ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW AND GOVERNANCE CENTER FOR FEDERALISM AND GOVERNANCE STUDIES THE DYNAMICS OF RELIGIOUS PLURALISM AND TOLERANCE IN FEDERAL ETHIOPIA: THE SOUTH WOLLO EXPERIENCE BY YASSIN HUSSEN AUGUST 2020 THE DYNAMICS OF RELIGIOUS PLURALISM AND TOLERANCE IN FEDERAL ETHIOPIA: THE SOUTH WOLLO EXPERIENCE BY Yassin Hussen Mohammed A Dissertation Submitted to ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in Federalism and Governance Studies College of Law and Governance, Center for Federalism and Governance Studies Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa, Ethiopia August 2020 Declaration I, undersigned, declare that this thesis is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in any other university and that sources of material used for the thesis are duly acknowledged. _____________________ Yassin Hussen Mohammed August -2020 Supervisors: 1. Dereje Feyissa (PhD. Associate Professor) ________________ _________________ Internal Supervisor Signature Date 2. Terje Ostebo (PhD. Associate Professor) External Supervisor ________________ _________________ Signature Date Approval of the Board of Examiners: 1. Ayalew Gebre (PhD. Associate Professor) _______________ _________________ Internal Examiner Signature Date 2. Mohammed Dejen (PhD.) ________________ _________________ Internal Examiner Signature Date 3. Jon Abbink ( Professor) ________________ _________________ External Examiner Signature Date Abstract This study deals with the dynamics of religious pluralism and tolerance in Ethiopia’s secularism considering South Wollo as a case. The major objective of the study is to examine the changing character of religious pluralism and tolerance in federal Ethiopia. The study argued that the adoption of ethnic federalism accompanied by a religio-pluralistic secular venture has brought a new dynamics of religious pluralism and tolerance in Ethiopia in general and in South Wollo in Particular. Based on a qualitative approach, the study uncovers the issue of religious pluralism and tolerance in the current secular venture; the emerging dynamics of religious contestation at the federal level manifested in terms of state-religion relations, inter and intra-religious relations; local models of religious pluralism and tolerance and the advent of reform movements and the changing contours of religious tolerance. The study emphasized the need for a holistic approach that helps understand the changes and continues on the nature of religious pluralism and tolerance in the study area. Accordingly, from a historical perspective, it discusses the trajectories of religious tolerance in pre-federal Ethiopia since its modern inception in 1855. Although the focus of the study is on the changes, it dwells on the local models of religious pluralism and tolerance still existing in the area in order to show the changes that occurred under the religio-pluralistic secular policy of the state. Hence, the study identified Communal Institutions (Idir and Equb), interfaith marriage and affinity (Amachicha) relationship, neighborly relations, the Abbagar institution, cooperation in building worship places and pilgrimage to shrines still existing arenas of religious pluralism and tolerance in South Wollo. In contrast, the study identified major areas of change over religious pluralism and tolerance as the decline of interfaith- communal associations, neighborly relation is now becoming more religious-based, and cooperation in building worship places is declining. It is the contention of this study that the current venture has shown a mixed result as far as religious tolerance is concerned. On the one hand, with all its pitfalls the Ethiopian secular experience has positive ramifications for ensuring religious liberty by creating equal opportunity for all religious groups in practicing their religion thereby set a stage for religious pluralism and religious tolerance. On the other hand, the new religio-pluralistic policy has invited a new dynamics of both inter and intrareligious intolerance. i Acronyms BPLM Benshangul People Liberation Movement CUD Coalition for Unity and Democracy DKA Dawa and Knowledge Association ECC Ethiopian Catholic Church ECFE Evangelical Churches Fellowship of Ethiopia EECMY Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus EEUC Ethiopian Evangelical Unity Church EIASC Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council EOC Ethiopian Orthodox Church EPRDF Ethiopian People Revolutionary Democratic Front EPRP Ethiopian People Revolutionary Party FDRE Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia HoF House of Federation HPR House of People Representative IAC Islamic Africa Center IIRO Islamic International Relief Organization IRCE Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia MoFAPD Minister of Federal Affairs and Pastoral Development NDR National Democratic Revolution ii ONLF Ogaden National Liberation Front PDRE People Democratic Republic of Ethiopia SDAC Seventh Day Adventist Church SNNPR Southern Nation Nationality Peoples Region TPLF Tigrian People Liberation Movement VOA Voice of America WML World Muslim League WSLF Western Somali