Donors urge Ethiopia to release opposition leaders

April 25, 2006 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia’s main donors renewed calls for the release of jailed opposition figures whose trial for allegedly conspiring to overthrow the government after disputed elections last year resumes next week.

The group of 23 nations and multilateral lenders called on the government and the main opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) to resolve a post-poll political deadlock that led to deadly violence.

“We urge reconciliation and dialogue among all those engaged in the democratic process,” the Ambassadors’ Donors Group said in a statement released in Addis Ababa late on Monday.

“We continue to advocate for the release of imprisoned CUD leaders and representatives of the media and civil society,” it said. “All elected leaders should be given a chance to take part in the political reconciliation process.”

“For those not released, we call for a speedy, fair and transparent trial,” it said.

The statement was released as trials for 111 opposition figures, including nearly the entire CUD leadership, journalists and civil society members is set to re-open on May 2.

The group has been jailed since November after a second round of deadly violence rocked the capital and other cities during protests over disputed May 15, 2005 elections which the opposition claims were rigged.

All are accused of conspiracy to foment a coup and some face charges that could draw the death penalty on conviction.

The ADG comprises Austria, Britain, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, Turkey, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United States, the African Development Bank, the European Commission, the UN Development Programme and the World Bank.

(ST)