Churches burnt in southwest Ethiopia

22 Mar, 2011

A Protestant organisation is reporting that 69 churches, several Christian homes, a Christian orphanage and a church office were burnt early March in south-western Ethiopia close to the town of Jimma. Two Christians are reported dead and several thousands have fled their homes. Most of the burnt churches belonged to evangelical organisations, mainly Baptist ones.

International Christian Concern, a United States based advocacy group that helps persecuted Christians worldwide says that military forces were sent in to stop the attacks which the Ethiopian prime minister, Meles Zenawi, has blamed on an extremist Muslim group.

The attacks occurred in Asendabo near Jimma, which experienced anti-Christian violence in 2006. Evangelical Protestant groups have been increasing recently in the area, at the same time as Muslim support and building of mosques is also going up.

According to Ethiopia