US embassy cable - 05ADDISABABA3759

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 003759 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, ET, ELEC, UNREST 
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS SPREAD, AT 
LEAST 33 DEAD 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affairs Vicki Huddleston for reason 
1.4 (b,d) 
 
 
1. (C) Summary:  Violent street clashes between 
anti-government demonstrators and squads of security forces 
spread beyond their initial flashpoints to most parts of the 
capital Nov. 2-3.  Although confrontations occurred both in 
the vicinity of the Embassy and in Old Airport, where most 
embassy residences are located, there were no attacks against 
any USG facility.  Some embassy vehicles surveying the city 
were stoned by rioters.  We have unconfirmed reports of 
dozens of killings from both known contacts as well as the 
general public.  The reputable Ethiopian Human Rights Council 
claims to have counted 33 bodies as of the evening of Nov. 
2.  Disturbances continued on November 3, punctuated by a 
reported confrontation between police and demonstrators as 
the former arrested CUD Vice President Bertukan Mideksa. 
With most of the senior CUD leadership now behind bars, it is 
not clear who -- if anyone -- is coordinating the street 
action.  The sheer number of demonstrators and their wide 
dispersion throughout Addis Ababa appears to have overwhelmed 
the capacity of the security forces' riot control units and 
forced the GOE to deploy special forces units to try and cope 
with the situation.  The Ambassadors' Donors Group ADG 
released a balanced statement Nov. 3 (septel) deploring the 
violence, calling for the release of political prisoners, 
demanding humane treatment for other detainees and a return 
to peaceful dialogue in order to strengthen Ethiopian 
democracy.  After the restoration of civil order in Addis, 
achieving additional progress in suspended negotiations on 
key democratic reforms -- especially the National Electoral 
Board -- will be essential to preventing further outbreaks of 
violence and getting multi-party democracy back on track. 
End Summary. 
 
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Riots Extend Throughout Addis 
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2. (C) Anti-government demonstrations that began on Nov. 1 in 
the central Mercato and Piazza areas of the capital spread to 
most areas of Addis Ababa Nov. 2.  Several emboffs surveying 
the city witnessed numerous groups of demonstrators, many of 
whom were throwing rocks, blocking roads and generally 
challenging security forces.  FM Seyoum told donor 
ambassadors that some demonstrators had used machetes against 
police, and that four grenades had been thrown at police.  We 
heard numerous reports of clashes between demonstrators and 
police in Mercato, Piazza, Old Airport, and areas adjacent to 
the British and French Embassies.  Shooting could be heard in 
close proximity to the Embassy compound in the Entoto area, 
as well as higher up on Entoto mountain itself.  Pol/Econ 
Counselor encountered two groups of demonstrators who made 
angry gestures in the direction of his diplomatic vehicle. 
One rock hit his vehicle, and he was blocked from approaching 
the British Embassy, outside of which 10 demonstrators will 
reportedly killed earlier. 
 
3. (C) Sporadic but heavy gunfire continued in Addis through 
the afternoon of November 3, including within earshot of the 
Embassy.  Post has also heard reports unconfirmed reports of 
arrests in other areas of the country.  USG contractors 
report that other major cities, including Dire Dawa, Bahir 
Dar and Awassa are calm, however. 
 
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Dozens More Dead, Over a Thousand Arrested 
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4. (C) We have unconfirmed reports of dozens of killings from 
both known contacts as well as the general public.  The 
reputable Ethiopian Human Rights Council claims to have 
counted 33 bodies as of evening on Nov 2.  News outlets have 
reported casualty figures ranging from a low of 8 to a high 
of 200.  Some of the dead are reportedly high school 
students.  At least 2 members of the security forces have 
been killed.  Emboffs have seen a large number of police 
vehicles loaded with detainees in the vicinity of 
demonstrations, and international wire services report that 
many detainees are being held in an amphitheater in the 
center of the city.   Post has also received calls indicating 
that security forces are conducting house-to-house round ups 
in certain areas.  FM Seyoum told Ambassadors Nov. 2 (septel) 
that there have been around 1,000 arrests, though he said the 
GOE was also releasing those who did not have a direct 
connection to the violence.  There were also reports that the 
GOE  elite  gazi nits, staffed by trusted, highly-trained 
Tigrayan fighters, had been brought in to Addis. 
 
