Protection of Religious Freedom Under the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia: The Case of Waaqeffannaa

Yadeta, Tadesse (2017) Protection of Religious Freedom Under the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia: The Case of Waaqeffannaa. Masters thesis, Addis Ababa University.

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Abstract

The FDRE Constitution has been guaranteed the rights to religious freedom and avows religious equality by avoiding discrimination based on religion. But, no study has been conducted to look at the practical applicability of these constitutionally guaranteed fundamental human rights as applied to adherents of Waaqeffannaa. Hence, the main issue addressed in this paper is whether the constitutionally guaranteed rights to religious freedom has been implemented properly in congruence with international human rights instruments and the provisions of the FDRE Constitution concerning Waaqeffannaa. Thus, this study explores the protection accorded to religious freedom regarding Waaqqeffannaa. It looks at the current status of Waaqeffannaa in Ethiopia and the scope of protection religious freedom accorded to Waaqeffannaa in practical terms. Furthermore, it looks into factors that hinder religious status and practical application of religious freedom to Waaqeffannaa. To generate the necessary data for this research, qualitative approach has been used extensively. The major tools employed for gathering primary data were interview; both structured and semi-structured interview and focused group discussion. Secondary data was generated from review of written sources particularly books, journals, reports and academic research works. The analysis of the bulk of data collection in the course of the study revealed that Waaqeffannaa lost its religious status for about two decades even though the FDRE Constitution avows the protection of religious freedom. Ethiopian government have officially banned Waaqeffannaa religious group and restricted the rights to religious freedom of adherents of Waaqeffanna unlawfully. The analysis revealed that the current religious freedom to Waaqeffannaa, the Waaqeffatootas’ freedom to worship and access to land to build religious shrines and cemeteries has been limited by regional and local government authority. Although Waaqeffannaa has been recognized as religion and restored its religious status in 2013, its adherents have limited freedom to worship, access land for building galmoota (places of worship) and hujuba (cemetery) and discriminated by government officials at different level. Therefore, the government is expected to pursue the religious equality to achieve the full realization of all human rights in the country. Freedom to equal opportunity to take part in and benefit from public resources, like land and public media, has to be respected for the adherents of the indigenous religion Waaqeffannaa Keywords: Ethiopia, Freedom of religion, indigenous religion, Waaqeffannaa and Oromo.

Item Type: Thesis (Masters)
Subjects: K Law > K Law (General)
Divisions: Africana
Depositing User: Kabiru Wallace Ndung'u
Date Deposited: 04 Jul 2019 08:13
Last Modified: 04 Jul 2019 08:21
URI: http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/9346

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