Government rejects US criticism on human rights

The Ethiopian government reacted strongly on Friday to criticism of its human rights record by the United States. A statement released by the foreign affairs ministry said the US condemnation of human rights in Ethiopia was "baseless and frivolous". The criticism came in the US State Department's annual human rights report, released on Monday, detailing country-by-country abuses throughout the world in 2004. "Security forces committed a number of unlawful killings, including alleged political killings and beat, tortured, and mistreated detainees," it said. It added that the government had infringed on privacy rights, restricted the press, "tightly controlled" news broadcasts and imprisoned thousands without charge. The government dismissed the report, saying it was based on "lies". "The report cannot, in any way, be taken as serious," the ministry stated. "It is essentially based on rumours, lies and innuendoes known to be peddled by those foreign-financed groups in Ethiopia who have an axe to grind against the government." It added: "This report does not in anyway reflect the reality of today's Ethiopia and cannot be seen as constructive for the promotion of human rights. [It] would make no contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights in Ethiopia, or in Africa." The US condemnation comes two months before national elections in Ethiopia, the third ever in its history. The government has pledged to make the polls free and fair. Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has pledged to push human rights to the top of the political agenda. Last year he appointed a human rights commissioner to investigate abuses. "The government's human rights record remained poor [and] although there were improvements, serious problems remained," added the report. "[It] arbitrarily monitored private communication, such as internet communications and phone conversations. [It] also used a system of paid informants to report on the activities of particular individuals." It added: "Opposition party members reported that their homes were burned down and their offices looted. There also were credible reports that teachers and other government workers had their employment terminated if they belonged to opposition political parties."