Uneasy calm returns to Addis Ababa after riots

The Ethiopian capital was tense but calm on Friday, after three days of rioting left at least 42 dead and more than a hundred injured, according to doctors. Sporadic, albeit minor skirmishes erupted in the city on Friday, but doctors said they had received reports of only one casualty. More than 150 people have been injured in the disturbances in the capital, they added. Foreign donors expressed serious concerns over the troubles and the arrests of political leaders and members of civil society organisations. Western governments called on the Ethiopian authorities to hold an independent investigation into the killings. "Canada calls on all parties to engage in an open and peaceful dialogue in a spirit of political reconciliation to promote a functioning, multi-party parliamentary democracy in Ethiopia," said Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew. David Triesman, Great Britain's parliamentary under-secretary responsible for African affairs, called for restraint from both sides and an urgent, independent investigation into this week's violence. "The government is very concerned about the violence that is taking place in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa," said Laila Freivalds, Sweden's minister for foreign affairs. "Imprisoned opposition leaders must be released and all those in custody must be released or given proper access to justice. We also urge opposition parties to take their responsibility so that an escalation of this serious situation can be avoided," the minister added. Businesses remained closed and taxis were off the streets on Friday. On Thursday the international development agency ActionAid reported that police had detained its policy manager in Ethiopia, Daniel Bekele, for three days without charge or access to his lawyer. Other civil society leaders have also been detained during a crackdown on organisations suspected of not being pro-government. The Ambassadors' Donor Group - made up of 21 mainly Western nations - urged restraint by all sides. "We deplore all types of violence whether by security forces or demonstrators, particularly the use of lethal means," they said in a statement. "Political detainees should be released. In accordance with international standards, medicines and other humanitarian assistance should be provided to detainees and access given for their families." Ethiopian Information Minister Berhan Hailu said that the situation had been brought under control in the city, while police and troops maintained a high presence in the capital. As riots took place in the capital city and disturbances reportedly broke out in several towns around the country this week, the United Nations also expressed fears over the unresolved border dispute with Eritrea. Maj Gen Rajender Singh, commander of UN peacekeepers monitoring the Ethiopia-Eritrea border, said he feared a new war is possible after both sides moved troops and military hardware closer to the border during the past 10 days.