Read the letter from the Dean of Students on the suspension of the three students.

Mekelle University has suspended three of its Muslim students Negash has reported . The students are suspended as they were found performing religious ceremony "(haymanotawi sir`at)", the letter claims . Read the letter from the Dean of Students on the suspension of the three students. Even though the letter dosn`t mention the specific action with which the student were found guilty of, Negashi eloborates that it was either posssing or reading/listening the Quran, islamic holy scripture, "The three were found guilty of possessing and reading of the Holy Quran. Effort by the university Muslim community to negotiate with the authorities and persuade them to recall the unjust measure has so far failed." In the first place, is reading of holy scriptures an act of religious ceremony? Some might give an affirmative answer to this question, however, it is undeniable fact that a reader is not necessarily a follower of the scripture.Let alone in a university where reading is the driving engine, in ordinary daily life there are many non-Muslims who do read the Quran, as there are many non Christians read do the same with the bible . Some might read out of curiosity, others to understand it, while some might read as it is part of their study(comparative religion..) Even if it is religious ceremony, is it something one feel guilty of? As the letter says it is religious ceremony "(haymanotawi sir`at)" and not religious activity "(haymanotawi inqisiqase)".While it might be understandable to restrain from religious activities , it is quite ideal and unconstitutional locally and globally to talk about criminalizing religious ceremonies. religious ceremonies by nature are personal activities with pre-defined patterns. When one goes to sleep, wake up or get around the table for food it has its own way of ceremony and it has never been a problem and would not be a problem to any rational person to go against it. When one talks about religious ceremony , we are talking about such simple basic , fundamental activities that one needs to protect his/her value and culture. The person should not lose such a fundamental , basic freedom which is confirmed by the constitution. This is an issue that Ethiopian should unite against irrespective of their religious or political affiliation. Reading the Quran should not be a crime , so is reading the bible or any kind of scripture or book. Tolerance can not ensured by making the whole community atheist, nor through anti-religion system. Tolerance can be achieved once there is a mutual understanding and respect among the followers of different religions so that they help each other and don`t make the university a stage of show-off .