‘‘Being an esteemed education institution, Arba Minch University has diversified activities. It’s the centre where students from different regions and religions come to pursue their dreams. AMU that represents the Ethiopian tradition of religious harmony and cultural plurality is committed to keep this glorious tradition intact by being magnanimous and accommodative,’’ said the AMU President, Dr Feleke Woldeyes.


Dr Feleke was exhorting the university community in a Govt.-sponsored daylong training on ‘religious extremism,’ held at Students’ Cafeteria on October 5, 2013, Main Campus.
AMU facilitated the required logistics while three government delegates, Inter-governmental religion Advisor, Mr Samson Abate, Director for Religion and Faith Affairs Trust Building Directorate, Mr Tizazu Delelegn and Religion and Faith Affairs Trust Building Expert, Ms Hilifty Aregaw, were the resource persons.
At the inception, the delegates explained to the gathering as to how nation’s tradition of religious tolerance has seen Christians and Muslims living together sans any frictions. Both communities have time and again worked together against the foreign aggression; even during disaster and famine they joined hands to take care of their countrymen.
In the past, government machinery and religious institutions were working closely, which had given rise to some problems and conflicts. But, today, Ethiopian Constitution has clearly set the clear demarcation between the government and religious institutions; neither is allowed to intervene in each other’s affair.
Citing the reasons for training, people were told that following some indications of religious extremism creeping in the society; government wants its people to be cautious and at the same time vigorously zero in on those fomenting religious intolerance.
They further informed that there are few individuals, who were trying to misuse religion as a bait to acquire political power in the country, thus causing irreparable harm to our unity, integrity and sovereignty of the nation.
By training people, government wants to make people aware and urge them to be vigilant to safeguard the country’s Constitution. Though, Ethiopia has no state religion, yet there are some higher education institutions knowingly or unknowingly acting against the Statute. To stem the rot, government has planned to create awareness and hold talks with the religious bodies and students.
They emphasized, extremism can be tackled by fighting poverty and backwardness thus paving the way for youth to get jobs, intensifying Constitutional education and exposing those trying to exploit religion for their political gains.
In future government will take stringent measures to deal with this kind of sensitive issues; those indulging in such activities will be expelled from any government institutions.
Post-lunch session, saw some individuals sharing their views and experiences and also sought strong measures to deal with errant people.
By Philips Joseph