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On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church celebrated Epiphany, locally known as Timkat. Crowds gathered in Gondar, a former seat of the royal empire in Ethiopia’s Amhara region. But this year, many were not in a party mood in the conflict-torn area.
Thousands made the trip to Gondar, counting to 22 flights recorded in one day, for the religious festival of Timkat. If the feast day commemorating the manifestation of Jesus is a vibrant gathering, but this year, many were not in a celebration mood. The festivities were blemished with signs of the war’s toll: Gondar’s hospitals’ theme with wounded combatants while families grieve their loved ones.
Despite the circumstances, Wubeshet Awlachew, an Addis resident, was involved in the celebrations. “we’re experiencing extreme grieve, but we need to hope, and this Timkat gives us a reason to celebrate.”
Indeed, soldiers are almost everywhere in the cities the festive taking part. The Amhara region, neighbors Tigray’s territory, has suffered many losses. Soldiers from Amhara ethnicity pay a heavy toll in the war, allying with Ethiopian National Defense Force fighting Tigrayan troops.
On Wednesday, the UN General Secretary António Guterres alluded to a “demonstrable effort to make peace” in Ethiopia. The statement followed a conversation the Secretary had with Olusegun Obasanjo, the African Union High Representative for the Horn of Africa. The Nigerian diplomat told António Guterres about “efforts being made by the Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) to move towards a resolution of the violent conflict.”
Regarding the celebration, The Joint Task Force said the festival ended peacefully in all parts of the country, including Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa.
The Task Force thanked the people, religious leaders, parishioners, youth and women, and committees at all levels for their contribution to the peaceful conclusion of the event.
At the same time, the members of the Task Force played a massive role in ensuring a peaceful end to this great festival.
