226 Ethiopians may face death penalty for genocide
November 16, 2008
African Press Agency
APA, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) - Ethiopian Ministry of Justice officials on Sunday said 226 out of the 273 people arrested, have been charged with genocide committed during an ethnic clash in May.
The rest, 47 of them have also been charged with "serious crimes" they committed during an ethnic clash between Oromo and Guji tribes clashes.
Sources say those charged with genocide will possibly face a death penalty "since the crime is very serious.”
In May 2007,an ethnic clash were erupted between the Oromo and Guji over water sources and grazing land and during which a large but unspecified number of people were killed on both sides.
It it the first time that the Ethiopian government has charged such a large number of people with genocide crime in the country’s history.
The trial is being held in the Oromia regional state where the incident took place.