From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Thu Mar 25 2010 - 00:01:45 EST
Constitutional Amendment Could Undermine Djibouti's Peace and Security,
Opposition Figure Says
An independent presidential candidate says Djibouti could be plunged
into chaos if President Ismail Omar Guelleh changes the constitution
that extends his mandate which is due to expire ahead of the April 2011
general election.
Peter Clottey
22 March 2010
An independent presidential candidate says Djibouti could be plunged
into chaos if President Ismail Omar Guelleh changes the constitution
that extends his mandate which is due to expire ahead of the April 2011
general election.
Abdirahman Boreh said opposition parties are in negotiations to form a
coalition to challenge the ruling People's Rally for Progress (RPP) in
the vote.
"Our constitution states clearly that there should be a referendum.
Secondly, if it is democracy you know you can change the constitution
(on) minor things but you cannot change the fact that we have two terms
election for the (presidential) terms. If the people cannot take back
the power from the government and chose their own president, then there
is no democracy," he said.
President Guelleh was quoted as saying the people of Djibouti are
demanding a change to the constitution which will extend presidential
term limits.
"This is a demand from our population and this will be next year. Let us
wait for the outcome of the national commission that is working on the
subject," President Guelleh was quoted as saying.
But Boreh claims the people of Djibouti are despondent under President
Guelleh's leadership.
"You have studies made by the UN; you have got studies by the World Food
Program, the Red Cross, USAID, showing exactly the level of poverty the
level of unemployment, the anxiety in Djibouti (and) the instability
that is developing because people are unhappy," Boreh said.
Under Djibouti's 1992 constitution, the president is elected by popular
vote for a six-year term. The prime minister is appointed by the
president and the Council of Ministers is responsible to the president.
The constitution, which was approved by the electorate in September
1992, maintained many laws and decrees from before independence.
Political observers say the ruling RPP party tightly controls Djibouti's
political activities despite the recent constitution that legalized
opposition political parties.
Boreh said the opposition parties will soon form a coalition to
challenge the ruling RPP in next year's vote.
"It's (discussion) is very advanced. There are already three political
parties, which came together (and) there are two more coming. There
would be five out of the existing eight parties which are now in
Djibouti," Boreh said.
http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/africa/Constitutional-Amendment-Cou
ld-Undermine-Djiboutis-Peace-and-Security-Opposition-Figure-Says--888781
02.html
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