Ethiopia: Demonstrations in Addis Ababa

ANSWER: Order was restored to the capital April 19, and demonstrations have ended. The city is calm.

The University of Addis Ababa reopened April 24 and the high schools reopened on Monday, April 23.

Over 2,000 individuals, mainly students, remain in detention in Sendafa, 38 km outside the capital.

QUESTION: What caused these demonstrations?

ANSWER: Daily protests began peacefully on the Addis Ababa University campus on Wednesday, April 11, against university policies, notably demands for a student council, student newspaper and the removal of police from campus. The situation became violent when police stormed the campus the following Tuesday, April 17, and beat numerous students, at least 50 of whom had to be hospitalized.

University students took their protest to the streets April 18 and were quickly joined by high school students, street children and others. The resulting mob became violent, breaking windows, burning cars, looting and throwing rocks and stones at police. Police responded with excessive force, and we have reports of at least two dozen dead and hundreds injured.

QUESTION: What is the status of American citizens and the U.S. embassy?

American citizens were neither injured nor do we have any reason to believe they were targeted in the demonstrations.

The Embassy continues to be open for business.

QUESTION: Have opposition figures been arrested?

ANSWER: We are concerned that dozens of members of legal, peaceful opposition parties have been detained without arrest warrants, which is contrary to Ethiopian law.

We continue to monitor this situation closely.