Ethiopia's Meles rejects abuse accusations

Ethiopia's Meles rejects abuse accusations

01 Feb 2006 16:16:42 GMTSource: Reuters
(Recasts with Ethiopian PM interview with Reuters)
By Bryson Hull and Kate Holton
ADDIS ABABA/LONDON, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on Wednesday said rights groups' allegations of widespread abuse of political opponents had no basis in fact and were the result of "sloppy" reporting.
London-based Amnesty International said earlier in the day that Ethiopia had arrested thousands of students from the Oromo ethnic group in a crackdown following anti-government demonstrations since November over a disputed election.
The whereabouts of many of the detainees were not known, the group said. "Some detainees have been released, but others are being held in locations where torture has frequently been reported," Amnesty added in an urgent appeal.
But Meles, in an interview with Reuters, scoffed at the Amnesty report as based on second-hand, biased information.
"You know the way they do it, as I understand, is they collect information from interested parties and then they represent this as fact," he said.
"They say there are allegations of this or that. But people forget these are allegations and assume that they are facts."
Amnesty said those detained had reportedly been accused of links with the Oromo Liberation Front, an opposition group fighting for independence in the southwestern region, although none has yet been charged.
Ethiopia's Information Ministry also ridiculed the Amnesty report, saying 86 students had been arrested "in compliance with the laws of our country" for throwing bombs, breaking property and disrupting classes.
"The news disseminated by Amnesty International that thousands of students are detained in Ethiopia is misinforming and incredible," the ministry added in a statement.
Amnesty's appeal followed a report in January by Human Rights Watch accusing Ethiopia of "terrorising" rural populations with beatings, detentions and some killings of people suspected to be political opponents.
"DISTORTED IMAGE"
"It's not a fair criticism," Meles said of the reports. "It's this type of sloppy reporting and, coupled with that, the vilification of the government by supporters of the opposition involved in the street action, that has distorted the image of Ethiopia."
The rights reports have added to growing Western pressure on Meles, a former rebel who took power in 1991 after helping overthrow dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam. He won a third five-year term in polls last year.
Once hailed by former U.S. President Bill Clinton as "part of a new generation of leaders" for Africa and a key member of British Prime Minister Tony Blair's Africa Commission in 2005, Meles' democratic credentials have suffered in the last year.
Ethiopia's opposition said a May 2005 vote was fraudulent even though it made gains.
Two bouts of poll-related unrest in June and November led to crackdowns which, according to Human Rights Watch, left more than 76 protesters and seven policemen dead in Addis Ababa.
And thousands of people have been jailed, with opposition figures on trial for charges including planning genocide.
(Additional reporting by Andrew Cawthorne)

Ethiopia's Meles rejects abuse accusations (4 minutes ago)Source: Reuters