May 6, 2026
Borkena
Toronto – Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Patriarch His Holiness Abune Mathias on Wednesday called on political leaders at all levels of structure in the country to not be “ruthless on God’s People.”
He conveyed the message during his speech at the opening of the annual Plenary Priests Congregation of the Holy Synod at the Patriarchate in the capital Addis Ababa.
His message was directed to government officials at all levels and opposition political party leaders.
“The desire of the people is to live together in equality, prevalence of justice, get out and get home safe, earn adequate income for livelihood,” he said.
The patriarch added that it is when those needs are fulfilled that the people will follow the leadership.
He has also conveyed a message that sounds like coercion will not indefinitely bring about obedience.
“it is not possible to man a subject through the use of force but by enticing the conscience,” he said emphasizing the need to resolve any problem through peaceful means.
All other ways will not bring about a lasting peace to the nation, he added.
Hundreds of thousands of Ethiopian Orthodox Church followers have been massacred in the country since 2018. The attacks have been recurring and intense particularly in the Oromia region.
Fear Of Renewed War In Tigray Region Of Ethiopia
His remark came at a time when the political situation in the Tigray region of Ethiopia is escalating to unprecedented levels since the end of the two years war in November 2022.
Yesterday, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) formally reinstated the regional council from the pre-war Tigray that was defunct due to the Pretoria Agreement which ended the war. Debretsion Gebremichael, Chairman of the organization, was sworn in as a president of the region.
The Organization has lost its legal status in the county as the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia has revoked its registration as a legal party.
Outside of the Tigray region, the Amhara region is still in a large-scale conflict as the Fano forces and government soldiers continue to get total control of the region. Now heading into its fourth year, this conflict has claimed tens of thousands of civilian lives in addition to deaths on the part of government forces and Fano forces.
In the Oromia region, the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) and government forces continue unabated for over five years now.
The European Union and other members of the diplomatic community expressed concern on the latest development in the Tigray region. If war broke out in the Tigray region, they say, it could spill over to other parts of the Horn.
His Holiness Abune Mathias has been calling for peace in the country for many years now.
__
Join our Telegram Channel : t.me/borkena
Like borkena on Facebook
Add your business to Ethiopian Business Listing / Ethiopian Business Directory
Join the conversation. Follow us on X (Formerly Twitter) @zborkena to get the latest Ethiopian News updates regularly. Subscribe to YouTube channel To share information or for submission, send e-mail to info@borkena.com