Ethiopia: Christian-Muslim tensions become violent

According to BBC News reports on 29 April 2022, mosques and churches have been set ablaze in mob-violence in northern and southern Ethiopia. According to reports, violence erupted after at least 20 Muslims were killed and hundreds more injured when they were allegedly attacked by members of the Ethiopian Orthodox community on the way to a burial in Gondar city in Amhara region. The cemetery where the attack occurred has been the subject of a dispute between Muslims and Orthodox Christians‚ for some time. World Watch Research analyst Yonas Dembele comments: "This is a delicate situation for Ethiopia - a country that is already dealing with serious internal conflict. The relationship between Christians and Muslims has often been volatile over the centuries, but outbursts of violence have mostly been resolved without threatening the foundation of co-existence. However, this time round, the issue is worse since more than 20 Muslims have already lost their lives in Gondar, allegedly attacked by Orthodox mobs. If s solution to this tension is not found as soon as possible, the situation could deteriorate further and create another dimension for the country"s political crisis."