Addis
Ababa - Humanitarian group, Amnesty International,
has called for a probe into a deadly stampede that occurred in Ethiopia last
weekend.
At least 52
people were crushed to death during an
anti-government protest at
a massive religious festival.
The country's Oromo community had
gathered on October 2 in the town of Bishoftu near the capital Addis Ababa to
their Irreecha )thanksgiving) ceremony to mark the end of the rainy season.
Fresh protests, however, erupted a
day after the deadly stampede.
Amnesty International said that the
renewed protests underlined the need to probe the stampede.
"We have documented multiple
complaints of police using excessive force, including lethal force, against
largely peaceful protesters since demonstrations began in the Oromia region in
November last year," said Michelle Kagari, Amnesty International’s Deputy
Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes.
Contradictory accounts
She urged government to intervene in
the "unlawful use of force" during protests, while making an
impassioned plea for an investigation into the stampede to be conducted as soon
as possible.
While the government of Ethiopia has
maintained that the official death toll sits at 52, protest groups have lashed
out at the figure, expressing their suspicions that the number of deaths might
be much higher.
"Given the contradictory
accounts, it is critical that an investigation be held to unearth the truth and
to identify law enforcement officers criminally responsible, and hold them to
account in open and fair trials,” said Kagari.
"In the meantime, the
authorities must exercise restraint to prevent further bloodshed."
At least 97
people were reported to have been killed in August when Ethiopian security
opened fire on a group of peaceful protesters across the Oromia region and in
parts of Amhara, Amnestyreported
previously.
Thousands of protesters had shown up
to call for political reform and justice when officials began firing live
ammunition at the crowd, wounding scores and arresting hundreds more.
Source: News 24
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