Liberation Front iii Acknowledgment Next to Allah, I owe many debts to those who helped me in undertaking this study. I have been lucky to have Dr. Dereje Feyissa- a marvelous thesis advisor and mentor who wholeheartedly offered me support and advice in a friendly manner. My thanks also go to the Director of the Center for Federalism and Governance Studies- Dr. Zemelak Ayele and PhD Program Coordinator-Dr. Regassa Bayissa- for thier support and facilitation of my thesis defense within a short period of time. I also want to thank Arba Minch University for sponsoring my study at Addis Ababa University. My colleagues in the Civics department of Arba Minch University in general and Mr. Abay Worku and Mr. Amanu Tilahun in particular, deserve thanks for their friendly moral encouragement. I owe special thanks to my mother Merima Yimam and my wife Rehima Ali for their endless love and prayer throughout the study. I would also like to extend thanks to all those research participants who gave me the necessary data without which the research would not be possible. Especially I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to longtime friends Dereje, Henok, Abdurrahman, Abubaker and Sintayehu who exceptionally supported me in data gathering. I am also indebted to all my friends in Arba Minch- Shaikh Hussein, Ahmedin, Siraj, Kemal Mohammed, Redwan and Abdulaziz for their dua and encouragement. Last but by no means least; I would like to extend my gratitude to Dr. Meron Zeleke who recruited me for research assistantship and gave me the chance to practice field research. Thanks All. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract i Acronyms ii Acknowledgments iv CHAPTER ONE- INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Statement of the problem 5 1.3 Research Objectives 11 1.3.1 General Objectives 11 1.3.2 Specific Objectives 11 1.4 Review of Related Literature 11 1.5 Methodology 24 1.6 Scope of the Study 26 1.7 Significance of the Study 28 1.8 The Plan of the Study 29 CHAPTER TWO - CONCEPTUAL AND ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK 2.1 Religious Pluralism and Tolerance: a Conceptual Sketch 31 2.1.1 Religious Pluralism 31 2.1.2 Religious Tolerance 44 2.1.3 Religious Fundamentalism 49 2.2 Secularism and Religious Diversity 52 2.3 Religious Pluralism in Secular Federations: A Comparative Analysis 57 v 2.3.1 India: Policy of Principled Distance 58 2.3.2 South Africa: Co-operation between State and Religion 65 2.4 Conclusion 73 CHAPTER THREE- RELIGIOUS PLURALISM AND TOLERANCE IN ETHIOPIA: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE 3.1 Haile Selassie Regime: Imperial Constitutions of 1931 and 1955 75 3.2 Derg: Secularism under PDRE 83 3.3 The Road to Federalism: The ‘Religious Question’ 89 3.4 Conclusion 93 CHAPTER FOUR- RELIGIOUS PLURALISM AND TOLERANCE IN FEDERAL ETHIOPIA 4.1 Religious Pluralism and Secularism under FDRE 96 4 .2 Management of Religious Issues at the Federal Level 102 4.2.1 Ministry of Peace 102 4.2.2 The Inter Religious Council of Ethiopia 104 4.2.3 Minster of Education- Directives for Regulating Religious Observance 107 4.3 Secularism and the Dynamics of Religious Pluralism and Tolerance in Federal Ethiopia 108 4.3.1 Inter–Religious Relations 113 4.3.2 Intra–Religious Relations 119 4.3. 3 Government Interference in Religious Affairs 122 4.4 Conclusion 129 vi CHAPTER FIVE- RELIGIOUS PLURALISM AND TOLERANCE IN WOLLO: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE 5.1 Wollo: An Overview 131 5.2 Introduction of Islam and Christianity to Wollo 134 5.2.1 Islam in Wollo 134 5.2.1.1 Sufism in Wollo 136 5.2.1. 2 Local Muslim Dynasties in Wollo 141 5.2.2 Introduction of Christianity in Wollo 143 5.3 State Religious Policy towards Wollo 144 5.3.1 Tewodros II’s Religious Policy towards Wollo 144 5.3.2 Yohannes IV and the Policy of Christianization in Wollo 146 5.3.3 Menelik II and Guarded Tolerance 152 5.3.4 Lij Iyasu and the Aborted Tolerance 153 5.4 Conclusion 157 CHAPTER SIX- RELIGIOUS PLURALISM AND TOLERANCE IN WOLLO, ETHIOPIA 6.1 General Context 158 6.2 Local Models of Religious Tolerance in Wollo 166 6.2.1 Communal Institutions: Edir and Iqub 168 6.2.2 Affinity (Amachicha) Relationship 169 6.2.3 The Practice of Interfaith Marriage 170 6.2.4 Neighborly Relations 174 6.2.5 The Abbagar Institution 177 6.2.6 Pilgrimage to Shrines 179 6.2.7 Mutual Cooperation in Building Worship Places 183 6.3 Conclusion 184 vii CHAPTER SEVEN –THE ADVENT OF ISLAMIC REFORM MOVEMENTS AND THE CHANGING CONTOURS OF RELIGIOUS PLURALISM AND TOLERANCE IN SOUTH WOLLO 7.1 Islamic Reform Movements in Ethiopia 186 7.2 Salafism in Ethiopia and South Wollo 188 7.3 Salafism and Christian-Muslim Relations in South Wollo 194 7.4 Salafism and Intra- Muslim debates in South Wollo 202 7.5 Conclusion 207 CONCLUSION– RELIGIOUS PLURALISM AND TOLERANCE IN FEDERAL ETHIOPIA : A CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF THE WOLLO STORY 209 BIBLIOGRAPHY 217 APPENDICES viii CHAPTER ONE 1.1 Background Ethiopia is a country of assorted diversity. It is home to around eighty ethnic groups speaking different languages and confessing various religions Islam and Christianity being the dominant ones.