Ethiopia: Riot police open fire
2005-11-02 09:54
Addis Ababa - Riot police fired at protesters for a second day in Ethiopia's capital on Wednesday, a day after eight people were killed and 43 wounded in renewed protests against disputed elections, human rights officials said.
Clashes broke out early on Wednesday when police took action to disperse stone-throwing opposition supporters.
The clashes began after sporadic bursts of gunfire in parts of Addis Ababa late on Tuesday and early Wednesday, hours after security officials arrested leaders and activists of the main opposition party.
The pro-government Walta Information Centre said the opposition leaders were detained for allegedly orchestrating, co-ordinating and leading violence.
Newspapers also in trouble
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has accused the opposition of treason and committing "serious" crimes in the run-up to the May 15 elections.
"Protesters were throwing stones at the riot police and the riot police are shooting. We do not know whether there are casualties yet, but the problems are continuing," said Adam Melaku, head of the independent Ethiopia Human Rights Council.
Eyewitnesses said security officials were rounding up young people in various parts of the city.
Some publishers and editors of private newspapers accused of publishing "baseless" reports and propaganda could also be sued, the Information Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said those killed on Tuesday were six civilians and two policemen.
Tuesday's clashes erupted a day after police arrested and revoked the licenses of 30 taxi drivers who took part in demonstrations against the parliamentary elections, which opposition parties claim were rigged by Zenawi's ruling party.
Final results gave Meles' Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front control of 60% of the parliament. Opposition parties made strong gains in the polls but say the vote and counting were flawed by fraud, intimidation and violence.
Most of the dead were shot in the chest, according to doctors at the Black Lion Hospital, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of fears of retribution.
Opposition spokesperson Gizachew Shiferaw urged supporters to stay calm and accused police of using excessive force.
"To blame us for this violence is madness. The trouble was incited by the government simply because people were supporting us by hooting their car horns. The measures that the police took ... were excessive," he said.
Opposition parties have claimed that hundreds of their supporters and members have been arrested in the past two months. At least 42 people were killed by police during protests in June, according to human rights groups.
- AP