Monday, June 13, 2005

Ethiopia Opposition Says MP Shot Dead by Police

Police shot dead a newly-elected Ethiopian opposition lawmaker at the weekend in the first killing of a politician since disputed parliamentary polls last month, an opposition coalition said on Monday.

Beyene Petros, deputy leader of the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF), told Reuters that police opened fire at UEDF deputy Tesfaye Aden Jara in Arsi town 180km southeast of Addis Ababa on Sunday and he had died overnight.

"Tesfaye and his friends were sitting and relaxing when police and opened fire, wounding Tesfaye and his friends," Petros said.

"His relatives took him to Black Lion hospital in Addis Ababa where he died overnight.

"The UEDF protested to the government, and information minister Bereket Simon informed me that six policemen suspected of involvement in the incident had been jailed and they are under investigation," Petros added.

Contacted by Reuters, Simon said without elaborating that he had been informed the police had been involved in an incident and that they been jailed and there was an investigation.

"If found guilty they will be charged in accordance with the law," he told Reuters.

The New Zealand Herald

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