Ahmed Boulaleh Barreh
Encyclopedia
Ahmed Boulaleh Barreh, also known as Gabayo (born 1929), is a Djibouti
an politician. He is the Vice-President of the People's Social Democratic Party (PPSD) and a member of the National Assembly of Djibouti
.
Boulaleh was born in Ali-Sabieh and is an Issa
of the Furlaba subclan. He was first elected to the National Assembly in 1977 and was continuously re-elected during the subsequent 20 years. He was appointed to the government as Minister of the Interior, Posts and Communications on 13 May 1991 and was the National Assembly's representative on the Administrative Council of the Autonomous Port of Djibouti until 13 August 1992. In the December 1992 parliamentary election
, he was the second candidate on the candidate list of the governing People's Rally for Progress
(RPP) for the city of Djibouti
. Following this election, he was moved to the post of Minister of National Defense on 4 February 1993. Like Justice Minister Moumin Bahdon Farah
, he opposed the 1994 peace agreement with the moderate faction of the Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy
(FRUD) rebel group. Boulaleh remained Minister of National Defense until 27 March 1996, when he was dismissed from the government, along with Farah, by President Hassan Gouled Aptidon
.
After their dismissal, Farah and Boulaleh went into opposition and founded the Group for Democracy and the Republic, which was headed by Farah. Farah, Boulaleh and another National Assembly deputy, Ali Mahamade Houmed, released a communiqué urging party militants and the people "to come together and mobilize to thwart, by all legal and peaceful means, this deliberate policy of President Hassan Gouled Aptidon to rule by terror and force while trampling underfoot our Constitution and republican institutions." As a result of this communiqué, they were accused of offending the Head of State, and their parliamentary immunity was lifted on 15 June 1996 so that they could be tried on this charge. They appealed the lifting of their parliamentary immunity to the Constitutional Council on 20 June, and it responded favorably in a decision on 31 July 1996. Despite this, they were sentenced to six months in prison in 7 August 1996. They were also fined 200,000 Djiboutian franc
s and deprived of their civic rights for five years, thereby barring them from seeking election to the National Assembly during that time. A subsequent report to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
asserted that the trial was unfair.
Two years later, along with Farah and 15 soldiers, Boulaleh was charged with fomenting military unrest and plotting a coup; the accused were put on trial in September 1998. On 1 October 2001, he and the others convicted of insulting the Head of State in 1996 were granted an amnesty
.
A political party founded by Farah, the People's Social Democratic Party (PPSD), was legally registered in October 2002. Boulaleh became Vice-President of the PPSD and was elected to the National Assembly in the January 2003 parliamentary election
as the eighth candidate on the candidate list of the ruling coalition, the Union for a Presidential Majority (UMP), in the
city of Djibouti. As the oldest member of the National Assembly, he presided over the first sitting of the new parliamentary term, at which Idriss Arnaoud Ali
was elected as President of the National Assembly, on 21 January 2003.
In the February 2008 parliamentary election
, Boulaleh was the 11th candidate on the UMP's candidate list for the city of Djibouti, and he was re-elected. As the oldest member, he again presided over the first sitting of the new parliamentary term on 20 February 2008.
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...
an politician. He is the Vice-President of the People's Social Democratic Party (PPSD) and a member of the National Assembly of Djibouti
National Assembly of Djibouti
The National Assembly is the unicameral legislative branch of the government of Djibouti.-Overview:It consists of 65 members – 30 Somali and 30 Afar – elected to serve five-year terms in multi-seat constituencies...
.
Boulaleh was born in Ali-Sabieh and is an Issa
Issa (clan)
The Issa are a Somali clan, a sub-clan of the Dir. The Issa primarily reside in Djibouti, the extreme northwestern fringe in the Awdal district of Somaliland in northern Somalia, as well as the Shinile Zone located in the Somali Region of Ethiopia.-Lineage:...
of the Furlaba subclan. He was first elected to the National Assembly in 1977 and was continuously re-elected during the subsequent 20 years. He was appointed to the government as Minister of the Interior, Posts and Communications on 13 May 1991 and was the National Assembly's representative on the Administrative Council of the Autonomous Port of Djibouti until 13 August 1992. In the December 1992 parliamentary election
Djiboutian parliamentary election, 1992
Parliamentary elections were held in Djibouti on 18 December 1992. They were the first elections following a referendum in September that reintroduced multi-party democracy, albeit with a limit of four parties, although they were boycotted by the Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy...
