Opposition 'threatens security'
2005-06-11 18:21
Addis Ababa - Ethiopian authorities placed two opposition leaders under house arrest on Saturday, saying they were threatening the security of the state and were behind a week of protests that saw police fire on demonstrators, leaving 29 dead.
Information Minister Bereket Simon accused the main opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy of reneging on an agreement struck on Friday with the ruling party and another opposition coalition to work together to end protests.
The government has accused the opposition of engineering the protests by students and others angered that the ruling party has claimed victory in recent parliamentary election.
The opposition denies it orchestrated the protests, but has said the elections were flawed by fraud and violence.
After signing the peace agreement, the Coalition for Unity and Democracy accused the ruling party of continuing to arrest its supporters and said the deal was "not worth the paper it is written on".
The leader of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy Hailu Shawel and another senior official, Lidetu Ayalew, were placed under house arrest on Saturday.
Hailu's coalition is "once again showing us their commitment to violence and the government will not shy away from ensuring the peace and security of the country, that is why we have taken these steps," the information minister said.
Extremist groups
He said the coalition's "leadership is composed of extremist groups. One needs to take measures to ensure the peace and security of the country ...."
The minister had earlier rejected international condemnation of the government for the violence, saying the opposition bore responsibility for the unrest.
The streets of the capital, Addis Ababa, were quiet on Saturday. Taxi drivers continued their strike protesting the violence.
Tim Clarke, the European Commission chief in Ethiopia, who helped negotiate the agreement between the parties, was trying to help secure the opposition leaders' release.
Journalists who had gone to Hailu's house to check reports he was under house arrest were beaten by police using fists and clubs.
Diplomats who arrived later were searched under protest and at least one was pushed and shoved by soldiers.
"This is absolutely disgraceful," Clarke said of the behaviour of the soldiers. In a phone call to Information Minister Bereket from outside Hailu's home, Clarke could be heard saying diplomats had been assaulted.
Earlier Saturday, Ethiopia's royal family warned that the country is in "grave danger".
In a statement released by the grandson of Ethiopia's former Emperor Haile Selassie, they called on political parties to refrain from igniting ethnic hatred for political gain.
- AP