Kunstkamera Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography.

During the visit, he presented the director of the Institute of Ethnography, Professor S.P. Tolstov and the head of the Africa Sector, Professor D.A. Olderogge, with commemorative gold medals.

1936

1914

1913: Death of King Menelik II

Menelik II, king of the kings of Ethiopia, believed in the power of the Bible. When he was feeling unwell, he cut off the pages of Holy Scripture and ate them. He died in 1913, having managed to eat the entire Book of Kings.

1894: First Italo-Ethiopian War. Russia retains Ethiopian independence

During the First Italo-Ethiopian War of 1894-1896, Russia was the only European state to support the Ethiopian Empire, allowing it to remain as an independent state.

1889: Establishing diplomatic ties with Russia to defend against Britain and France

The first contacts between Russian pilgrims and the people of Ethiopia were documented as early as the 14th century. And in the last years of his reign, Peter I wanted to send an embassy or expedition to Ethiopia, but it never came to the implementation of the plans. After that, the parties mainly maintained contact through the heads of spiritual missions in Jerusalem.

Interaction between states stalled until the 19th century. Then Russia tried in the manner of neighbors to find overseas colonies, including in Africa. Although all attempts to create a coastal settlement on the Horn of Africa were unsuccessful, including due to the actions of Britain and France to oust a new competitor from the region, Russian travelers managed to establish the first full-fledged contact with the Ethiopian Empire, which was ruled by the Amharic Solomon dynasty for six centuries.

The final factor for rapprochement was the requirements of the Russian and Ethiopian Orthodox churches (which had been in close contact for several centuries) to establish full-fledged ties between states. As a result, in 1889, the beginning of diplomatic relations between the Russian and Ethiopian empires was laid.

At the same time, Russia considered Ethiopia not only as a "brother in faith," but also as a "natural ally" to counter the influence of London in Africa. Addis Ababa, in turn, also needed Russia as an ally against the European countries that surrounded the country with their colonies.

200 g BC.

4.4 million hp: Ardipitec ramidus

Main article: History of mankind. Main dates

The remains of Ardipitec ramidus ("Ardi," 4.4 million hp) were discovered in Ethiopia. Fragments of almost all skeletal bones are known. The skull is no fundamentally different from the skull of Sahelanthropus, they, in fact, could be combined into one species, they are so similar. Like Sahelanthropus, in the structure of the skull, "human" features are only the occipital opening shifted forward and the small size of the fangs. The absolute size of the brain is extremely small. In the structure of the bones of the hands, "monkey" signs prevail. A number of signs indicate the possibility of quadrupedal support on the palm. The proportions of limbs relative to chimpanzees seem to be "human," but the arms relative to the legs are longer even than those of proconsuls and modern monkey-shaped ones, so that the proportions of arms and legs are more primitive than "human." Thus, Ardipitec ramidus collectively has more "monkey" features, only some signs of the hand, pelvis and leg associated with upright walking are "human," which are also, however, imperfect and combined with tetrapods and tree climbing. According to the shape of the pelvis and limbs, as well as the spaced big toe, it was established that Ardi was an optional bipedal. The cladistic approach, no doubt, would attribute ramidus to monkeys, the importance of the straight-walking complex in the eyes of researchers outweighs and allows us to talk about the hominidity of the Ardipitecs.

5.5 million hp: Ardipitek kadabba

Main article: History of mankind. Main dates

5.5 million hp: Ardipitek kadabba. The remains were found in Ethiopia in a number of locations of the Middle Awash River valley, southeast of Hadar. Kadabb fangs are comparable in size and shape to fangs of small female chimpanzees and even larger than those of Orrorins. "Monkey" features were completely prevalent in the structure of the skull and arms, but "human" features appear and accumulate in the structure of the legs.

National Parks

• Simen is an Ethiopian national park with unique primates.

