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Two mosques have been burned down in northeastern Ethiopia, in a suspected campaign to encourage inter-faith conflict, the regional state Islamic Affairs Supreme Council said Monday.
The mosques were torched yesterday, in Este, South Gondar, in Amhara state, the country’s second-most populous region, the council said in a statement.
“The act is a deliberate move by those who want to use religion to wreak havoc in the country,” the Amhara Media Agency quoted Council Secretary General Sheikh Mohammed Hassan as saying.
The agency quoted him as saying that it was a brazen act that deliberately tried to pit followers of Islam against Christians and vice versa.
Police are reportedly investigating the blazes.
The fires happened after Muslims using scrap paper to decorate a tent inadvertently used scraps showing the Virgin Mary, reportedly drawing Christian anger, said Mohammed.
About a third of Ethiopians are Muslim, with most of the rest practicing various forms of Christianity.
A former far-right Dutch politician announced on Monday that he has converted to Islam.Writing a book on Islam changed the views of Joram van Klaveren, 39, on Islam, and he converted last October, local media reported.Van Klaveren served as a member of parliament for the far-right Freedom Party (PVV) from 2010 to 2014.He resigned after PVV leader Geert Wilders’ racist remarks about Moroccans and set up his own party, but failed to win a seat in the 2017 national elections, and quit politics.Van Klaveren’s about-face follows in the footsteps of Arnoud Van Doorn, another former PVV member who converted to Islam.Van Doorn praised van Klaveren on Twitter, saying he never thought that he would see so many converts from his former party.Leaked Trump schedules shows 60% of time unstructuredUN not to take part in Venezuela crisis talksEgypt journos voice opposition to constitutional change
Former Dutch far-right politician converts to Islam
The United Nations will not join any side in discussions involving the political crisis in Venezuela, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday."The UN secretariat has decided not to be part of any of these groups in order to give credibility to our continued offer of good offices to the parties to be able at their request to help find a political solution," Guterres told reporters.When opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president and the government of President Nicolas Maduro illegitimate, countries across the globe were split in placing their support on the two individuals.The U.S., Canada and many Latin American nations were quick to recognize Guaido's claim as Maduro lashed out, calling on Washington to withdraw its diplomats from Venezuela.Meanwhile, Mexico and Uruguay refused to withdraw their recognition of Maduro.While the rest of the world picks sides, it seems that the UN will remain on the sidelines of the issue, for now.A conference is planned by Mexico and Uruguay to kickstart dialogue between Venezuelans.The international conference is scheduled to take place in the capital of Uruguay, Montevideo, with 10 countries and international organizations expected to attend.Lima summit calls for Venezuela’s Maduro to step downMaduro vows to defend Venezuela with his life
UN not to take part in Venezuela crisis talks