From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Thu May 13 2010 - 09:18:38 EDT
http://www.panapress.com/freenews.asp?code=eng046203&dte=13/05/2010
Embassies warn citizens as tension builds ahead of Ethiopia's polls
Addis Ababa - 13/05/2010
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - Western diplomatic missions in Addis Ababa have sent
out warning messages to their citizens in Ethiopia or those planning to
travel there, as tension builds in the Horn of Africa country ahead of the
23 May polls.
The French Embassy, in an email sent to the country's citizens Thursday
Morning, advised them to avoid public places, public transportation systems
and stay away from any demonstrations and public gatherings by Ethiopians.
The Embassy also warned the citizens to prepare stocks of food, water,
electricity sources and fuel ahead of the polling day.
For those out of the capital, Addis Ababa, the Embassy has also announced a
24-hour-ready telephone service through which that they can contact the
diplomatic mission in case of trouble.
Few days earlier, the U.S. Embassy had sent out a similar message to U.S.
citizens in Ethiopia and those planning to travel to Addis in the coming
weeks.
Amid fear of violence, tension is rising in Ethiopia ahead of the national
elections, with accusations and counter-accusations of harassment and
killings by the opposition and the government.
Already, violence has erupted among students in the countries major public
universities.
Though government said a conflict last Saturday among Addis Ababa University
students of the Oromo and Tigre ethnic groups was due to mobile phones
theft, its spokesperson Wednesday admitted that it later took an ethnic
dimension and blamed it on two opposition parties under the largest
opposition coalition, Medrek.
'Starting points might be the mobiles,' Bereket Simon, chief of Government
Communication Affairs Office, said Wednesday. 'But hard core supporters of
Arena and OPC trying to rally each other have had their hands adding fuel to
the fire'.
Reports indicate that conflicts have expanded to Haromaya and Mekele "
public universities in the hearts of Oromia and Tigray regions, home to
Arena and OPC, respectively " but Bereket said he was not aware of such
incidents.
Government said on Saturday a grenade thrown into a meeting of the Oromo
People's Democratic Organisation (OPDO), part of the ruling coalition,
killed two and injured 14.
On Sunday, a policeman was stabbed to death by OPC members following an
order by an officer of the party, government alleged. On Monday, the ruling
party accused opposition members of killing one of its candidates.
The coalition of eight opposition parties, Medrek, said three of its members
have been killed since campaigning began over two months ago.
Medrek is fielding the second-highest number of candidates after the ruling
Ethiopian Peoples' Democratic Front (EPRDF).
A 24 March Human Rights Watch reports accused Ethiopian government of waging
a coordinated and sustained attack on political opponents, journalists and
rights activists ahead of the elections.
In the midst of the growing tension, however, government said its security
forces would not use live ammunition or lethal weapons if violence occur
during the elections.
Though it said it expected peaceful elections this time, the government has
also warned that the police are prepared to handle any outbreak of violence
'professionally'..
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