Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff
Published: Wednesday, April 29th, 2015
New York (TADIAS) — Hundreds from the Ethiopian community in the New York City area gathered at Times Square on Tuesday evening for a candlelight vigil to honor the victims of the recent ISIL violence in Libya.
The NYC event included both Christian and Muslim religious leaders who condemned the murders and called for Ethiopians to stand united. Speakers included Abune Basilios, Kes Mezgebu Menkir of the Beata le Mariam Church, Imam Yisaq Ibrahim of the Ethiopian Muslim Community of New York and Abreham Desta of the Evangelical Church of NY.
Additional speakers were Professor Getachew Haile, community activist Makda Amare, and Tsegereda Mulugeta.
In her speech Makda, Chairperson of Humanitarian Organization for Ethiopians in Need of NY & NJ, shared with the crowd current statistics highlighting the continuing plight of female migrant workers in the Middle East as well as the victims of xenophobic attacks in South Africa, and countless Ethiopian citizens who are currently stranded in Yemen in the midst of civil war. Makda said her organization is working with International Organization for Migration (IOM) to help those in Yemen, but urged others to participate and also called on the Ethiopian government to do more.
The evening also featured songs and the lighting of candles.
Below are photos:
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Related:
In Pictures: Washington, D.C Candlelight Vigil for Ethiopian ISIL Victims in Libya (Tadias)
Vigil Held in Nashville for Ethiopian Christians Killed by ISIS (WSMV-TV Nashville)
Denver’s Ethiopian Community Mourns Countrymen Killed by Islamic State (The Denver Post)
In Atlanta Suburb of Clarkston, Georgia Christians, Muslims Honor ISIS Victims (WABE Radio)
Addressing Ethiopia’s Migrant Crisis (Tadias)
Grief Mixes With Anger Over Christian Ethiopian Deaths (NY Times)
Anti-ISIL rally turns violent in Ethiopia (AlJazeera)
Ethiopian police tear-gas crowds protesting against Libya killings (Reuters)
Protest held in Ethiopia over killings by Islamic extremists (AP)
Ethiopians struggle to come to terms with beheadings of compatriots in Libya (Reuters)
Ethiopians Shocked by Islamic State Killings (AP)
Ethiopia in Mourning for Victims of Islamic State Violence (BBC)
Ethiopia Declares 3 Days of Mourning for Citizens Killed by Islamic State in Libya (VOA)
Ethiopia Condemns Purported Executions in Libya of Christians (AFP)
Video: Islamic State kills Ethiopian Christians in Libya (AP)
ISIS ‘executes’ Ethiopia Christians in Libya (Al-Arabiya)
ISIS Video Purports to Show Killing of Ethiopian Christians in Libya (NY Times)