Ethiopia inquiry finds 199 died in post-poll violence

By Andrew CawthorneReuters
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - An inquiry set up by Ethiopia's parliament into two bouts of 2005 post-election violence found 193 civilians and six policemen died, according to a copy of the report seen by Reuters on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's government had given a much lower number -- around 58 -- while independent media had estimated some 84 fatalities based on witnesses and hospitals.

The inquiry, which was set up by parliament after the June and November waves of violence in Addis Ababa and elsewhere, said Ethiopian security forces did not use excessive force although some errors were committed and rights infringed.
"The commission observed that although it has seen weaknesses and mistakes on the government side, it believed that the rioting was because the process of democratization has not been instilled in the people's mind," said the 10-page report.
"The steps taken by the security forces were to avoid large-scale violence and to protect the constitution. Because of this, the commission believes that the steps taken were not excessive."
The report, written in the local Amharic language, was due to be released to the public on Thursday.
An earlier version leaked to media by the inquiry's previous deputy commission head -- who left for Europe -- said police carried out a "massacre," shooting, beating and strangling people. It gave the same death toll.
TONED DOWN?
The eight-member commission's report seen on Wednesday said 30,000 people were detained over the unrest, while 75 police officers and 763 civilians were injured, most of the latter from bullet wounds, during "huge rioting."
The violence tarnished the reputation of former guerrilla leader Meles in the West. Meles had been hailed as part of a "new generation" of progressive African leaders when he helped topple a former dictator and took power in 1991.
But since last year, he has been under increasing pressure over allegations of rights abuses and autocratic rule.
Meles told Reuters this week that he regretted the violence, but blamed it squarely on opportunist rioters and an opposition conspiracy to topple him by violence.
Opposition politicians say police opened fire on peaceful protests against fraud and irregularities in the May 2005 poll.
"The fact that the violence took place and people died is a source of deep anguish for me," Meles said late on Tuesday. "The fact that some people have misunderstood the nature of the problem and misinterpreted it, is a source of regret to me."
One opposition leader, who also saw the inquiry report on Wednesday, said he believed the government had leaned on commission members to tone down an initial version which was worded like that leaked by exiled judge Wolde-Michael Meshesha.
"The commission was not independent. The revised version has been made very friendly to the government," Merera Gudina, vice-chairman of the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF), told Reuters.
The inquiry report said property damage in Addis Ababa totaled 4.45 billion Ethiopian birr ($509 million), including 190 damaged buses and 44 cars, as security forces tackled rioters who had blocked roads with rocks and burning tires.
($1=8.747 Ethiopian Birr)