2005 Ethiopian general election violence

Incident following the 2005 Ethiopian general election 2005 Ethiopian general election violence Ethiopia 200 8.9806 38.7578 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 7 June – November 2005 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Arrest of college student Mesafint Endalew at the main campus Mainly sporadic protests 193 +763 30,000 The 2005 Ethiopian general election violence, known generally as the Ethiopian police massacre, refers to the killing of civilians by government forces during June and November 2005 which led to the deaths of 193 protesters and injury of 763 others, mostly in the capital Addis Ababa, following the May 2005 elections in Ethiopia.http://report.globalintegrity.org/ethiopia Global Integrity Report: Ethiopia 2009-03-19 https://web.archive.org/web/20090914204923/http://report.globalintegrity.org/ethiopia 2009-09-14 dead More than 30,000 people were detained by security forces following the election, most released in 2006.Global Integrity Report: Ethiopia - Timeline Global Integrity http://report.globalintegrity.org/Ethiopia/2008/timeline https://web.archive.org/web/20110817053949/http://report.globalintegrity.org/Ethiopia/2008/timeline 2011-08-17 dead 2009-03-19 The first violent incident was flashed on 7 June 2005 at 11:20 when the police force had arrested one 4th year student Mesafint Endalew, at the main campus. Following the arrest many students marched to the police station in the camp. Despite the student released in the moment, the students immediately escalate their question towards the election votes. Protests of the results were supposedly led by the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), began on 1 November 2005, and have prompted more than 60,000 arrests. Live gunfire from government forces has been directed at protesters and bystanders. All the top opposition leaders were arrested, as was the mayor-elect of Addis Ababa.http://www.slate.com/id/2173264 Why We Don't Hear About the Conflict in the Ogaden Will Connors Slate 5 September 2007 22 October 2016 Slate Aftermath Death toll On October 18, 2006, an independent report said Ethiopian police massacred 193 protesters.McGreal Chris 2006-10-18 Ethiopian government blocks report of massacre by its forces https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/oct/19/chrismcgreal.mainsection 2026-04-16 The Guardian en-GB 0261-3077 The information was leaked before the official independent report was handed to the parliament. The leak made by Ethiopian judge Wolde-Michael Meshesha found that the government had concealed the true extent of deaths at the hands of the police.Ethiopian protesters 'massacred' (BBC) Gemechu Megerssa, a member of the independent Inquiry commission, whom Justice Meshesha once worked with, criticized Justice Wolde-Michael's act, stating that by taking the report "out of context and presenting it to the public to sensationalise the situation for his political end is highly unethical".Post-election violence inquiry commission The official report described by the parliament and the government gave exactly the same details as the leaked inquiry. It said that 200 people had been killed, including 6 policemen. Some 763 people were also injured. Police records showed 20,000 people were initially arrested during the anti-government protests.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6064638.stm BBC News Ethiopian protesters 'massacred' October 19, 2006 April 22, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100424015847/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6064638.stm 24 April 2010 live The commission members living in Addis Ababa also criticised the government: We are not saying the government was totally clean. The government has a lot to be accountable for. The mentality of the police needs to be changed, and then we will be able to minimize those kinds of casualties in the future. Building of [democratic] institutions is required, but that is going to take time. [So] The government was not prepared to tackle violence like that which took place last year. They could have brought an alternative way of dispersing rioting crowds.http://allafrica.com/stories/200611090269.html Ethiopia: Inquiry Commission Says Police Mentality Contributed to Chaos Dagnachew Teklu 9 November 2006 22 October 2016 AllAfricaCommission members speak out But, the Independent Inquiry's members added, Wolde-Michael's trip to Europe and reporting of information out of context was "dishonest" politics as well as insensitive to the process of developing Ethiopia's young democracy. The Commission said Ethiopians need to solve their problems themselves so that this kind of violence wouldn't recur. It encouraged Ethiopians who respect authority to work together, and directed the government to "think seriously" about changing the mentality of the police. Reactions Despite the post-election complications, the Carter Center, US Government and British MPs continued to praise the democratic process in Ethiopia, but have each demanded the release of CUD leaders. After meeting with some opposition parties, the British MPs stated that the Ethiopian government should stand firmly against those who try to use "undemocratic and unconstitutional means" to change government."British MPs hail democratic process in Ethiopia" (Sudan Times) The other top opposition parties, the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) and the United Ethiopian Democratic Party-Medhin Party (UEPD-Medhin), are working with the government for negotiations on the democratic process.http://allafrica.com/stories/200610230324.html Ethiopia: UEDP-Medhin Expects More Promising Results From Positive Negotiations 23 October 2006 22 October 2016 AllAfrica Opposition parties are still represented in the Ethiopian Parliament, where representatives from Oromia State hold most positions, and representatives from Amhara State hold the second most positions, in correlation with the comparative population of the corresponding states.http://www.ethiopar.net/English/hopre/hormemb.html#1 Ethiopian Parliament 22 October 2016 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20060322104143/http://www.ethiopar.net/English/hopre/hormemb.html 22 March 2006 Various opposition parties including the UEDF, UEPD-Medhin, Somali People's Democratic Party, EDL, Gambela People's Democratic Movement, All Ethiopian Unity Party, Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement and the Benishangul-Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Front hold positions in the parliament. Prisoners Until June 2007, many of the main opposition party's (CUD) leaders were detained for an alleged attempt to overthrow the government and initiating the post election violence. All of these charges are denied by CUD leadership both in Ethiopia and internationally, and the European Union advocated for the political prisoners to be released after a speedy trial. Some of these elected CUD officials endured very harsh conditions inside Ethiopia's poorly maintained prisons and they are at risk of various medical complications. As a result of the violence after the elections, many thousands were arrested and imprisoned. Even though the vast majority have been freed, some still remain in prison. Up to the end of 2005, around 8,000 Ethiopian rioters were freed.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4440232.stm BBC NEWS - Africa - Mass release from Ethiopian jails 15 November 2005 22 October 2016 See also Amhara genocide Gimbi massacre Metekel conflict Mai Kadra massacre References Human rights in External links In pictures: Ethiopia clashes (BBC) Ethiopian protesters 'massacred' (BBC) General election violence Category:Massacres committed by Ethiopia Category:Massacres in Ethiopia Category:Political repression in Ethiopia Category:Massacres of protesters in Africa Category:2005 protests Category:2000s in Addis Ababa Category:Protests in Ethiopia Category:Democratic backsliding in Ethiopia Category:Massacres in 2005 Category:June 2005 in Ethiopia Category:November 2005 in Ethiopia Category:21st-century mass murders in Ethiopia Category:Electoral violence Category:Police brutality in Africa Category:Police brutality in the 2000s Category:Political violence in Ethiopia