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Imprisoned CUDP Leaders Remain a Center of Controversy 
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----------------------- 
 
5. (C)  The GOE has rounded up nearly all senior CUDP leaders 
and some mid-level party officials -- 25 of 60 party council 
members, according to the PM.  The attempted arrest of CUDP 
vice president Bertukan Mideksa on November 2 reportedly 
sparked a confrontation between a significant crowd and 
police seeking to take her away.  It now appears that 
Bertukan eluded arrest at that time, but a student reported 
to Pol/Econ counselor that she surrendered to police around 
noon on November 3, allegedly because of continuing deaths 
and injuries among those who were seeking to protect her from 
security forces .  Some of the violence on Nov. 2 occurred in 
the vicinity of the Federal Investigations facility in the 
Piazza area, where principal CUDP leaders, including 
president Hailu Shawel and Berhanu Nega, are being held. 
Reports yesterday indicated that Hailu and CUDP spokesman 
Gizachew Shiferaw were taken back home after their arrest to 
gather necessary medicines.  Gizachew's son claims that 
policy escorting Gizachew planted documents concerning a 
conspiracy to assassinate senior GOE leaders in the CUPD 
leader's house, then tried to force him to sign a confession 
that the documents were his.  Family members of Hailu and 
Berhanu on November 3 claimed that they had been turned away 
when trying to bring the prisoners diabetes medication; PM 
Meles and FM Seyoum assured the Charge Nov. 2 that prisoners 
would receive necessary medications as well as family visits, 
and be treated according to international standards.  Neither 
United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) leaders nor CUD 
rebel Lidetu Ayalew were arrested.  The PM indicated to the 
Charge that the GOE had arrested only those opposition 
leaders who advocated the overthrow of the government. 
 
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Who's to Blame?  Plenty to Go Around 
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6. (C) The GOE charges that the CUDP coordinated and actively 
encouraged the public to confront the police in the streets. 
Foreign Minister Seyoum told the Ambassadors' Donors Group 
Nov. 2 that the CUDP had bused in supporters to instigate 
riots in the Mercato on Nov. 1; Prime Minister Meles told 
Charge Huddleston that the GOE had found a plan for street 
action prepared by Addis mayor-elect Berhanu Nega (Septel). 
Post was aware that this plan, which included honking horns 
and a stay-at-home strike, was widely distributed over the 
weekend in Addis.  State media reported on November 3 that 
young demonstration ringleaders had received USD 150 each to 
stir up trouble.  Post has no hard evidence at this point as 
to what role CUDP leaders played in funding or coordinating 
stone-throwing demonstrators.  What is clear is that the 
demonstrations began two days after the CUDP's weekend call 
for a campaign of non-violent civil disobedience.  At a 
minimum, the CUDP's civil disobedience helped create 
conditions for the violence to begin; GOE arrests first of 
protesters, then of CUDP leaders, provided the other 
ingredient necessary for combustion.  With most of the senior 
CUD leadership behind bars, it's also not clear who -- if 
anyone -- is coordinating the street action.  The GOE claims 
the demonstrations were planned in advance and has  been 
carried out by the over 300,000 unemployed youth in the 
capital.  All private newspapers, the only media to which the 
opposition had access apart from international radio 
broadcasts, are closed down for now.  Several of their 
editors, some of them strong proponents of challenging the 
EPRDF in the streets, are now in custody. 
 
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- 
Comment I:  More Than GOE Bargained For 
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- 
 
7. (C) Large-scale street battles in Addis, where the EPRDF 
is weakest, is clearly the GOE  worst nightmare and exactly 
what the Diaspora and hard-liners in the CUD wanted to see. 
Demonstrators -- and CUDP leader -- are clearly betting that 
the GOE will lose so much public and international support in 
battling protests that it will either be forced from power or 
have to cede some power to the opposition.  The sheer number 
of demonstrators and their wide dispersion throughout Addis 
Ababa appears to have overwhelmed the capacity of the 
security forces' riot control units and forced the GOE to 
deploy special forces units to try and cope with the 
situation.  Meles predicted to the Charge Nov. 2 that the GOE 
will have fully restored order by Saturday Nov. 4. 
Disturbances on Nov. 3 -- a national holiday marking the end 
of Ramadan -- appeared to be less widespread and violent than 
those of Nov. 2. 
 
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Comment II:  What Can We Do? 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
8. (C) Post has received a large number of calls begging us 
to  o something o stop the violence.  The demonstrations 
are clearly focused against the GOE, but there appears to be 
some level of popular frustration at that the U.S and UK have 
not been able to prevent this violence, as they had earlier. 
Some appear to believe the USG has sided with the GOE against 
CUD opposition leaders.  Charge has continued to work closely 
with EU counterparts to urge the GOE to use restraint.  The 
Ambassadors' Donors Group ADG released a balanced statement 
Nov. 3 (septel) deploring the violence, calling for the 
release of political prisoners, demanding humane treatment 
for other detainees and a return to peaceful dialogue in 
order to strengthen Ethiopian democracy.  After the 
restoration of civil order in Addis, achieving additional 
progress in suspended negotiations on key democratic reforms 
-- especially the National Electoral Board -- will be 
essential to preventing further outbreaks of violence and 
getting multi-party democracy back on track. 
HUDDLESTON