Twenty dead in political unrest in Ethiopia

Ethiopian security forces opened fire today on stone-throwing protesters in the central business district, leaving at least 20 people dead, the independent Ethiopian Human Rights Council said.

An Associated Press reporter saw 11 bodies in a room in the capital’s main hospital, at least four with gunshot wounds to the head, and was told they were only some of the casualties from a third day of protests in the capital over election results.

Abebe Terfe, executive secretary of the Ethiopian Human Rights Council, said 20 people were killed in the clashes in the capital, Addis Ababa.

Victims were being taken to hospitals around the capital and the death toll was expected to increase, Western diplomats said.

The protests have erupted despite Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s move to ban demonstrations immediately after the May 15 legislative election.

Meles’ party won a majority of seats in the election, according to official results. Opposition parties say there was widespread fraud and intimidation, charges the ruling party denies.

Today’s shooting began after the army’s special forces troops arrived at the central business district where protesters were throwing stones.

One of the injured, who refused to give his name because of fear of retribution, said the army fired on fleeing people. He said he was caught up in the protests, and was not taking part in it.

The Addis Ababa city police also shot at protesters, said another person lying on a hospital trolley after emergency treatment.

“The police were running at the crowd, firing shots. I got shot in my leg,” said the 22-year-old daily labourer who identified himself by one name, Getu. “I was just trying to get home to avoid the trouble.”

Gunfire was heard during the protest, but it was unclear whether security forces were firing rubber bullets, tear gas or live ammunition. Dozens of people were wounded in Wednesday’s melee with gunshots to the chest, legs, arms and back. Most of the victims were young men.

Nearly an hour after the shooting, ambulances and private vehicles continued to bring the wounded to the city’s main Black Lion Hospital. Several hundred people gathered there, some wailing, crying and shouting. Doctors said they were treating more than 100 people, many with serious injuries.

Taxi drivers and shop owners in the Ethiopian capital had gone on strike today, after earlier protests that mainly involved students.

The city government had threatened to revoke licences from taxi drivers if they did not remove opposition symbols and posters from their vehicles during the election campaign.

The strikes – organised by people who distributed hand-written notes and text messages transmitted by cell phones – occurred after two days of violent protests by university students in which one was killed, hundreds were arrested and dozens injured.

The main opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy, said it was not behind the strike.

“We have been calling on people not to do this. We are concerned about what could happen to anyone who is challenging the ruling party because of the attacks on students,” said Vice Chairman Berhanu Nega.

The elections had been seen as a test of Meles’s commitment to reform his sometimes authoritarian regime. Before questions surfaced about the count, EU observers had called the campaign and voting “the most genuinely competitive elections the country has experienced,” despite some human rights violations.

Opposition and ruling parties have alleged that gunmen intimidated voters, people were forced to vote for certain parties, ballot boxes were stuffed or disappeared, and the number of ballots in some constituencies exceeded the number of registered voters.