Editor's Column on the Eye of the Horn of African Affairs

HAN Note: IGAD Breaking News (HAN) November 7th, 2005.

Somaliland

Ethiopia

Eritrea

Djibouti

Kenya

Somalia

Sudan

Uganda

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Ethiopian Prime Minister Regrets Excessive Force

Djibouti (HAN) November 7, 2005 - The Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa is peaceful, although buses are scarce, taxis almost non-existent, and about half of the capital's businesses were closed on the first working day of the new week. The residents are performing various social activities and attended religious services owing to the foiled attempt of the violence instigated by the supporters of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD). The Anti EPRDF government protest have spread to other parts of Ethiopia after several days of deadly clashes between police and demonstrators in the capital, Addis Ababa.

To promote Ethiopian reconciliation process, the European Union and US Ambassadors urge the re-opening of political dialogue designed to foster peace and to build a strong democratic nation, based on a commitment to the rule of law and democratic principles.

 The Ambassadors of the United States and the European Union to Ethiopia have urged the government to immediately stop using lethal force against civilians. In a press conference they called today, U.S. Ambassador Vicki Huddleston, Ambassador Brigitte Öppinger Walchshofer of Austria, Ambassador Bob Gewar of United Kingdom, and Ambassador Tim Clarke, Head of the EU Delegation, also said that random searches, indiscriminate beatings and massive arrests should be stopped.

The ambassadors also urged the government to release all political detainees and lift restrictions imposed on members and leaders of the CUD. The Amhara State mass media agency said police has been arresting street violence instigators and calm has been restored in towns where riot and violence were surfaced on Friday.

In a press conference he gave for the State’s mass media agency, Amhara State Police Commissioner, Yosef Abere said various offender organized under groups were arrested in Dessie, Bahir Dar and Gondar towns.

Ethiopia's Prime Minister has said he regrets the death of at least 46 people in a week of bloody clashes, but insisted that police were not facing a "normal situation" as they clashed with demonstrators. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi was attending a conference titled "Partnership with Africa," convened by German President Horst Koehler - a former head of the International Monetary Fund. 

The Ethiopian PM, Meles spoke a day after announcing that an independent commission would investigate whether police used excessive force to quell last week's violence and similar protests in June. 

"We regret the deaths but it was not a normal demonstration," Meles said. "And I don't want to justify it when policemen get in a panic, but I can understand it when there are people throwing hand grenades and using guns." 

HAN Note: "Most of the Ethiopian News stories you read on the Geeskaafrika.com come from HAN, freelance journalist, HAN reporters, Newspapers, Official News Agencies and Internal reliable sources all over the Horn of African States. We aggregate and distribute the reporting of IGAD newswires. Our aim is to reflect the diversity of reporting, analysis and commentary from as many as possible of the influential media in every IGAD zone."

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HAN Bulletin is your independent, online intelligence resource edited and published by the regional political historian, veteran newsman and founder of www.geeskaafrika.com (Geeska Afrika Online 1985). Each week he taps his vast network of international intelligence sources to bring you credible insights into geo-political and geo-strategic developments for the Horn of Africa.  Contact at nurkafi@geeskaafrika.com (Managing Editor/Publisher)