Ethiopian gov’t refutes tabloids’ reports
ADDIS ABABA, July 13, 2005 (Xinhua) — Ethiopia’s Ministry of Justice on Wednesday refuted reports by two private tabloids, which say the ministry was to sue nine members of opposition party and seven students of Addis Ababa University.
The reports, published Saturday and Sunday by “Nation” and ” Satenaw” (both Amharic), said charges were to be filed against the opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) members and university students. However, the ministry say they don’t know anything about the charges the forenamed tabloids stated.
Abdurehim Amhed, senior official with the ministry, told press that the reports that said the charge files had been approved by the ministry and transferred to the prosecutors were baseless and lies.
The counts, which the newspapers reported, were contained in the charge files include “attempts to dismantle the constitutional system through violence, involvements in violence and havoc, creating fear among the public by fomenting hearsay,” among others, the official said.
These orchestrated reports, are essentially unethical, potentially dangerous to trigger violence and subject to legal action, Abdurehim said.
On June 8, police and security forces in the capital opened fire on stone-throwing crowds who were looting shops, robbing banks, attacking police and trying to free detainees in custody. At least 36 people were killed and thousands were detained after the deadly violence.
The ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front ( EPRDF) blamed CUD for inciting the worst violence seen in the capital in four years. However, CUD, the largest opposition party denied it were behind the protests and ensuing violence.
The opposition party has accused Prime Minister Meles Zenawi- led EPRDF party of massive electoral fraud. The ruling party retains control of parliament according to official election results that have not yet been ratified.
The two private newspapers were accused of standing side by side with the opposition party.