Unrest in Djibouti. An echo of the Egyptian “Revolution”?

Several demonstrations took place in Djibouti, a small state in the Horn of Africa, and degenerated according to human rights organizations. It was in particular the handing over of report cards which led to the elimination of almost all the candidates for the university of law which caused trouble (see France24). And, according to FIDH, the repression “ violence, including live ammunition, by the security forces, in particular on February 5 and 6, would have left at least 4 people dead, including a pregnant woman, and dozens injured. Hundreds of students and high school students were reportedly arrested and are still being held in the Nagad detention center, police stations and gendarmerie brigades in Djibouti-ville and Balbala. Political opponents and human rights defenders were tried in immediate appearance and imprisoned in Gabode prison. Thus, 7 members of the Union for Democratic Alternation (UAD) and 2 human rights activists, Farah Abadid Heldid and Jean-Paul Noël Abdi, respectively member and president of the LDDH, were arrested on 5 and on February 9, 2011 and charged with “ participation in an insurrectionary movement in reference to their public statements in support of student protests. Event " general continues must still take place from February 18, 2011, in a tense pre-election context (the presidential elections are scheduled for April 8) where constitutional amendments should allow President Ismaël Omar Guelleh to run for a third term.

Strategic point

The small state in the Horn of Africa is a strategic point for international armed forces. It serves in particular as a rear base (FHQ Logistics) for the European Union's anti-piracy operation (Atalanta). And most of the ships of the multinational fleet (Japanese...) stop there. France has a large permanent base there (about 3000 men) with in particular air base 188 and the 13th DBLE, half-brigade of the Foreign Legion. Just like the United States (at Camp Lemonnier). Germany maintains a logistical support force there for Operation Enduring Freedom of around 100 men and women. While the Japanese set up a naval base there of about 150 men.