(BRANA PRESS) Police in Oromia region has banned the annual Orthodox Church’s Meskel Demera celebration in one of the oldest town of Debre Zeit, 48 km from the capital city, Addis Ababa.
The Demera festival which was celebrated by Ethiopian Orthodox church in all parts of the country on last Friday, September 27 did not take place in Debre –Zeit , after police stopped the people in their way to the designated area.
According to the eye witnesses, police along with an informal youth group called “Qeerro” stopped the celebrants and told them to remove any flags they are holding, claiming it is not permitted.
The celebrants willingly surrendered the flags they have been holding and scarfs they wore.
However, the Sunday Schools Students who are the choir of the event could not remove their clothes which is pained with the old national flag.
Earlier that day the Federal Police announced that holding the former Ethiopian national flag is not permitted during the Demera festival.
“Police were not willing the celebrants to go ahead to the place where they pray and lit the fire on the Demera unless the Sunday school students remove their clothes,” eye witnesses told Brana Press.
This created a disagreement then the people went back to their church leaving the expected celebration of Demera behind.
However, the Qerros went to the place and put the fire on the Demera (a collection of wood that exemplifies the finding of the true cross following the smoke after it is put on fire).
This informal group of youths named “Qerroo” mostly works with the Oromia region’s police and other government administrative institutions.