Ethiopia restricts social media amid Orthodox church row
The church is allegedly sustaining a system of linguistic and cultural hegemony in which Oromian congregations are not served in their native tongues, according to the dissident clergy. The church disputes the charge.
Boakyewaa Lawrencia 
Due to escalating tensions between the government and the Orthodox church, Ethiopians have limited access to social media and messaging services.
Facebook, Messenger, Telegram, and TikTok were among the services that were subject to the limitations, according to Netblocks, a group that tracks internet access rights.
This comes after the synod, the church's governing body, disregarded a curfew and declared it would still hold planned protest marches.
On Friday, schools were closed as a result of a government order.
The government is accused of supporting a breakaway movement in the Oromia region by the Orthodox Church, the largest religious organization in the nation.
The church is allegedly sustaining a system of linguistic and cultural hegemony in which Oromian congregations are not served in their native tongues, according to the dissident clergy. The church disputes the charge.
Both parties have vowed to go ahead with planned protests in Addis Abeba, the nation's capital.
Rights organizations have previously charged Ethiopia with restricting internet access.
