Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ADDISABABA998
2006-04-14 04:43:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Addis Ababa
Cable title:
ETHIOPIA: FEDERAL POLICE QUELL STUDENT ETHNIC
how-toVZCZCXRO3204 OO RUEHROV DE RUEHDS #0998 1040443 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 140443Z APR 06 FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9980 INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/CJTF HOA PRIORITY RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS ADDIS ABABA 000998
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF DAS YAMAMOTO AND AF/E
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KJUS PREL ET
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: FEDERAL POLICE QUELL STUDENT ETHNIC
CLASH AT SECOND LARGEST UNIVERSITY
UNCLAS ADDIS ABABA 000998
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF DAS YAMAMOTO AND AF/E
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KJUS PREL ET
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: FEDERAL POLICE QUELL STUDENT ETHNIC
CLASH AT SECOND LARGEST UNIVERSITY
1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Alemaya University officials called in
federal police to quell ethnically-charged student violence
April 11 at Ethiopia's second largest institution of higher
education. While shots were reportedly fired into the air
for crowd control purposes, police were able to peacefully
stabilize and disperse the angry students through dialogue.
The cause for the student violence is unclear, but university
professors report that an alleged rape of a Tigrayan student
by Oromo classmates may have sparked the ethnic clash. END
SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) At the request of university officials, federal
police entered the Alemaya University campus April 11 and
subdued fighting between Oromo and Tigrayan students.
Federal police mediated a non-violent conclusion to the
Tigrayan versus Oromo student violence on the campus of the
university, which is situated between Dire Dawa and Harar in
eastern Ethiopia. After initial crowd control measures,
including firing shots into the air, police facilitated a
four- to five-hour dialogue between students of both ethnic
groups that led to a peaceful dispersal of the crowd.
3. (SBU) University president Belay Kassa characterized the
fighting as "ethnic in nature" but did not comment on a
possible provocation. One university professor told emboffs
that the inter-ethnic violence may have been triggered by
reports of a female Tigrayan student being raped by a group
of male Oromo classmates. The professor reported that a
first year law student of Tigrayan ethnicity was raped April
7 by four or five Oromo upperclass law school students.
Another university professor theorized the violence could
have been related to an alleged desecration of the Koran
reported to have ocurred at another university campus in
Awassa the week of April 3.
4. (SBU) COMMENT: The root provocation of the violence is
unclear, though reports of inter-ethnic violence between the
country's largest ethnic group (Oromos) and ruling ethnic
minority (Tigrayans) are troubling. Similar tensions arose
at Jimma University in Oromiya during November 2005
nation-wide unrest. Police response to the unrest appears to
have been controlled and effective. While law enforcement
institutions have a long journey ahead to regain public
trust, their role as a peaceful, non-partisan mediator in
this instance may signify a movement in the right direction.
END COMMENT.
HUDDLESTON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF DAS YAMAMOTO AND AF/E
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KJUS PREL ET
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: FEDERAL POLICE QUELL STUDENT ETHNIC
CLASH AT SECOND LARGEST UNIVERSITY
1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Alemaya University officials called in
federal police to quell ethnically-charged student violence
April 11 at Ethiopia's second largest institution of higher
education. While shots were reportedly fired into the air
for crowd control purposes, police were able to peacefully
stabilize and disperse the angry students through dialogue.
The cause for the student violence is unclear, but university
professors report that an alleged rape of a Tigrayan student
by Oromo classmates may have sparked the ethnic clash. END
SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) At the request of university officials, federal
police entered the Alemaya University campus April 11 and
subdued fighting between Oromo and Tigrayan students.
Federal police mediated a non-violent conclusion to the
Tigrayan versus Oromo student violence on the campus of the
university, which is situated between Dire Dawa and Harar in
eastern Ethiopia. After initial crowd control measures,
including firing shots into the air, police facilitated a
four- to five-hour dialogue between students of both ethnic
groups that led to a peaceful dispersal of the crowd.
3. (SBU) University president Belay Kassa characterized the
fighting as "ethnic in nature" but did not comment on a
possible provocation. One university professor told emboffs
that the inter-ethnic violence may have been triggered by
reports of a female Tigrayan student being raped by a group
of male Oromo classmates. The professor reported that a
first year law student of Tigrayan ethnicity was raped April
7 by four or five Oromo upperclass law school students.
Another university professor theorized the violence could
have been related to an alleged desecration of the Koran
reported to have ocurred at another university campus in
Awassa the week of April 3.
4. (SBU) COMMENT: The root provocation of the violence is
unclear, though reports of inter-ethnic violence between the
country's largest ethnic group (Oromos) and ruling ethnic
minority (Tigrayans) are troubling. Similar tensions arose
at Jimma University in Oromiya during November 2005
nation-wide unrest. Police response to the unrest appears to
have been controlled and effective. While law enforcement
institutions have a long journey ahead to regain public
trust, their role as a peaceful, non-partisan mediator in
this instance may signify a movement in the right direction.
END COMMENT.
HUDDLESTON