15 killed in Ethiopia’s sectarain violence

Oct 15, 2006 (ADDIS ABABA) — Five people in western Ethiopia were killed over the weekend in violence between Christians and Muslims, bringing the total killed in sectarian clashes there to 15 in the past month.

“Five more people were killed in Jimma during the weekend in religious violence,” Federal Police spokesman Demsashe Hailu said.

“The crisis was touched off by few individuals who were attempting to create discord between the people of Jimma by using religion for their cheap political ends,” he said without elaborating.

Ten people were killed and more injured in a four-day spasm of Christian-Muslim violence that started in Jimma on Sept. 15. More than 800 homes and three religious centres were destroyed.

Police had arrested several suspects who were being interrogated, and others believed behind the violence were being hunted, Demsashe said.

(Reuters)