Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Addis Ababa (Fides Service)- “Unfortunately there is little space for dialogue and the situation precipitated into violence” said local sources in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia where at least 40 people were killed and hundreds injured in clashes between pro-Opposition demonstrators and the police. The security forces made several arrests.
“At present all is calm but tension is still high. Fearing more violence shops in the capital are still closed” the sources said. There have been reports of clashes in various parts of Ethiopia with four dead and 11 injured in Bahir Dar, a city about 400 km north west of Addis Ababa, where police clashed with demonstrators calling for the release of opposition members arrested in the past few days. Security forces successfully prevented the mob from setting fire to a bus full of tourists.
“These incidents happened in spite of international community efforts to foster dialogue between the government and the opposition. The Opposition rejected the results of elections held in May this year on the grounds of fraud” the sources say. “The international community said on the whole the vote was regular although minor incidents in some parts of the country were reported. The United States and the European Union countries are committed to convincing the opposition parties to present themselves in parliament and to carry on their struggle with peaceful and democratic means. It should be noted that while in the previous legislation the opposition had 12 seats in the new one it obtained 200”.
The new parliament took office on 10 October but despite pressure from the international community the opposition MPs did not take their seats and the government announced that this means they will forego parliamentary immunity.
“The opposition decided to continue its street protests announcing a series of demonstrations starting November 3, the last day of Ramadan. However the demonstrators took to the streets before that date and clashed with the police” the local sources recalled. “Seeing these opposition moves as an attempt to overthrow constitutional order with non democratic and violent means, the government reacted very firmly. Unfortunately people were killed and now it is necessary to restore calm and make sure violence does not prevail” the sources concluded. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 7/11/2005 righe 37 parole 437)
