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My latest, with @geoffreyyork for the @globeandmail newspaper.
The civil war in Tigray has seen the destruction of many of the region's cultural heritage sites. Leaked documents & testimony reveal widespread looting & shelling of ancient religious shrines. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-in-tigrays-war-ancient-christian-and-muslim-houses-of-worship-risk/
The civil war in Tigray has seen the destruction of many of the region's cultural heritage sites. Leaked documents & testimony reveal widespread looting & shelling of ancient religious shrines. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-in-tigrays-war-ancient-christian-and-muslim-houses-of-worship-risk/
A church collective documented extensive destruction of 14 Orthodox churches & four monasteries, all of which were carried out in recent months by either Ethiopian or Eritrean soldiers. Among them, the St. George church of Wukro & the 6th century Debre Damo monastery (file pic).
As the looting of treasured relics continues. The fate of the 5th century Garima Gospels, which were at the Abba Garima Monastery, is unknown. Read an extensive into that here by @geoffreyyork. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-where-are-the-garima-gospels-in-ethiopia-scholars-fear-the-worst-for/
My colleague @berhe_lucy just published her investigation in The Telegraph today, on the massacre of 78 priests by troops in the region. The violation of the sanctity of religious places has been systemic. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/terror-and-security/least-78-priests-massacred-one-zone-tigray-leaked-letter-claims/
In recent days, comments by Ethiopia's Orthodox church Patriarch Abune Mathias have made headlines, as the church leader accused troops in the region of carrying out a genocide. https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/08/africa/orthodox-church-tigray-ethiopia-intl/index.html
This leaked letter dated early April, with Abune Mathias' sign and seal, obtained by the @globeandmail, reveals that the patriarch decried the massacre of priests and deacons, rapes of women, destruction of churches and monasteries, looting and starvation.
Meanwhile, Kedir Kiyar, spokesman for the International Association of Muslims in Tigray, bemoaned the lack of action in the aftermath of the destruction of one of Africa's oldest mosques, the 7th century Al Najashy mosque which I wrote about here: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/ethiopia-tigray-nejashi-mosque-conflict-damage
Kedir also added that the International Association of Muslims in Tigray had learned of the looting & destruction of another mosque, near the town of Nebelet back in December.
A region's storied religious heritage under attack, read it in @globeandmail. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-in-tigrays-war-ancient-christian-and-muslim-houses-of-worship-risk/
A region's storied religious heritage under attack, read it in @globeandmail. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-in-tigrays-war-ancient-christian-and-muslim-houses-of-worship-risk/
