Ethiopian Muslims who attended Eid al-Fitr Salat Prayer said today that everyone should support the ongoing endeavors to make lasting peace prevail in the country.
Muslims in the capital congregated at Addis Ababa Stadium early this morning to observe the Eid prayers.
Some of the attendees told ENA that all should play their part to make the fruits of peace lasting.
Among them, Sheikh Mohammad Derese said war is destructive as it destroys lives, displaces citizens and creates misery.
Lauding the new chapter Ethiopia opened overcoming the challenges it faced during the last two years, he urged all to contribute their share for the realization of a lasting peace.
"This peace still needs the support of the people and the leadership to move forward. Instead of searching for a lost thing, it is better to protect the one in hand. To sustain the prevailing peace we have the responsibility to guard it. All the people must protect it. We have to learn from the past (mistake) and never repeat it."
Sheikh Mohammad further called on the people to particularly support the effort to strengthen unity, adding that love, harmony, and togetherness are precious values that cannot be bought with money.
The other attendee, Ustaz Mohammad Abate, said that lasting peace can be attained when the approach to solve problems is improved.
When citizens have demands, those grievances should be forwarded in a way that does not jeopardize the existence of the country and wellbeing of citizens. This is the only way to nurture peace in the country, he noted.
“Citizens who have complaints should come out in a peaceful manner that will not result in loss of lives, disruptive ways that endanger the safety of citizens, and property destruction. I think this helps demands to be addressed better and to protect peace.”
A youth attendee, Adugna Muche said the positive results that have been achieved following the Pretoria peace agreement should be protected at any cost.
Reminding the suffering that the conflict has caused, he underline the need to safeguard the good things in the healing process.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency