Ethiopia denies Amnesty report of mass Oromo detentions
Feb 1, 2006 (ADDIS ABABA) — The Ethiopian government on Wednesday flatly denied an Amnesty International report that it has detained thousands of members of the country’s Oromo ethnic group in a crackdown on dissent.
Ethiopia’s information ministry said the report by the London-based human rights watchdog was “misinforming” and “incredible,” but allowed that some 86 students, including Oromos who live in the southern Oromia region, had been detained.
“The news disseminated by Amnesty International … that thousands of students are detained in Ethiopia is misinforming and incredible,” it said in a statement.
“However, about 86 student suspects who were arrested for throwing bombs at schools, breaking school properties and disrupting the teaching-learning process are charged at pertinent courts and are awaiting the ruling of the courts,” it said.
Verdicts will “be announced after probing into the cases in compliance with the laws of our country,” the statement said.
On Tuesday, Amnesty said that thousands of Oromos had been detained in a round-up of alleged Ethiopian dissidents that began in November after an explosion of political violence in the capital during protests over disputed May elections.
Amnesty said the round-up of Oromos began on November 9 about a week after opposition protests against alleged government fraud in May 15 polls turned lethally violent in the capital and then spread to other towns.
It said many of the Oromo detainees were being held incommunicado without charge and were at risk of torture having been accused of being members of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) rebel group, which had called for protests.
Ethiopian authorities have detained a large number of opposition leaders, members and suspected sympathizers in a crackdown that began after the November unrest, the second explosion of deadly election-related violence.
In June and November, at least 84 people were killed during skirmishes when police opened fire on crowds during demonstrations against alleged fraud in the May 15 polls.
A group of 131 prominent government foes, independent journalists and aid workers, including nearly the entire leadership of the main opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) and five broadcasters with the US-funded Voice of America, now face treason and other serious charges.
The crackdown on the opposition has raised concerns about the state of democracy in Ethiopia and prompted several donor nations to suspend or reprogram direct aid aid to the government.
(ST)