SANA’A: With a population predominantly Muslim, 43 percent
of Yemen being Sunni and 45 percent being Zaidi Shia, Christians have expressed
some difficulty in blending in, often accusing the government of enticing
antipathy towards their religious denomination.
Over the past few years millions of Ethiopians, mainly
Christians came to seek refuge in Yemen, running from difficult social,
cultural and economic conditions in their homeland.
Even Yemen’s popular uprising could not hinder the fast pace
of arrivals, with tens of thousands of newcomers arriving on a monthly basis,
braving deadly travel conditions in the hope to find at last a safe haven, away
from violence and famine.
Today, thousands of Ethiopians have opened up on the
difficulties they are facing in regards to their faith.
“Most Yemenis look at us with disgust as we are not like
them. Many Ethiopians are unable to find work or even rent a house for we are
discriminated against. I know a lot of us who chose to convert to Islam for a
chance of a better life…and even then our skin color differentiates us from
them [the Yemeni],” Moulook Dawit told Bikyamasr.com.
Others speak of social stigma and often abuse when they
choose to openly embrace their Christianity, with men being beaten up and women
harassed by Islamist groups.
“Yemenis call us names, refusing to ever socialize with us
as if we were diseased. Our daughters are shunned away from school and our
wives suffer daily verbal abuse. Going to the Police is useless as we will get
automatically blame,” said one guard.
Even in death, Ethiopians are treated differently, with the
government refusing to allow them to be buried in the capital, Sana’a, as it
argues that its cemeteries are strictly Muslim.
Several Yemeni rights activists have said that they will
work at mending the ties between Yemeni Muslims and Ethiopian Christians as
they say they wanted Yemen to become a civil state where citizens’ rights, no
matter their faith would be respected.
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