Eritrea slams Ethiopia for “bloody suppression” of political unrest
Nov 12, 2005 (NAIROBI) — Eritrea has condemned neighbouring Ethiopia for “bloody suppression and atrocities” during a recent crackdown on unrest which left more than 40 dead and stirred fears of instability in the region’s dominant power.
A statement from Eritrea’s Information Ministry also lambasted Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi for “farcical” recent elections where he won another five-year term.
Both ruled by ex-rebel movements, the Horn of Africa nations have long had tense relations which burst into open antagonism during a 1998-2000 border war during which 70,000 people died.
Recent military manoeuvres on both sides of the unmarked 1,000-km (620-mile) frontier have raised fears of a repeat.
In a statement sure to sting Meles, Eritrea said his government was to blame for fanning tensions that led to the recent bloody confrontations in Addis Ababa between police and crowds protesting against a May poll the opposition says was fraudulent.
“The recent elections had only been a farcical drama acted by the TPLF regime for gaining more time,” said the editorial on the Information Ministry’s Web site, referring to Meles’ former rebel movement the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front.
“So we don’t find it strange in the ethical code of the regime the acts of stealing, perjury and falsification of the people’s will and attempting to silence the peaceful opposition by the barrels of the guns.”
MORE THAN 40 DEAD
The deaths of more than 40 people were only the latest act of killing by the government, Eritrea charged.
“Ethiopia is witnessing for the first time in its history a state of unrest and racist turmoil which left behind in its aftermath destruction and devastation and above all big numbers of youth falling dead as a result of the bloody suppression and atrocities committed by the TPLF regime,” it said.
Meles has said the recent violence in his country was a misguided attempt at a Ukrainian-style Orange Revolution and its leaders would be charged with treason.
He accuses the opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy of inciting insurrection. The government denies ballot fraud.
The killings earlier this month followed the deaths of 36 people in June in similar protests over the election.
“The TPLF regime is passing these days through critical times accompanied by state of turmoil and unrest shaking it to its very foundations,” said the Eritrean statement, dated on Friday and published on the official Web site www.shabait.com.
“This ramshackle regime has been pampered by its masters … accordingly it has been opening the doors of accepting assistance in relief aid in millions of dollars in the background of its pseudo elections,” it added, referring to foreign donor aid for Ethiopia’s hungry.
(Reuters)