Ethiopian poll protests spread

2005-06-08 11:14

Addis Ababa - Taxi drivers in Ethiopia's capital went on strike on Wednesday as protests spread over what the opposition says was widespread rigging of last month's elections.

The strike — organised by people who distributed handwritten notes and cellphone text messages — occurred after two days of violent protests by university students in which one girl was killed, dozens of people were injured and hundreds were arrested.

The main opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), said it was not behind the strike. "We have been calling on people not to do this. We are concerned about what could happen to anyone who is challenging the ruling party because of the attacks on students," said vice-chairperson Berhanu Nega.

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi banned protests in Addis Ababa immediately after the May 15 legislative election, a prohibition that had been widely obeyed. Meles' party won a majority of seats in the election, according to official results.

Anger reaches boiling point

But the opposition's frustration with a poll they say was marred by fraud has grown in the weeks since. Anger among students boiled over on Monday, leading to clashes with police.

Students throwing stones and police swinging clubs clashed for a second day in Ethiopia's capital on Tuesday as authorities struggled to control anger over the disputed election results.

At a technical college — the epicentre of Tuesday's violence — police dragged bloody students from buildings, prompting construction workers and passers-by to join the melee. At least one student was shot and hospitalised in critical condition with a stomach wound.

Taxi drivers joined the protest on Wednesday, a move that forced thousands to make their way to work on foot in the sprawling capital that is home to four million people.

The elections had been seen as a test of Meles's commitment to reform his sometimes authoritarian regime. Before questions surfaced about the count, EU observers had called the campaign and voting "the most genuinely competitive elections the country has experienced", despite some human rights violations.

Opposition and ruling parties have alleged gunmen intimidated voters, people were forced to vote for certain parties, ballot boxes were stuffed or disappeared, and the number of ballots in some constituencies exceeded the number of registered voters.

- AP