Unrest in Ethiopia spreads to provincial cities

Africa News
Unrest in Ethiopia spreads to provincial citiesNov 4, 2005, 20:29 GMT

Addis Ababa - Thousands of students took to the streets in several Ethiopia cities Friday to protest the death of close to 40 people and the arrest of some 3,000 others in violent street clashes in the capital Addis Ababa since Tuesday. The demonstrations were reported to have spread to Bahir Dar and Gondar in northwestern Ethiopia, Alemaya and Dire Dawa in the east, Awassa and Jimma in the south, and Dessie in the centre of the country. Thousands of university and secondary school students protested over the government's crackdown on demonstrators in Addis Ababa in recent days. Carrying placards and chanting slogans, the demonstrators also called for the release of the leaders of the main opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) party and up to a hundred of CUD supporters reportedly arrested in Addis Ababa. Police fired into the air and used force to break up the demonstrations. It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties in the protests. The Ministry of Information issued a statement Friday afternoon, claiming the demonstrations in the provinces had been 'very limited' and were brought under control 'after a short while, with the support of the public'. Meanwhile, schools, shops and businesses were closed Friday in Addis Ababa for the fourth consecutive day. Few taxis and private vehicles were seen on the streets, while the city bus service restored partial services. The information ministry said that the situation in the capital has also been fully settled' and that it would 'reinforce' its efforts to 'solve the problem once and for all. Yet, witnesses said sporadic gunfire could be heard across Addis Ababa on Friday as riot police and soldiers chased youths who threw stones at the buses in an attempt to disrupt the service. The bus service said that over 100 of its fleet was put out of action during the previous three days, of which three were set on fire and completed gutted, according to reports in the government press. Witnesses said about a dozen demonstrators had been wounded and many more arrested in the capital on Friday. InInformed sources put at close to 3,000 the numbers arrested so far as security forces conduct house-to-house raids to round up people suspected of fomenting unrest. The clashes began Tuesday when CUD supporters protested over the results of May general elections won by the ruling EPRDF party of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and which the opposition claim were fraudulent. Ethiopia's donor countries have condemned the loss of life in Addis Ababa and called on the government and the CUD to show restraint. The U.S. State Department urged the opposition not to provoke violence, which it said does not advance democracy. © dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur';

Addis Ababa - Thousands of students took to the streets in several Ethiopia cities Friday to protest the death of close to 40 people and the arrest of some 3,000 others in violent street clashes in the capital Addis Ababa since Tuesday.
The demonstrations were reported to have spread to Bahir Dar and Gondar in northwestern Ethiopia, Alemaya and Dire Dawa in the east, Awassa and Jimma in the south, and Dessie in the centre of the country.
Thousands of university and secondary school students protested over the government's crackdown on demonstrators in Addis Ababa in recent days.
Carrying placards and chanting slogans, the demonstrators also called for the release of the leaders of the main opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) party and up to a hundred of CUD supporters reportedly arrested in Addis Ababa.
Police fired into the air and used force to break up the demonstrations. It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties in the protests.
The Ministry of Information issued a statement Friday afternoon, claiming the demonstrations in the provinces had been 'very limited' and were brought under control 'after a short while, with the support of the public'.
Meanwhile, schools, shops and businesses were closed Friday in Addis Ababa for the fourth consecutive day. Few taxis and private vehicles were seen on the streets, while the city bus service restored partial services.
The information ministry said that the situation in the capital 'has also been fully settled' and that it would 'reinforce' its efforts to 'solve the problem once and for all'.
Yet, witnesses said sporadic gunfire could be heard across Addis Ababa on Friday as riot police and soldiers chased youths who threw stones at the buses in an attempt to disrupt the service.
The bus service said that over 100 of its fleet was put out of action during the previous three days, of which three were set on fire and completed gutted, according to reports in the government press.
Witnesses said about a dozen demonstrators had been wounded and many more arrested in the capital on Friday.
Informed sources put at close to 3,000 the numbers arrested so far as security forces conduct house-to-house raids to round up people suspected of fomenting unrest.
The clashes began Tuesday when CUD supporters protested over the results of May general elections won by the ruling EPRDF party of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and which the opposition claim were fraudulent.
Ethiopia's donor countries have condemned the loss of life in Addis Ababa and called on the government and the CUD to show restraint. The U.S. State Department urged the opposition not to provoke violence, which it said does not advance democracy.
© dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Addis Ababa - Thousands of students took to the streets in several Ethiopia cities Friday to protest the death of close to 40 people and the arrest of some 3,000 others in violent street clashes in the capital Addis Ababa since Tuesday.
The demonstrations were reported to have spread to Bahir Dar and Gondar in northwestern Ethiopia, Alemaya and Dire Dawa in the east, Awassa and Jimma in the south, and Dessie in the centre of the country.
Thousands of university and secondary school students protested over the government's crackdown on demonstrators in Addis Ababa in recent days.
Carrying placards and chanting slogans, the demonstrators also called for the release of the leaders of the main opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) party and up to a hundred of CUD supporters reportedly arrested in Addis Ababa.
Police fired into the air and used force to break up the demonstrations. It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties in the protests.
The Ministry of Information issued a statement Friday afternoon, claiming the demonstrations in the provinces had been 'very limited' and were brought under control 'after a short while, with the support of the public'.
Meanwhile, schools, shops and businesses were closed Friday in Addis Ababa for the fourth consecutive day. Few taxis and private vehicles were seen on the streets, while the city bus service restored partial services.
The information ministry said that the situation in the capital 'has also been fully settled' and that it would 'reinforce' its efforts to 'solve the problem once and for all'.
Yet, witnesses said sporadic gunfire could be heard across Addis Ababa on Friday as riot police and soldiers chased youths who threw stones at the buses in an attempt to disrupt the service.
The bus service said that over 100 of its fleet was put out of action during the previous three days, of which three were set on fire and completed gutted, according to reports in the government press.
Witnesses said about a dozen demonstrators had been wounded and many more arrested in the capital on Friday.
Informed sources put at close to 3,000 the numbers arrested so far as security forces conduct house-to-house raids to round up people suspected of fomenting unrest.
The clashes began Tuesday when CUD supporters protested over the results of May general elections won by the ruling EPRDF party of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and which the opposition claim were fraudulent.
Ethiopia's donor countries have condemned the loss of life in Addis Ababa and called on the government and the CUD to show restraint. The U.S. State Department urged the opposition not to provoke violence, which it said does not advance democracy.
© dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur
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