Vicki Huddleston, the charge d'affairs at the US embassy in Addis Ababa, said the United States had been disappointed to see that several of 20 Humvees sold to Ethiopia in the past had been misused to "disperse demonstrations" and that future sales had been cancelled.

"(These vehicles) were here only for use in anti-terrorist activities," she told reporters. "We have now decided not to sell any more Humvees to the Ethiopian army."

Ethiopian security forces used Humvees as they moved to put down unrest by opening fire on crowds during protests in June and November against alleged fraud in the May 15 elections called by the opposition Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD).

The government has said it regrets the deaths but has defended its use of deadly force as necessary to keep the peace.

After the last explosion of violence it launched a crackdown on the CUD leadership and independent journalists seen as sympathetic to the opposition.

Ethiopian officials accuse the CUD and its alleged allies of trying foment the violent overthrow of the government, and 131 opposition figures and journalists have been charged with various crimes including treason, genocide, conspiracy, and outrage against the constitution.

Huddleston said the United States was concerned the trial, expected to resume next month, "could be divisive" and urged the authorities to make good on pledges to respect due process and the rule of law.

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