Press Release: CREW Condemns the Massacre of Innocent Ethiopians by Extremists

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Center for the Rights of Ethiopian women (CREW) strongly condemns the brutal murder of Ethiopian Christians in Libya and the recent xenophobic attacks of Ethiopians and other African migrants in South Africa.

Thirty Ethiopians were brutally murdered by ISIS in Libya. Half of them were beheaded at a Libyan shoreline and the other half were shot dead in southern Libya, hundred miles from the shores. The released video showing the mass brutal killing refers to victims as those “belonging to hostile Ethiopian Church.” The video concludes by saying that Christians will not be safe unless they embrace Islam or pay protection money. In other tragedies facing Ethiopian migrants, Ethiopians and other fellow Africans are savagely attacked and brutally murdered in xenophobic acts in South Africa. In Yemen, thousands of Ethiopians are stranded and unable to leave the war-torn country. Among these are hundreds of women and children. Hundreds of Ethiopian migrants are drowned in the Mediterranean Sea trying to reach European shores.

Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world. The gap between the haves and the have-nots have widened extremely. The so-called double-digit growth has not changed the lives of millions of poor Ethiopians. The economy is in the hands of the few who control the wealth of the country. Hopeless young people, men and women, are forced to leave their country due to political persecution, poverty and lack of economic opportunity in their home country. Human traffickers exploit the migrants during their journey to their country of destination. Once they reach their destination, their employers’ abuse, torture or sexually assault them. However, Ethiopians continue leaving their country with the hope of working in other countries to help themselves and their families. Read more