Ethiopia acknowledges death of 193 civilians in last year unrest

Oct 27, 2006 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia acknowledged that security forces killed 193 civilians protesting election fraud last year, but insisted they did not use excessive force.

The figure _ three times an earlier official toll _ had been revealed last week by a senior judge appointed to investigate the violence who had accused the government of trying to cover up the findings.

The judge, Wolde-Michael Meshesha, a vice chairman of the inquiry board, fled Ethiopia last month. Two other team members, including the former chairman, have also fled Ethiopia fearing for their safety, Wolde-Michael said. In early July, shortly before completing the original report, the team held a vote and ruled eight to two that excessive force had been used. The vote and comments of the commission members were recorded on video, a copy of which was obtained by the AP.

“Unarmed protesters were shot, beaten and strangled to death,” Wolde-Michael told The Associated Press on Thursday. “If that is not excessive force I do not know what is. The reason I and others left the country was because we would not change our original findings.”

Mekonnen Disasa, the newly appointed head of the inquiry board, was one of two members on the video who supported the government’s actions and was the only member to appear before reporters Thursday to present its findings. He refused to take questions after his presentation, during which he said security forces used reasonable force to quell post election disturbances.

The new report did, however, say some human rights violations were made but did not elaborate on what those violations were.

It also stated 30,000 people were arrested during the protesters.

Six policemen were also killed, according to the 10-page report, bringing the overall death toll to 199 _ three times the official death toll of 66.

“The measures that were taken by the security forces for stopping the violence that occurred was legal and essential on the basis of defending the new system of government, as well protecting the country from endless violence,” said the official report into the June and November 2005 killings.

The prime minister and other officials said at the time demonstrators were trying to overthrow the government.

Wolde-Michael had said the inquiry team came under intense pressure once the ruling party learned of its findings. Their offices were surrounded by security forces and the electricity was cut, he said. The team was summoned by the prime minister and told to reverse its findings, Wolde-Michael said.

The unrest followed May 2005 parliamentary elections that gave Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front control of nearly two-thirds of parliament. Opposition parties said the election was rigged.

U.S. and European election observers said the vote had been marred by irregularities.

Since the vote, more than 100 opposition leaders, journalists and aid workers were charged with treason and attempted genocide in connection with the postelection violence.

(AP)