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Oromia: Stampede at Ethiopia protest leaves 52 dead | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Fifty-two people were killed and many more injured in Ethiopia's Oromia region during a protest at a religious festival, the government says. | |
Some died in a stampede after police employed tear gas, rubber bullets and baton charges, witnesses said. | |
Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said rioters had caused "pre-planned mayhem" that led people to fall to their deaths in ravines. | |
He denied reports that the security forces had opened fire. | |
In a national address on state TV, he praised their "great efforts" to protect the public and blamed "evil forces" for the deaths, vowing to bring to justice those responsible.. | |
Thousands had gathered for the religious festival in Bishoftu, 40km (25 miles) from the capital Addis Ababa. | |
Some reports said police responded after anti-government protesters threw stones and bottles, but others said demonstrators were entirely peaceful. | |
An Oromo activist, Jawar Mohamed, was quoted as saying that nearly 300 people had been killed and many more injured. He said troops and a helicopter gunship had opened fire, driving people off a cliff and into a lake. | |
There has been a series of deadly clashes in Ethiopia in recent months. | There has been a series of deadly clashes in Ethiopia in recent months. |
People in the Oromia and Amhara regions have complained about political and economic marginalisation. | People in the Oromia and Amhara regions have complained about political and economic marginalisation. |
The US has expressed concern about what it termed the excessive use of force against protesters. | The US has expressed concern about what it termed the excessive use of force against protesters. |
Crowds at Sunday's Oromo festival, which AP news agency said had attracted two million people, chanted "We need freedom" and "We need justice", witnesses said. | Crowds at Sunday's Oromo festival, which AP news agency said had attracted two million people, chanted "We need freedom" and "We need justice", witnesses said. |
Some participants crossed their wrists above their heads, a gesture that has become a symbol of Oromo protests. | Some participants crossed their wrists above their heads, a gesture that has become a symbol of Oromo protests. |
The unrest was sparked last November by a plan to expand the capital into Oromia. This led to fears that farmers from the Oromo ethnic group, the largest in Ethiopia, would be displaced. | The unrest was sparked last November by a plan to expand the capital into Oromia. This led to fears that farmers from the Oromo ethnic group, the largest in Ethiopia, would be displaced. |
The plan was later dropped but protests continued, highlighting issues such as marginalisation and human rights. | The plan was later dropped but protests continued, highlighting issues such as marginalisation and human rights. |