Regime has been most challenged by religious movements: EPRDF

ESAT News   September 04, 2013

The voice of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), Addis Raeye, stated that one of the main “forces of aggression” that have violently challenged the government in the past two years were “political movements that were conducted under the cover of religion”. The publication said, these movements are now being “exposed and weakened”.

According to the EPRDF, the “Let our voices be Heard” group, Ginbot 7, the Voice of America and Bilal Radio are some of the organisations which stood with the “extremists and attempted to ignite an uprising”.

Addis Raeye stated that some leadership members of the EPRDF have also been interfering in religion and escalating the problem, thus it advised these government officials to hand over their official powers and instead engage in the work of “preaching”.

It also advised that the government should take the appropriate legal measures, offer education and jobs to the youth in order to curb the religious extremism in Christian and Muslim religions and those that use this opportunity for political purposes.

EPRDF stated that although the Muslims movement is gradually being weakened, there are indications that it could emerge to challenge the system once again.

On the other hand, ESAT has learnt that EPRDF has changed its media structure. Federal and regional mass media agencies will be producing their programs according to the directions they will be given by top officials of the EPRDF. Shiferaw Shegute in Southern region, Alemnew Mekonen in Amhara region, and Alemayehu Atomsa in Oromia region will respectively give news reporting directions together with editors and journalists.

The information that ESAT received from the Front’s insiders explains that all journalists will work only under the focus and directions that these EPRDF officials give.