25 Jimma University students face charges, hundreds released: paper

By EthioMedia Staff Writer
March 10, 2004

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‘Addis Ababa University’: A Prison Camp or A University?

JIMMA, Southern Ethiopia – Twenty-five students of Jimma University will appear before court for allegedly fomenting public disturbances while 275 others detained last week have been released, a newspaper has reported.

The Amharic Lisane-Hizb newspaper said the students were demanding the mass expulsion of 300 students from Addis Ababa University be reversed. Observers say the government – widely condemned as a one-man dictatorship bent on plunging the country into ethnic conflict – was playing by its old tactics of dividing the unity of university students by holding the 25 students as ring leaders of student unrest.

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Police round up 700 students of Jimma University

JIMMA, Southern Ethiopia – Government forces wounded scores and rounded up over 700 students of Jimma University on Sunday, a newspaper has reported.

The independent Etop newspaper said today police fired shots from machinegun-mounted vehicles to quel student unrest as other security forces clubbed students who were peacefully protesting the mass expulsion of 300 Oromo students from Addis Ababa University recently. “Female students were among those seriously injured during the protest which was also heavily backed by high school students in Jimma city.”

Over 300 Oromo students were recently expelled from Addis Ababa University for protesting a campus show by an Oromo musical ensemble affiliated to the ruling regime. The expulsion, endorsed by university president Prof. Andreas Eshete, coupled with continuing government attacks on the civil society in the country, has now galvanized student unrest from east to west, Etop said.

Observers say the establishment of the Federal Emergency Security Force by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is a legal cover to forcefully suppress any civilian protests against the high-handed rule of the regime in power.

Since coming to power in 1991, the regime has faced stiff student protests. All were crushed through sheer military force. It is to be recalled over 40 students of Addis Ababa University were killed during student demonstrations in April 2001 in the streets of the Ethiopian capital.

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