Three killed in new clashes in central Ethiopia

Nov 30, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — Two students and a police officer were killed yesterday following an abrupt demonstration of protest staged by students in Jeldu District, western Shewa zone (central Ethiopia), the district branch official of the opposition Oromo National Congress (ONC) party noted.

According to the Addis Ababa based The Reporter in its Amharic edition, the district police station on its part admitted the killing of the police officer but said it has not investigated the damage inflicted during the violence.

The representative of ONC said the violence was started after the Jeldu secondary school students demonstrated against the Oromo People’s Democratic Organization (OPDO), pro-ruling coalition.

The protest demonstration which started yesterday in the morning directly headed towards the district police station and the administration office. It was learnt that the demonstrators were chanting slogan which said: “The killers of the Ambo students should appear before court”.

The district administrator, Ajema Tolesa, said that the administration does not know the whereabouts of one police officer. He said the violence was serious. He admitted that the students were heading to the office of the administration chanting slogans, however, he said he did not hear the slogan properly. The administrator said the students destroyed residential houses and attacked a police officer.

A police officer of the district confirmed to the Reporter by telephone that one police officer was killed during the disturbances was very serious.

One police officer, who said that she was looking after prisoners, said that what the officers are doing now is to stabilize the situation. However, the police officer said that no one knows exactly the number of those killed or wounded during the incident.

(ST)