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Ethiopia PM says opposition to be charged with treason
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Ethiopia PM says opposition to be charged with treason
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said on Wednesday the country?s violence was a misguided attempt at a Ukrainian-style Orange Revolution and its leaders would be charged with treason. At least 42 people were shot dead when police confronted demonstrators in the capital last week after the opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) called for new protests against May polls it says the government manipulated. The government denies ballot fraud. ?This is not your run-of-the-mill demonstration. This is an Orange Revolution gone wrong,? Meles said, comparing Ethiopia?s unrest with ?people power? protests that ousted the pro-Moscow government in Ukraine last year.
?The violence has marred the image of Ethiopia ... but as far as the process of democratisation is concerned I don?t think it has had an impact on the country,? he told reporters. In the first reported unrest since Saturday, residents said two students in the western town of Ambo were killed in clashes with police on Wednesday. The violence in sub-Saharan Africa?s second most populous country after Nigeria have fuelled fears of mounting political instability and prompted Western donors to urge both sides to show restraint.
?The CUD leaders are engaged in insurrection ? that is an act of treason under Ethiopian law. They will be charged and they will appear in court,? Meles said, adding that several newspaper editors would also appear in the dock. ?For us, these are not just journalists. They will not be charged for violating the press laws. They will charged, like the CUD leaders, for treason,? he added.
It was not clear how many people face treason charges, but on Monday the government took a group of 24 opposition members, civic society leaders and journalists to court accusing them of instigating violence. State-owned media later reported the government had published the names or photographs of 32 people ? mainly journalists and activists ? it says it wants to arrest in connection with the clashes.
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