Ethiopian rock churches control shifts again

The Lalibela U.N. World Heritage Site goes back and forth in what could be a precursor of problems that lie ahead, in a rapidly changing world.

Dec 21, 2021

St. George Church, hewn from rock in Lalibela, Ethiopia (BWO photo).

Does what’s happening in Lalibela portend more such developments around the world?

The World Heritage Site, situated at 8,200 feet in the north central Ethiopian mountains, is known for 11 churches carved out of rock around the year 1200. The city has yo-yoed again between two competing forces’ control, according to a BBC report, the Ethiopian government and Tigrayan freedom fighters.

BBC News (World) @BBCWorld

Ethiopian military regain control of historic town of Lalibela, a world heritage site, from Tigrayan rebels

Ethiopia war: World heritage site Lalibela back in government handsTigray forces have left Lalibela, a town famous for its rock-hewn churches.bbc.in

The rapid shifts in nominal governance of Lalibela are difficult to follow. (I traveled to Lalibela in 2019 and took photos with this post.) Read the following BBC story from eight days earlier, about the previous switch in control of Lalibela.

BBC News (World) @BBCWorld

Rebels from Ethiopia's northern Tigray region retake historic town of Lalibela, witnesses say

Ethiopia war: World heritage site Lalibela back in rebel handsTigray forces had left Lalibela 11 days ago as federal forces and their allies had been advancing.bbc.in

The two stories describe three swings in control of Lalibela during December. Fortunately, changes in political control seemed to have been without a lot of fighting, but accurate reporting out of Ethiopia is dangerous to produce.

Beyond civil war, the droughts, floods, heat, cold and famine caused by climate change will add to the world’s political powder keg. They will send refugees fleeing dangerous circumstances in hopes of finding a more stable living environment, to say nothing about survival. Scenes like these below are happening more often around the world:

MulindwaMoses @mulindwa_guy

The Eastern Africa Drought which has been going on for three years now has left millions of people & wildlife with no water, no food & no justice. It’s not only our duty but also moral obligation to fight for climate justice. Please take climate action NOW!

Climate Change World Media Newshub 24/7 @GNewshub

▶️Deaths and displacements as floods ravage Malaysia @trtworld

Deaths and displacements as floods ravage MalaysiaArmy and other security agencies have been mobilised across seven states, with the worst flooding in Selangor, the country’s wealthiest and most populous region.trtworld.com

R@BI@ $@JJ@D. @rabia6789

Flood in #ShahAlam, #Selangor due to 2 days of non-stop rain #malaysia #Daruratbanjir #shahalam #Malaysia , @rabia6789

It will only get worse, as the climate continues to change, though Ethiopia’s conflict goes much deeper than anything brought about by climate change. As many as 10 million people are in need of food aid in northern Ethiopia.

When we traveled in Ethiopia, restaurant meals were available, but simply buying food at a “store” was always a challenge. Most of it was for the local diet (this is to be expected), with little Western-style packaging like we had seen in 11 other Africa countries. Open farmers-type markets were where most people bought food, but selection was limited.

I queried our tour driver where he would go in Ethiopia to shop for food at a well-supplied, Western-style grocery store (like were common in the other countries).

“Khartoum,” he said, naming the capital of Sudan.

“How about Addis Ababa?” I asked, referring to Ethiopia’s capital. “I don’t know of any,” he said.