Ethiopia's religious divides flare up in violence

By Aaron Maasho

ASENDABO, Ethiopia (Reuters) - The hollow chants of "Allahu Akbar!" reverberating from a distance seemed innocuous at first for Abera Gutema, who ventured home quietly from his shop just a short distance away.

Moments later, a large, angry mob of machete-wielding Muslim youths descended on his family's dwelling and chased him out, before burning and looting his property.

Abera, a Christian, escaped through a back door, clutching his infant son Eyoel in one hand.

By the time the smoke cleared, all that remained of his hard-earned belongings had been reduced to rubble, not to mention the theft of 100,000 birr -- his lifetime savings.

"They were our friends, our neighbours with whom we shared everything," said Abera, his eyes watering with tears.

"I never thought that this day would ever come."

Such attacks are extremely uncommon in Ethiopia which, according to official figures is about 60 percent Christian and 30 percent Muslim, with smaller faiths making up the remainder.

Churches and mosques sprawl together and, with a history of intermarriage, many Ethiopians boast about a long period of religious tolerance.