Addis Ababa — More than 1,000 people were victims of "unlawful killings" in Ethiopia last year - many at the hands of the security forces, according to the US State Department.

In an annual report, released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, the US also criticised the Ethiopian government's human rights record.

"The government's human rights record remained poor. Although there were some improvements in a few areas, serious problems remained," said the report for 2002.

"The security forces committed many unlawful killings, including some alleged political killings during the year," added the report, which was released at the end of March.

It continued: "The number of unlawful killings during the year was estimated to be between 1,000 and 1,500. There continued to be numerous unconfirmed reports of unlawful killings by government security forces from Oromiya and the Somali regions."

Information Minister Bereket Simon acknowledged there had been serious problems in isolated regions of Ethiopia, but said the government was cracking down on rights abuses.

He told IRIN that while he disputed the estimates of numbers killed, the Ethiopian government had committed itself to improving the country's human rights record.

"In some parts of the country there has been abuse by local administrators, and the government - at both a federal and regional level - has taken corrective measures," he stated. "Those who have committed such crimes have been taken to court and the government has taken full responsibility in bringing the perpetrators to justice."

But the report said that in certain instances, killings were not investigated. It also stated that action was not taken against security forces "responsible" for killings in 2001, like the rioting in Addis Ababa where some 31 people died.

In particular, the report said that up to 800 people were killed in March last year during violent clashes in the far west of Ethiopia around Tepi.

The European Union has called for an "independent, transparent and open" enquiry into the clashes, in which government officials say 128 people were killed.

Bereket added that the situation in certain areas where killings had taken place was now improving and Prime Minister Meles Zenawi had pledged to tackle human rights abuses.