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Ethiopia says over 50 killed in Gambella unrest
Ethiopia said on Wednesday more than 50 people were killed in a recent clash in the west of the country between the government and rebels it said were backed by neighbouring Eritrea. The government said 50 more people were injured in the violence in the town of Gambella, 700 km (435 miles) west of Addis Ababa, just over a week ago. It raised the death toll, which was earlier put at 30. Police are holding 56 people over the unrest, pending further investigations. âHouses were set on fire and properties were damaged during the violence triggered following the killing of eight people by rebels,â Okelo Aquai, president of Gambella regional state told the state-run Ethiopian News Agency.The Horn of Africa country has accused the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and al Itihad al Islamiya group of being behind the unrest which led to the killings near Gambella. The government said the OLF had been supported by the Eritrean Peopleâs Liberation Front, the ruling party in neighbouring Eritrea. The OLF has denied any involvement in the unrest. In a statement on its web site, the OLF blamed the government for the fighting, saying Gambella was not in the southern Oromo territory, where it has been fighting for independence for the region since 1993. Okelo said security forces were rounding up more suspects. UN sources told Reuters on Monday the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had pulled all international and most of its local staff from Gambella to Addis Ababa. The UN staff look after about 24,000 Sudanese refugees in camps in western Ethiopia. UN sources said the fighting was between the Anuak and Nuer ethnic groups, who have traditionally clashed over land. An unidentified gang attacked a UN car travelling from a new refugee camp to the UNHCR offices in Gambella. Three people working for the state-run refugee agency, two policemen and three casual labourers were killed. Addis Ababa has previously accused the OLF rebels of anti-government activity including being behind a series of bombings in the country over the past year. Eritrea fought a border war with Ethiopia in 1998-2000. Tensions between the two countries remain high. Al Itihad al Islamiya is thought by some analysts to be linked to Osama bin Ladenâs Al Qaeda network. Posted by: TS 2003-12-24 |
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