Practices Of Securitisation Of Islam And Muslims

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PART III: PRACTICES OF SECURITISATION OF ISLAM AND MUSLIMS IN THE ETHIOPIAN STATE 3.1 Introduction In the previous parts the discussions on the theoretical framework of the securitisation theory as it applies to Islam and Muslims, and the international perspectives of governmentality of Muslims as well regional categorizations as the illustrations of governmentality have presented. In the subsequent sections discussions turn to the securitisation of Islam, and governmentality of Muslims in the Ethiopian state by thoroughly examining the existing challenges for the attainment of Muslim rights despite the changes in the political and social structure, and the disquieting narratives of the ‘global war on terror’ by zooming its impacts to…show more content…
To a great extent confined in the northern highlands, and bit by bit creating xenophobic states of mind toward the outside world, Ethiopia was a nation shrouded with legends, making ways ready for expanded interest among its European co-religionists—who made vivid accounts of the Prester John, a mysterious Christian kingdom in Africa (Beckingham & Hamilton, 1996). Like Christianity, Islam made an unexpected arrival in Ethiopia in 615 with the first Islamic hijira sometime called Axumitehijra. Constituting a place of refuge for the persecuted early Muslim believers, the event was essential for building strong relations between Ethiopia and the rising Islamic religion. The Prophet 's gratitude was communicated in the expression; "leave the Abyssinians alone, as long as they do not take offensive," and Ethiopia was therefore perceived as a sovereign state, regarded and excluded from military campaigns (Carmichael, 1996). While Christians and Muslims in Ethiopia originally remained relatively standing apart from each other—with the Christian kingdom restricted toward the northern highlands and Islam venturing into the south-eastern parts of today 's Ethiopia—contact expanded in the thirteenth century with a gradually conflictual patterns. The hostile relationship peaked in 1529 with the conquest of Imam Ahmed
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