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From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Sun Feb 20 2011 - 15:32:09 EST
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/001f94f6-3d18-11e0-bbff-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1EX6Z3U33
Pro-democracy protests reach Djibouti
By Katrina Manson in Nairobi
Published: February 20 2011 18:23 | Last updated: February 20 2011 18:23
At least one person has been killed as pro-democracy demonstrations have
taken hold throughout the strategic, small north-east African coastal state
of Djibouti, echoing waves of protest seen throughout the Middle East.
Opposition parties said more than 30,000 people protested on Friday against
the dynastic rule of President Ismail Guelleh, who last year scrapped a
two-term constitutional limit to allow him to stand for re-election at polls
due in April. Government officials say less than a thousand people took
part.
Ismael Guedi Hared, an opposition leader who was arrested and released with
two others on Saturday, told the Financial Times that protests have
continued in seven towns throughout the tiny state of 850,000 people and
that more organised demonstrations will go ahead soon.
“The people are protesting against dictatorship, bad governance, lack of
democracy and dynastic succession,” Mr Hared told the FT. “The opposition
has formed a coalition and we have decided to do everything to make sure the
protests continue.”
State television broadcast scenes of tear gas exploding outside the national
stadium in the capital on Friday, alongside riot police, burnt trucks,
hospitalised police and hundreds of protesters, some armed with batons.
Protests had started peacefully, with one eyewitness telling the Financial
Times that there had initially been an “enthusiastic party atmosphere”.
The eyewitness continued: “Just at the call for prayer around 18.30 there
were a few minutes of silence and immediately after that the police moved
in, they had several tear gas canister devices mounted on trucks and scatted
everybody – everybody was just running, running trying to get away.”
Minister for the interior Yacin Elmi Bouh told the FT there were only 500 to
800 protesters but said police have arrested 40 so far and confirmed the
arrest and release of three opposition leaders. Police had moved to disperse
protesters after they failed to disband at the agreed time, he said.
“Protesters burned two trucks and stoned a policeman to death,” he said,
adding another police officer was seriously injured. He said a second death,
that of a boy said to be a protester, had died in a traffic accident. Calls
to the presidency went answered.
Abdourahman Boreh, a former friend of the regime who is now in exile, told
the FT he is helping to fund security for the opposition from London. “This
president cannot get away with this, he has broken the constitution – that
is not acceptable especially today with what we have seen happening in Tunis
and Cairo,” said Mr Boreh. “The middle class is in meltdown – it doesn’t
even exist any more. There is no need for any of us to be poor.”
Next door to conflict-wracked Somalia, Djibouti is an important base for
anti-terrorist and anti-piracy activities. Its port is crucial for
landlocked Ethiopia and has attracted millions of dollars of investment from
Dubai and elsewhere in recent years.
The US bases its Africa military command, Africom, in the state, which the
US says is a “vital strategic location”. Last year it doubled its aid
contribution to the country.
Nominations for Djibouti’s early April election, in which only 150,000
people make up the electorate, are due to open next week.
“I think it’s going to escalate – people were very surprised that the police
moved in,” said a regional political analyst. “Having cracked open the door
it’s angered people and I don’t think it’s going to disappear.”
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