Ethiopia police battle students

Hundreds of students have been taken away Ethiopian police have clashed with students protesting over last month's elections for a second day in the capital, Addis Ababa. The students threw rocks at the police who responded by storming a technical college and arresting about 100 people. The students were beaten with batons and rifle butts by police, who also fired shots in the air, witnesses said. On Monday, a girl died in clashes which began when students defied a ban on protests following the poll. They accused the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) of rigging the elections. Final results are not due until 8 July, to give the National Election Board time to investigate allegations of fraud. 'Scary' The AP news agency reports that construction workers also threw stones at the police in support of the students. "The police came running into the college, beating students and hitting them over their heads with their batons," said Liya Tsion, 17, a student of information technology. Meles Zenawi's alliance looks set to form the next government "It was very scary and they were very aggressive and did not want to calm the situation down. It didn't last long, only five to 10 minutes, because we are young and they had guns and batons." College Vice Principal Assefa Akirso said the police should have consulted teachers before storming the building. Some 500 students were arrested on Monday. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi banned all demonstrations after opposition allegations of fraud. Opposition gains The BBC's Mohammed Adow in Addis Ababa says tensions have been rising since the elections were held. The opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) has denied government claims that it incited the students to protest. According to provisional results, the EPRDF and its allies have won 320 seats so far giving it a majority in the 547-member parliament. The opposition have, however, won almost 200 seats - a huge gain from the 12 they had in the previous parliament. They won all the seats in Addis Ababa by a landslide. EU observers have voiced concern over irregular vote counting and biased reports by the state-owned media.

Arrests for Ethiopia poll protest

Hundreds of students have been taken away Hundreds of Ethiopian students have been arrested in the capital, Addis Ababa, after staging protests over last month's elections. Baton-wielding police stormed the two university campuses which the students had occupied. They had accused the ruling EPRDF party of fraud. The EPRDF has won a majority of the seats declared so far. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi banned demonstrations for a month following the poll. "Where are they taking my son?" cried the mother of one student as he and others were herded by police onto one of eight trucks, each carrying about 80 people, reports the AP news agency. "We are demonstrating because EPRDF is making a fraud, misleading the whole international community saying they have won," one student yelled through the gates of the social science school before the police took action.

I am a witness of the events.... University students in Addis Ababa main campus (Sidist Kilo) & the Science faculty (Arat Kilo) held peaceful demonstrations, which commenced last evening (candlelight vigil). The federal police and co. stormed the compound and began arresting students, even those that were sleeping were dragged from their bed. The protest (which amounted to screaming and chanting) continued through the night and into the morning.... by this time things had become tense and police brutality had reached all lows. These students NEVER left campus, they were on their university grounds.

However, hundreds have been brutally beaten (without medical care)and taken to an undisclosed location. I understand one student has been MURDERED and there are rumours of more. We are having trouble reaching people via mobile or the land lines.

We have armed soldiers (we have never seen such mean looking soldiers EVER) everywhere, driving in vehicles with the guns pointed at the populace. VERY SCARY! However, because the present regime does not trust the local police, they have disarmed them (guns removed) and replacing them with battons (sticks). Having said that... most of the students were mercilessly beaten by those synthetic battons. There are no taxis in Arat Kilo and Sidist Kilo and school children everywhere have been dismissed from schools. All the surrounding churches have been closed.
Mimi Abebe, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia