Theft of  Heritages increasing in EOTC

Translated by Derib

The Heritage Research and Conservation Authority stated that 99 % of the heritages of the EOTC have been taken out of the country illegally and sold abroad. In a training given to members of the Customs Police on February 5, 2009 at the National Museum Hall, At Tekle Hagos, Head of the Heritage Record and Control Department in the Authority, though the country has millions of tangible and intangible heritages, many of the tangible heritages are being taken out of the country illegally and sold in foreign countries. The majority of these heritages being sold out illegally belong to the EOTC.

Ato Tekle mentioned that Ethiopian heritages are being sold via websites in Europe and America. Among these websites is eby, which presented Geez books written on parchment, various ancient crosses and Axumite coins made in the 4th and 5th centuries for auction.

 According to Ato Tekle, heritages are being stolen from various churches and monasteries because they are not being kept in safety and handled improperly. Thus, there is a need to work in cooperation with sister organizations to prevent the theft of Church heritages. The Authority is working hard to make sure that heritages  not be taken out of the country via the checkpoints in the country, and to this end it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ethiopian Customs and Revenue Authority.  The Heritage Research and Conservation Authority has given a two-day training to Customs Police members who work in the checkpoints throughout the country.  Though the society has responsibility to keep heritages safe, workers in checkpoints could reduce the degree of the theft if they make concerted efforts to tackle the heritage theft that has been conducted by employing contemporary complex and cunning methods.

Ten research papers with illustrating films on books on parchment and church heritages, holy paintings susceptible for illegal transaction, heritage management and safety, and heritage control and control system were presented on the training.  Especially, the research paper entitled  books on parchment and church heritages, presented by Like Gubae Fekade Sillase Tefera ,states that  the Book of Enoch, Jubilee, Abtilis, Diskilya and the Ascension of Isaiah , which have been  found only in the Ethiopian monasteries  have been translated from Geez  to English and given to churches and universities in the world.  If these books, by any chance, are taken out of the country, both the Church and the country will miss the honour they get. For this reason, the researcher recommended that similar training be given in the Church as well.

It was learned that the Authority will organize a consultation and discussion form aimed at conservation and control of heritages with the Church bodies who possess heritages.

At the end of the training, the trainees visited the National Museum, and the museums at the Holy Trinity Cathedral and the Genete Tsige St. George Church.

Meanwhile, a monk and his team who stole the tablet of Dorki Maryam from Amistya Abune Tekle Haimanot Monastery in Ibnat Woreda of South Gondar Diocese have been sentenced from 2 years to 16 months of imprisonment.

Ato Ashenafi Bosha, Prosecutor at the Lideta Court of the Federal First Instance Court, stated that it was not possible to prove whether there were people who helped the monk to steal the tablet from the monastery though it was assumed that he got some help there. He mentioned that the accused brought the tablet to Addis Ababa and put it in one of the Prosecutor’s witnesses house on December 29,2009. Then he, together with Merigata Amare Azazh and Behailu Abate, both of whom were accused, started to search for a buyer. When the Police were informed that  Merigata Amare Azazh were searching  for a buyer , all of the three individuals were put into custody. The Prosecutor checked that the tablet was stolen from Durki Mariam by calling the South Gondar Diocese and  that it was a real tablet by calling the Addis Ababa Diocese.

The accused were charged with stealing and hiding the property of a religious institution and that of a country, but they were found to be accountable for stealing and hiding the property of the country only because it was not possible to produce evidence that shows that they took the tablet from Durki Mariam Church.  As per Article 682 1/A of the Criminal Code revised in 2004, Aba Mariye Mulat was sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment , Merigata Amare Azazh was sentenced to 20 months of imprisonment and Behailu Abate was sentenced to 16 months of imprisonment. It was mentioned that the accused were trying to sell the tablet for 700,000 (seven hundred thousand) birr and they tried to hide it when the Police went to put them under custody.

The Prosecutor added that the Ibnat Woreda Church Administration has written a  letter  that asks the for an investigation of the person who stole the tablet  for two parchment books, a book  entitled Miracles of Jesus with paintings, two procession silver crosses and one bronze cross  stolen on July 10, 2007 from the same monastery. Though the books and the crosses were missing for more than two years, it was not possible to find them because the efforts by the Church administration and churches  to search them were minimal. In the conclusion of the his statement, the prosecutor stated the number of people  who have licence to raise funds for the construction of churches  in various parts of the country is increasing ion Addis Ababa, and the act of false fundraising is increasing as well. As a result, the Church Administration body responsible for giving licences has to think seriously before giving any such licence.

The Research Center invited researchers to present papers

Translated by Derib

The Research Center at Mahibere Kidusan has called for scholars to present researches on the first ever Workshop it is organizing. The center has stated that it will give awards to research presenters. According to Mhr. Dessie Keleb, Senior Researcher at the Center, the workshop will be conducted in the coming July. More than 20 papers are expected to be presented at the workshop on the following topics: The role of Mahibere Kidusan in the Church, convocation of priesthood and priesthood ministry, migration of priests from rural to urban areas (causes and solutions), Church heritage management, the role of the Church in the tourism industry, traditional church schools in the Campus Congregations and Sunday Schools, sustainable development in the Church,  the role of the Church in poverty reduction, family planning from the point of view of the church, modern finance system for the Church, human resource management of the Ethiopian Church, the Church and the state from yesterday until  today, legal protection of Church holdings, making the  Church beneficiary of modern technology, Art and Handcraft in the Church, contemporary temptations of the Church, the Church and globalization, the Church’s  administration from the point of view of modern management, the number of the laity of the Church from where to where, Children’s curriculum in the Church, paganism and bad practices from the point of view of the Church’s education, and the role of the Church in the anti-HIV campaign.

All who want to present papers on any one of the topics above can present their proposals until March 24, 2009 to the Center. Further information can be obtained by calling 0911 60 05 38/ 0910 35 05 21 or sending an e-mail to  bmkidusantmaekel@yahoo.com or m-gobezie@yahoo.com

Shakiso St. Michael Church venerated

Translated by Derib

Shakiso St. Michael Church constructed by the workers of the Midrock Gold Company and the laity has been venerated. On the occasion of the veneration of the Church, His Grace Abune Sawiros, Bishop of Guji, Borena and Liben Diocese , stated that  Shakiso St. Michael Church is one of the 80 churched found in the Diocese and thanked Midrock Gold Company, which played a major role for the completion of the construction of the church. His grace stated that there is a need to make the church have its own income via various development activities and gave his fatherly advice to the priests to teach the laity and spread the Gospel in a strengthened way.

The Administrator of the Church, Melake Genet Tekeste Berhan, mentioned that the church started service on June 18, 1994 in a temporary shelter venerated by His Grace Abune Bertelemiwos. Before June 1994, the table used to be in St. Mary’s Church.

“When we asked Dr. Arega Yirdaw, General Manager of the Midrock Gold Company for help, he gave us materials. The workers of the company promised to help us by contributing money every month. That is how we started the construction.” the Administrator said.

In the message he sent via his representative Ato Menkir Gebru, the General Manager of the Company stated, “Though our main job in Shakiso is to mine gold, we constructed the church because  we live together with the people, and the majority of the inhabitants of the area are our workers. We constructed the church so that our workers and the laity can get spiritual satisfaction.  We have helped them as per their request to construct a church where they can pray, learn the Gospel, baptize their children, bury their dead and participate in congregation in the names of the saints. ”   Ato Menkir added that the company will continue participating in the development activities that benefit the church and the laity.

Chair of the Building construction Committee of the Debre Genet St. Michael Church , Ato Mesfin Bedada,  Midrock Gold Company and workers contributed 526, 900 birr, Keticha Tantalum contributed 2, 100 Birr and Adola Gold Development contributed 5000 Birr.  He stated that the contribution of the laity was also very significant. The construction of the church was possible at a total cost of 1, 017, 900 (one million seventeen thousand and nine hundred) Birr.  

      Praise be to God. Amen!!