June 09, 2005, 22:15
The violence in Ethiopia that has left dozens dead in unrest sparked by last month's disputed elections is unacceptable and the government and protesters should show restraint, the White House said today. "Everybody needs to refrain from violence and exercise restraint," Scott McClellan, the White House spokesperson, told reporters while travelling with president George W Bush in Ohio.
"The threat of violence is unacceptable and we urge students, civil society leaders and opposition supporters and members of the government and political leaders to refrain from violence and maintain a peaceful atmosphere in Ethiopia," McClellan said. He said US officials had been in contact with government officials in Ethiopia as well as with opposition groups.
At least 26 people were killed after Ethiopian police yesterday opened fire on protesting crowds in Addis Ababa. The shootings followed two days of student protests and weeks of rising tension over preliminary results from the May 15 parliamentary election, which the opposition party says were rigged. The government denies it rigged the vote.
The United States views Ethiopia as a key ally in combating terrorism and as a stabilizing force in the strategic horn of Africa. McClellan said concerns about the election should be addressed through the electoral commission and the legal process. "And it's important also for the federal security forces to respond in a like manner and exercise restraint and act in a way that is in accordance with international standards and human rights," he said. - Reuters
|
