Police kill five students in Gondar

EthioMedia

January 2, 2006

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“All the dead were shot in the chest” – AP (Nov 1, 2005, Addis Ababa)

GONDER – Five students died from severe police beatings and observers fear the death toll may triple as many of the injured were in highly vulnerable conditions, a radio disclosed on Saturday.

The Voice of Ethiopian People (VOEP) said the funeral of Fikirte – a young female student who collapsed after she was gun-butted on her breast, was conducted at Qusquam Mariam Church last week. She died after days of treatment in hospital.

Student protests erupted earlier last week at Emperor Bakafa School but later spread to other schools, including Meseret, Zadiku Yohannes and Hibret.

Observers said the student protests began when TPLF troops stormed Emperor Bakafa School, and students started protesting against the presence of the armed men in their school compound. During protests, the students condemned the Zenawi dictatorship and called for the release of jailed Ethiopian opposition leaders and journalists.

In Gondar, where opposition to the Meles Zenawi regime runs deep, parents kept their injured children at home, seeking the help of traditional healers than hand over their children to government-owned hospital where searches by security forces are rampant. According to the radio, the students were chased and brutalized by police and security forces. Many of the young suffered multiple injuries, including bone fructures. Eye-witnesses said the beatings were meant to kill the students, and many were left for dead in the streets.

The Radio said about 75 students were arrested at Bata Prison in the city.

Meanwhile, about 50 political prisoners, including some notable opposition officials from Gondar, who were jailed during the nationwide crackdown on CUD members a few months ago, were brought back from Bersheleko Concentration Camp in Gojjam region to Bata Prison in Gondar.

The government has reinforced security around the prison where torture has been rife.

Meanwhile, the VOER reported many youths from Gondar and adjacent areas were joining rebel groups in a bid to escape the harsh and merciless security conditions in towns.

Since defeated in the May elections, forces loyal to Meles Zenawi have continued to terrorize the entire nation of over 70 million people.

Ethiopians within and outside of the country have continued to call on the international community to open its eyes to the atrocities being committed by the Zenawi regime. News over the weekend of the West withholding $375 million from the regime has brought a glimmer of hope to distressed Ethiopian communities that Western powers may finally be catching up with one of Africa’s most ruthless tyrants.