1.
GV INT. President of Chamber of Deputies speaking
0.06

2.
SCU PAN Newsmen taking notes (2 shots)
0.21

3.
GV President speaking
0.26

4.
CU Mural on school facade
0.30

5.
SV Students at rally
0.35

6.
SV Student president addressing rally
0.51

7.
SV Students chanting PAN TO others
1.07



Initials SC/2158 SC/2213



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Just over a month after the rebellion of Ethiopia's armed forces which triggered a wave of social unrest, a leading official has announced that Parliament will give its full support to a land reform bill. The ownership of land is one of the most burning issues in Ethiopia where there are many tenant farmers and much of the land is owned by a few rich landlords.

At a news conference on Monday (1 April) the Honourable Ato Abebe Wondimeneh President of the Chamber of Deputies, said he was sure that a land reform bill had already been drafted and that he hoped it would soon be sent to Parliament for approval.

While the conference was going on, students clashed with police in the capital, Addis Ababa. They refused to attend classes and stoned the school buildings. The students were demonstrating in support of the Air Force, the most radical element in the armed services, which has been pressing the newly formed government for land reforms. Later a group of about three hundred students marched on the offices of the Prime Minister, Mr. Endalkacha Makonnen, shouting that he be removed.

High school students also refused to go back to school. About 3,000 students at The Patriots High School said they would not go back to classes until the government stopped collecting money from them.