Gov't says Oromiya unrest quelled

The Ethiopian government maintained that unrest in Oromiya has been quelled, despite claims by two rebel groups that dozens of people had been killed in renewed post-election violence. The information ministry criticised the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and accused the separatist group of trying to foment unrest in Oromiya, home to the Oromo community, Ethiopia's largest ethnic group. The OLF announced in a statement on Friday that 10 people had been killed after protests broke out last week in a "popular uprising" that elicited a severe crackdown from the government. "Although the attempts of the OLF are nipped in the bud by the concerted efforts of the people and security forces, the OLF is engaged in disseminating baseless allegations in its usual way, as if there is instability in Oromiya regional state," the information ministry said. The government has acknowledged that two students were killed last week after demonstrations in Ambo, in Oromiya, 125 km west of Addis Ababa, the capital. Ethiopia has more than 80 different ethnic groups. Of the East African nation’s 77 million people, around 28 million are ethnic Oromos. The OLF has waged an 11-year guerrilla war against the current coalition government led by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. It claims that the rights of its community are being abused and is fighting for greater autonomy for the Oromo region, which is in southwestern Ethiopia, bordering Kenya. Meanwhile, the information ministry announced in a separate statement that two prison wardens had been killed in a jail break in Kebre Dehar, 1,200 km east of the capital. Some of the prisoners were still at large, the statement said. It did not reveal if anyone else had been killed or how many had tried to escape from the prison. "More than 30 people are reported dead from the civilians and the prisoners," the Ogaden National Liberation Front said in statement on the jail break. Police said they were investigating reports that between 17 and 18 prisoners were killed. The information ministry maintained that the jail break had nothing to do with the recent protests. "The incident is simply one that can happen any time and at any place," it said. According to the government, it is the second jail break this month. On 3 November, state media reported that seven prisoners were killed and 26 others wounded while attempting to break out of a jail on the outskirts of Addis Ababa. The rebels and the government had indicated earlier this year that they would be willing to hold talks to try and end the conflict. Ethiopia's government said it would "respond positively", provided the rebels lay down their arms. Little headway appears to have been made in the talks, however.