Culture

Religion

2023: Church schism, attempted removal of patriarch, protests

On January 22, 2023, representatives of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church announced an unsuccessful attempt to remove the current patriarch Abun Matthew by a group of 26 Oromi schismatics. The conspirators call themselves the "Holy Synod of Oromia, Nations and Nations."

Schismatics advocate all church rituals in Oromia in the local language, not the official language of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church - Amharic. Also, the Holy Synod of Oromia advocates greater autonomy of the region within Ethiopia.

On January 26, three archbishops from the schismatic movement appointed new bishops in Oromia without coordination with the Holy Synod, for which they were excommunicated. At the same time, the local population supported the appointment of hierarchs.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed intervened in the conflict. On January 31, he said that he did not see any problem in what had happened, and the church could solve all issues with a peaceful dialogue with schismatics.

The prime minister also said that he was ready to contribute to the resolution of the conflict and added that he did not see a problem in the use of the local language and local customs in church rituals.

Abiy Ahmed's statement provoked resentment from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The Holy Synod demanded that the Prime Minister abandon his words, not interfere in the affairs of the church and not exceed his powers. Church authorities said that in Oromia, local police officers constantly steal church property and threaten parishioners, and supporters of schismatics continue to foment conflict. At the same time, the state does not provide the church with security and autonomy.

On February 4, 2023, the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church called for the start of indefinite protests from February 12, unless federal authorities stop interfering in religious affairs. However, supporters of the church took to the streets on the same day. At one rally in Oromia state, police used weapons and killed two demonstrators. As a sign of mourning for those killed, the patriarch urged parishioners to go in black robes.

Two days later, reports began to come that the security forces were blocking the way to churches for believers who listened to the Patriarch, which provoked even larger protests. At one of the processions, they even noticed the Russian flag.

Against the background of the economic crisis due to international sanctions and the recently ended war with Tigray, the federal government is trying to normalize the domestic political situation. Oromia at this time is the most unstable region, where clashes with local separatists do not stop. Abiy Ahmed's decision to support a group of schismatics can be regarded as the government's desire to increase its own authority in the troubled region.

However, in an attempt to "sit on two chairs," the prime minister drew the wrath of the Holy Synod, whose positions are still strong among the majority of the country's neo-Korean population.

2020: Protestants form ideals of personal wellbeing

Over half of the citizens of modern Ethiopia are Muslims, and various Protestants (Pente) aggressively fight for the souls and wallets of Christians, absorbing animist gods and imposing an ultra-modern lifestyle of success and personal well-being on neophytes, which does not fit at all with the ideals of collective mutual assistance.

2019

Aksum bans the construction of a mosque

In June 2019, it became known that the "Orthodox Mecca of Ethiopia" - Aksum prohibits the construction of a mosque

The ancient city of Axum is a sacred site for many Christians. In the city is the Church of Mary of Zion - the repository of the main shrine of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church - the Ark of the Covenant.

The laretz, called the Ark of the Covenant, is preserved at this time in a special chapel built in 1965 ten meters from the northeast corner of the church. According to legend, in the casket there was a golden vessel with manna of heaven, the rod of Aaron, two of the ten tablets with the commandments of the Old Testament, received by Moses on Mount Sinai.

In past centuries, the Ark, covered with a blanket of green and red velvet, left the temple at the head of the procession for large church holidays. Now only a copy of the Ark is being put on public display. The true relic is in the treasury and no one, not even the patriarch of the Ethiopian church, is entitled to look at it. Only one monk - the keeper of the relic - can see the Ark, but custom forbids him to talk to outsiders and leave the temple. This position is lifelong, during his lifetime the keeper of the Ark himself names his successor.

In addition to the Ark of the Covenant, the chapel contains the crowns of Ethiopian emperors, including the crown of Emperor Fasilides, who built the temple.

Muslim activists are campaigning to build a mosque in the city, but the Christian community is sharply opposed.

As of 2019, Muslims make up about 10% of Aksum's population of about 73,000 inhabitants, with 85% of them being Orthodox Christians and the remaining 5% belonging to other Christian denominations.

