2011 Djiboutian protests
Encyclopedia
The 2011 Djiboutian protests were widespread protests and riots in the Muslim nation of Djibouti
, starting in January 2011 and continuing through to March. Djibouti is a member of the Arab League
due to Arabic
being a co-official language, but it is not an Arab-majority country; however, protests showed a clear influence from the Arab Spring
in North Africa
and the Middle East
. The protests have ended after mass arrests and barring of international observers
has been in office since 1999, but his government has been in power for 34 years. Recently, Guelleh changed the constitution so that he could have a third term in office. This proved unpopular with the Djiboutian population.
These protests occurred in the months leading up to the Djiboutian presidential election, 2011
.
. On February 18, thousands rallied against the president, gathering at a stadium with the intention of staying there until their demands were met. However, the demonstration escalated into clashes after dusk, as police used batons and tear gas against stone-throwing protesters. Officials from the Union for Democratic Change, an umbrella group of three opposition parties, gave speeches at the demonstration calling for Guelleh to step down.
Leaders of the Djiboutian civil rights movements, opposition parties and protest organisers were set to meet on February 24 to plan mass protests for the following day. Police acting on behalf of Gulleh arrested 300 organisers during and after the mass protests on February 18, with reports of torture being used to sedate the activists. After the failure of the leaders to turn up on February 24, opposition leader Bourhan Mohammed Ali stated he feared the protests had lost momentum. Protests had been planned for March 4, but it remained to be seen if the Djiboutians would be able to coordinate themselves without the 300 arrested leaders.
ordered its opposition party to cancel its anti-government protests which were to be held on March 4, 2011 due to a previous rally a month earlier turning violent. Mohammed Daoud
, head of the opposition Djibouti Party for Development
, said that protests will occur as scheduled. On the 4th soldiers and police filled the streets to prevent the planned demonstration blocking the route to the city's main stadium where they were to have taken place and preventing the protest. A protest was planned for March 11, but security forces scuppered the protest and detained 4 opposition leaders.
On March 21, US election monitors were expelled from the country, whose task would have been to observe the April 2011 presidential election
.
's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
warned against travel to Djibouti
.
Djibouti
Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...
, starting in January 2011 and continuing through to March. Djibouti is a member of the Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
due to Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
being a co-official language, but it is not an Arab-majority country; however, protests showed a clear influence from the Arab Spring
Arab Spring
The Arab Spring , otherwise known as the Arab Awakening, is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world that began on Saturday, 18 December 2010...
in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. The protests have ended after mass arrests and barring of international observers
Background
President of Djibouti Ismail Omar GuellehIsmail Omar Guelleh
Ismaïl Omar Guelleh is the President of Djibouti. He succeeded his uncle, Hassan Gouled Aptidon, in 1999. He is often referred to in the region by his initials 'IOG'....
has been in office since 1999, but his government has been in power for 34 years. Recently, Guelleh changed the constitution so that he could have a third term in office. This proved unpopular with the Djiboutian population.
These protests occurred in the months leading up to the Djiboutian presidential election, 2011
Djiboutian presidential election, 2011
Voters in Djibouti re-elected President Ismail Omar Guelleh by an 80% margin in that nation's April 8, 2011 presidential election. He defeated Mohamed Warsama Ragueh, an attorney and former judge who took 19% of the vote....
.
Before February 19
On January 28, hundreds of people turned out to protest in Djibouti City. Similar to the events on January 28, only smaller. 300 people gathered in a square in the capital, DjiboutiDjibouti (city)
The City of Djibouti is the capital and largest city in the Republic of Djibouti, a nation in the Horn of Africa. The biggest settlement on the Gulf of Tadjoura, it lies on a peninsula that separates that basin from the Gulf of Aden.-History:...
. On February 18, thousands rallied against the president, gathering at a stadium with the intention of staying there until their demands were met. However, the demonstration escalated into clashes after dusk, as police used batons and tear gas against stone-throwing protesters. Officials from the Union for Democratic Change, an umbrella group of three opposition parties, gave speeches at the demonstration calling for Guelleh to step down.
February 19–25
On February 19, clashes were reported to be intensifying. Anti-government protestors clashed with security forces 24 hours after hundreds of demonstrators demanding the president step down hurled stones at riot police who fired back with tear gas. At least one policeman was killed, and sources said one protester had also been killed. The protest leaders were arrested The next day, Djiboutian authorities released three opposition leaders as opponents of President Ismail Guelleh clashed with police.Leaders of the Djiboutian civil rights movements, opposition parties and protest organisers were set to meet on February 24 to plan mass protests for the following day. Police acting on behalf of Gulleh arrested 300 organisers during and after the mass protests on February 18, with reports of torture being used to sedate the activists. After the failure of the leaders to turn up on February 24, opposition leader Bourhan Mohammed Ali stated he feared the protests had lost momentum. Protests had been planned for March 4, but it remained to be seen if the Djiboutians would be able to coordinate themselves without the 300 arrested leaders.
February 26 - March 11
On March 3, DjiboutiDjibouti
Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...
ordered its opposition party to cancel its anti-government protests which were to be held on March 4, 2011 due to a previous rally a month earlier turning violent. Mohammed Daoud
Mohammed Daoud
Mohammed Daoud was a Moroccan writer and historian and a major nationalist in the Spanish occupied Northern Morocco during its struggle for independence...
, head of the opposition Djibouti Party for Development
Djibouti Party for Development
The Djibouti Party for Development , is a political party in Djibouti. In the parliamentary election held on 10 January 2003, the party was part of the Union for a Democratic Change , which won 37.3% of the popular vote but no seats in the National Assembly....
, said that protests will occur as scheduled. On the 4th soldiers and police filled the streets to prevent the planned demonstration blocking the route to the city's main stadium where they were to have taken place and preventing the protest. A protest was planned for March 11, but security forces scuppered the protest and detained 4 opposition leaders.
Censorship
On February 9, the President of the Djibouti League of Human Rights was arrested.On March 21, US election monitors were expelled from the country, whose task would have been to observe the April 2011 presidential election
Djiboutian presidential election, 2011
Voters in Djibouti re-elected President Ismail Omar Guelleh by an 80% margin in that nation's April 8, 2011 presidential election. He defeated Mohamed Warsama Ragueh, an attorney and former judge who took 19% of the vote....
.
Response
The United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
warned against travel to Djibouti
Djibouti
Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...
.