After the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) claimed the massacre of Ethiopian Christians in Libya in a video on April 19th, the international students from Ethiopia at Lund University will gather in commemoration of the victims and stand in solidarity against terrorism.
Libya is a transit hub for numerous Africans who are trying to make their way to Europe. Many Ethiopians work in Libya in order to gain a better living standard. Before Gaddafi’s leadership came to an end in 2011, Libya attracted a lot of international workers due to its stable economy. After the atrocity, however, the climate for Ethiopians in Libya became rough. There were reports of more than a hundred Ethiopians in Libya who have locked themselves in their homes in fear of an attack.
Ultra-radical group
The ISIL’s shocking video shows a group of captives being shot in an unidentified desert and another group being beheaded on a beach, according to The Telegraph. According to the terrorist organization, the victims were murdered because the Ethiopian Christians did not want to convert to Islam and would rather give them money than to convert to Islam. The ultra-radical Islamic group formed in 2014 in the country while taking advantage of the chaotic country led by militia and governed by two rivaling governments. Now, ISIL has the control of areas in the Sirte region, a coastal city located 450 km east of Tripoli.
Candle-light event
The Ethiopian community in Lund consisted of many international students. Etsegenet Kedir, a student studying International Human Rights Law at Lund University, announced that the Ethiopian community is planning to conduct “a candle-light event for those Ethiopian Christians who were killed in a horrible way in Libya.”
The event will take place on Friday April 24th at 7pm on Stortorget 9 in Lund, which is located just in front of the tourism office and the town hall. The community is also organizing a religious commemoration.
“There is an Ethiopian orthodox church here in Lund and we are planning to have a special praying service on the coming Saturday for those who were killed in Libya,” Etsegenet Kedir highlights.
What is more, Etsegenet Kedir says,
“the main objective of the event is to pay our tribute for those who were killed in Libya as well as to oppose the idea of terrorism. For the event, we expect the Ethiopian community of Lund as well as students of Lund University who are willing to attend the event to be there. A student chaplain will give a speech about it.”
