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she Ethiopian revolution holds a special place in history and allows interesting approaches concerning political, religious and social issues. The movements that led to the social upheaval were taken over by the military forces (the Darg, meaning 'committee') by September 1974. The election of Mangistu as president of the Provisional Military Administrative Council (PMAC) was followed by some bloodstained years (1977-78) recalled as the Red Terror. However, it is not before 1987 that a Marxist-Leninist party was effectively established, closely backed by the Soviet Union, influencing the government's ideological work as well as the concept of cultural and social developments.
During this period the role of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (EOC) was particularly under threat. The EOC has been present in Ethiopia since the fourth century and was directly dependent upon the imperial power from 1951 when it became autocephalous (it was previously dependent uDon the Patriarchate of Alexandria). This intrinsic connection between Church, State and nobility formed the major force against which the revolutionary forces had to fight. The relationship between the EOC and the revolutionary government has been generally left out of general discussions about the revolution but I will attempt to highlight some of its characteristics.
Religious policy of the Darg
A substantial reform implemented by the military government was the separation between Church and State that established a radical shift within Ethiopian tradition and history. The distinction between temporal and spiritual power meant at the same time a gain in independence for both institutions and a loss of political and economical power for the EOC. As the Church was deprived of any interference in the political control of the country so the Darg was, officially, deprived of any power upon Church affairs.
The equality of religions was promoted in order to guarantee freedom of conscience and religion for all Ethiopians. The equation, traditionally accepted among the dominant classes and the international community of 'Ethiopian' being interchangeable with 'Christian', became definitely inaccurate. The equality of religions was institutionalised with Moslem festivals being decided by law. The Hegira (flight from Medina to Mecca), the Id al Fitir (feast at the end of Ramadan) and the Mulad al Nabi (birth of Prophet Mohammed) became national holidays like Christmas and Easter while the number...