ETHIOPIA: Western donors issued a fresh appeal yesterday to Ethiopia's government and opposition to end the worst political unrest in months. The government, however, dismissed the plea as unacceptable meddling, writes Deaglán de Bréadún, Foreign Affairs Correspondent
"We urgently call upon all political parties to desist from further violence and to abide by the rule of law," the US and EU said in a joint statement on five days of unrest in which at least 46 people have been killed.
Washington and the EU provide much of the $1 billion Ethiopia receives each year in foreign aid to help its mostly rural population of 77 million hit by recurrent drought.
Meanwhile, officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin have met the charge d'affaires of the Ethiopian embassy "to convey Ireland's concerns" over the unrest and loss of life in Addis Ababa and other parts of the country as well as the military build-up on the border with Eritrea.
Independent reports said at least 44 people were killed and thousands arrested last week in Ethiopia's latest wave of political violence. Ethiopian government officials have put the number of dead this week at 24 civilians and seven police officers. The Department of Foreign Affairs is contributing €30 million to the Ethiopian government this year through its aid division, Development Co-operation Ireland.
In a statement Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Conor Lenihan said: "We condemn all the acts of violence which have occurred and call for them to be independently investigated. We urge both the Ethiopian government and the opposition parties to exercise the utmost restraint and to act responsibly."
Humanitarian aid agency Goal said the total amount of Irish Government aid to Ethiopia through different channels was €36 million.
"The massacre is the second this year, following protests by civilians at what they term were rigged presidential elections," Goal said in a statement.
Goal chief executive John O'Shea said: "I have pleaded with the Irish Government for the best part of a decade to have nothing to do with the murderous regime in Addis Ababa - but my pleas have fallen on deaf ears." The unrest started on Tuesday last in the capital over the results of parliamentary elections held on May 15th.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists said a least two journalists had been arrested and others had gone into hiding. "The government's heavy-handed attempt to intimidate the independent press and suppress news of the protests and deaths in Addis Ababa is unacceptable," said Ann Cooper, executive director of the committee.