Somali minister sparks controversy with false claims of Ethiopian Orthodox appointment in Somaliland

Visits: 1448
(Rating 0.0/5 Stars) Total Votes: 0
0 0
Share via Social Media

Somali minister sparks controversy with false claims of Ethiopian Orthodox appointment in Somaliland

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – Somalia's Interior Minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, has ignited a storm of controversy by asserting that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has appointed a representative to Zeila, a coastal town in the Awdal region of S

Share

Somalia's Interior Minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi sparks controversy with false claims of Ethiopian Orthodox appointment in Somaliland

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) – Somalia's Interior Minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, has ignited a storm of controversy by asserting that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has appointed a representative to Zeila, a coastal town in the Awdal region of Somalia/Somaliland.

Fiqi made the claim amidst the rising tide of fake news circulating on social media platforms.

Despite the lack of any genuine appointment, the misinformation initially spread through social media channels, alleging that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church had made the announcement in connection with the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Ethiopia and Somaliland.

The message purportedly originated from an obscure online platform, but a subsequent check revealed no such information on the same domain.

In fact, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church did not say any sort of appointment.

Undeterred by the absence of evidence, Minister Fiqi doubled down on Tuesday, insinuating that Ethiopia’s intentions extended beyond Red Sea access, encompassing religious colonialisation.

"The issue is far from over. As you saw yesterday, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church claimed to have appointed a representative for Zeila. This [MOU] is bigger than a deal. it is bigger than access to a port. It is a matter of conquering land, people and religion,” asserted Somalia’s Interior Minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi whose speech was also posted on the ministry’s official social media platforms.

In a provocative move, Fiqi called for a massive protest against Ethiopia in Mogadishu on Thursday, dubbing it the "Million March.”

He urged residents to turn out in the millions to demonstrate their opposition.

The minister indicated that senior government officials would participate and encouraged regional states to organize similar protests in their respective areas.

The minister’s call to action comes in the wake of the controversial MOU between Addis Ababa and Somaliland inked the previous week, fueling a surge in fake news aimed at sowing tension and discord in both Somalia and Somaliland.

The pervasive uncertainty among locals regarding the veracity of information further complicates an already complex situation.