, he was the second candidate on the candidate list of the governing People's Rally for Progress
People's Rally for Progress
The People's Rally for Progress , is a political party in Djibouti. It has dominated politics in the country since 1979, initially under the rule of President Hassan Gouled Aptidon...
(RPP) for the city of Djibouti
Djibouti (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:...
. Following this election, he was moved to the post of Minister of National Defense on 4 February 1993. Like Justice Minister Moumin Bahdon Farah
Moumin Bahdon Farah
Moumin Bahdon Farah is a Djiboutian politician and the President of the Social Democratic People's Party . He was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1978 to 1993 and Minister of Justice from 1993 to 1996. Currently, he is a member of the National Assembly of Djibouti.Farah is an Issa and a member of...
, he opposed the 1994 peace agreement with the moderate faction of the Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy
Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy
The Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy , is a political party in Djibouti. It is aligned with the interests of the Afar people who live in that country, although it has supporters residing outside of Djibouti....
(FRUD) rebel group. Boulaleh remained Minister of National Defense until 27 March 1996, when he was dismissed from the government, along with Farah, by President Hassan Gouled Aptidon
Hassan Gouled Aptidon
Hassan Gouled Aptidon was the first President of Djibouti from 1977 to 1999.-Biography:...
.
After their dismissal, Farah and Boulaleh went into opposition and founded the Group for Democracy and the Republic, which was headed by Farah. Farah, Boulaleh and another National Assembly deputy, Ali Mahamade Houmed, released a communiqué urging party militants and the people "to come together and mobilize to thwart, by all legal and peaceful means, this deliberate policy of President Hassan Gouled Aptidon to rule by terror and force while trampling underfoot our Constitution and republican institutions." As a result of this communiqué, they were accused of offending the Head of State, and their parliamentary immunity was lifted on 15 June 1996 so that they could be tried on this charge. They appealed the lifting of their parliamentary immunity to the Constitutional Council on 20 June, and it responded favorably in a decision on 31 July 1996. Despite this, they were sentenced to six months in prison in 7 August 1996. They were also fined 200,000 Djiboutian franc
Djiboutian franc
The franc is the currency of Djibouti. The ISO 4217 currency code is DJF. Historically it was subdivided into 100 centimes.- History :...
s and deprived of their civic rights for five years, thereby barring them from seeking election to the National Assembly during that time. A subsequent report to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
United Nations Commission on Human Rights
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights was a functional commission within the overall framework of the United Nations from 1946 until it was replaced by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2006...
asserted that the trial was unfair.
Two years later, along with Farah and 15 soldiers, Boulaleh was charged with fomenting military unrest and plotting a coup; the accused were put on trial in September 1998. On 1 October 2001, he and the others convicted of insulting the Head of State in 1996 were granted an amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
.
A political party founded by Farah, the People's Social Democratic Party (PPSD), was legally registered in October 2002. Boulaleh became Vice-President of the PPSD and was elected to the National Assembly in the January 2003 parliamentary election
Djiboutian parliamentary election, 2003
The 2003 Djiboutian parliamentary election took place in Djibouti on the 10 January 2003 to elect the National Assembly of Djibouti. The ruling coalition of President Ismail Omar Guelleh won all 65 seats in the election defeating an opposition coalition....
as the eighth candidate on the candidate list of the ruling coalition, the Union for a Presidential Majority (UMP), in the
city of Djibouti. As the oldest member of the National Assembly, he presided over the first sitting of the new parliamentary term, at which Idriss Arnaoud Ali
Idriss Arnaoud Ali
Idriss Arnaoud Ali is the President of the National Assembly of Djibouti, as well as the Secretary-General of the People's Rally for Progress .-Career:...
was elected as President of the National Assembly, on 21 January 2003.
In the February 2008 parliamentary election
Djiboutian parliamentary election, 2008
A parliamentary election was held in Djibouti on 8 February 2008. There were 65 candidates running for the 65 seats in the National Assembly, with all of the candidates coming from the ruling coalition, the Union for the Presidential Majority...
, Boulaleh was the 11th candidate on the UMP's candidate list for the city of Djibouti, and he was re-elected. As the oldest member, he again presided over the first sitting of the new parliamentary term on 20 February 2008.