The Eight people were killed and 36 wounded in clashes between riot police and opposition supporters in the Ethiopian capital on Tuesday, a sign of persistent political tension in the Horn of Africa nation. Police said six protesters and two policemen were killed in violence between armed riot police and stone-throwing protesters, seen by many as a new backlash against a disputed May election in Africa?s top coffee grower. ?Police have taken steps to bring to justice leaders of the opposition who they consider to be responsible for the deaths,? a police statement said, adding that two policemen had also been seriously injured in the unrest.

Tuesday?s violence broke out three days after Ethiopia?s main opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) called for fresh protests over election results it says were rigged. The appeal prompted the government to warn it would not accept any threat to security in the country of 77 million. CUD officials said police arrested seven of their leaders including Berhanu Nega, a senior figure in the party, and internationally known human rights campaigner Mesfin Wolde Mariam, in the hours following Tuesday?s disturbances.

Ambulances rushed casualties to two hospitals in Addis Ababa as police armoured personnel carriers patrolled the central Mercato market area. The clashes saw demonstrators set up makeshift roadblocks of burning tyres and smash in the windscreens of several cars. Many of the wounded said the police attacked first. ?I was on my way home when police attacked me with a stick. I was running for my life when I was shot in the arm,? said Hunegnaw Teferi, 25, receiving treatment at St Paul?s Hospital.

The authorities acknowledged people had been killed on Tuesday, saying those who were shot had tried to attack police. ?Those killed were those who attempted to assault police with machetes,? Information Minister Berhanu Hailu told Reuters.

Worst violence in four years

The disturbances were the first in Addis Ababa since post-election clashes killed 36 people in June, in the capital?s worst violence in four years. Political tensions in Ethiopia have intensified since the country?s second real multi-party vote handed Prime Minister Meles Zenawi a third five-year term. The euphoria generated by Ethiopia?s most open electoral campaign quickly dissipated amid mounting opposition claims of intimidation by the ruling party, and an increasingly bitter war of words between the two sides.

Meles has repeatedly accused the opposition of plotting to incite violence and topple his government. Once feted by Western leaders as part of a ?new generation? of African leaders pursuing pluralism and clean government, Meles? democratic credentials have come under growing scrutiny over the election wrangling and his crackdown on civil unrest.

The political deadlock and reports of opposition arrests prompted the European Parliament last month to warn of possible cuts in development aid to donor-dependent Ethiopia. The CUD had urged its members at the weekend to hold a stay-at-home strike beginning on Monday, attend peaceful demonstrations and stop listening to or watching state media. But it denied inciting Tuesday?s violent protests. ?This is not our call. All we asked our supporters to do was to hoot their car horns as a sign of protest,? CUD official Gizachew Shiferaw told reporters.

Tsegaye TADESSE