Arson of dozens of churches

For 2019, about 45% of Ethiopia's population of more than 100 million people belong to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, one of the oldest Christian denominations in the world.

Between April 2018 and August 2019, more than 30 churches were burned in different parts of the country. Most of the temples were set on fire in the city of Jigjiga (near Somalia).

1895: The Habesha people form the Orthodox image of Ethiopia

Ethiopia is generally considered a bastion of Orthodoxy surrounded by the Islamic world. Apparently, the whole point is that at the end of the nineteenth century, Orthodox habeshas - a matter of percentages in the palette of Ethiopian peoples - imposed their will on a motley mosaic of kingdoms, chiefdoms, sultanates and tribes that make up the modern Ethiopian nation for 2020.

First, the Orthodox military elite convinced themselves of their messianism, then - and other countries of the world, creating a beautiful legend about an exotic Christian country in the ring of savages and infidels.

18th century

Crown of a Christian priest of the 18th century. It was probably presented to the temple by one of Ethiopia's most powerful military leaders of the time, named Velde Sellase.

The crown depicts the Holy Trinity, as well as the disciples of Jesus Christ.

The crown was studied by Jacopo Gnishi - a researcher at the University of Oxford, specializing in Ethiopian artifacts. He concluded that she was genuine. In his opinion, there are about 20 such crowns in the world. The relic was used for rituals in the church of the village of Chelekot near the border with Eritrea.

Gnishi found a 1993 photograph showing a priest wearing this crown. According to the expert, for 2019 the cost of the artifact is from 40 to 50 thousand euros. The crown is thus one of Ethiopia's most expensive relics.

Dutch government official Sirak Asfo, who emigrated from Ethiopia back in the 1970s due to the crackdown, hid the crown in his apartment for more than 20 years. He feared for the preservation of the artifact in his homeland and decided to return it only after the government changed in Ethiopia.

Asfo fled Ethiopia to the Netherlands in 1978 to escape the Red Terror, a mass crackdown carried out by the country's military communist dictatorship. Once in Europe, Asfo hosted compatriots who, like him, were forced to leave their homeland. In 1998, in the bag of one of his guests, Asfo accidentally noticed an old liturgical crown. Such headdresses in Ethiopia are used for Christian worship.

'I couldn't believe my eyes. I felt betrayed. Use my house to smuggle cultural heritage from Ethiopia?, "Asfo described his feelings in a conversation with The New York Times. He assumed the crown had been stolen and took it away. How his guest reacted to this, the publication does not write, but notes that Asfo does not name this person out of concern for his safety.

The African did not know what to do with the artifact. He did not want to give it to the authorities of the Netherlands, because he was afraid that they would not want to return the relic to Ethiopia. He didn't like the idea of handing over the crown to the Ethiopian government either: the country had an unstable political situation, and Asfo feared the crown might be stolen again. The African did not dare to tell someone from acquaintances about his find and asked for advice on Internet forums (this turned out to be useless). As a result, he hid the crown at home until better times.

Asfo decided that they came in 2018 - when the government changed in Ethiopia. He contacted Dutch art detective Arthur Brand, referred to as "Indiana Jones in the art world." He placed the crown in a safe place and spoke about the Dutch police artifact. "I explained to Asfo that either the crown would go missing or he himself would go missing if he didn't do anything," Brand told the BBC.

In September 2019, the Dutch and Ethiopian authorities are discussing the process of returning the crown to their homeland. It is not yet known where the artifact will be stored - in the church from where it was stolen, or in the museum. Sirak Asfo himself wants the crown on display at the National Museum of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa. 'It's the safest place for her. But I believe the Ethiopian government will take care of her, "he said.

1505

Customs

Ashenda

Ashenda is a festival in northern Ethiopia. A group of girls and young women goes from one house to another, beats drums and sings traditional songs.

At the end of performances, it is customary for them to give gifts, for example, food or money.

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