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Freedom in the World - Djibouti (2004)

Political Rights: 5
Civil Liberties: 5
Status: Partly Free
Population: 700,000
GNI/Capita: $900
Life Expectancy: 43
Religious Groups: Muslim (94 percent), Christian (6 percent)
Ethnic Groups: Somali (60 percent), Afar (35 percent), other (5 percent)
Capital: Djibouti

Ratings Change
Djibouti's political rights rating declined from 4 to 5 due to a legislative election in which opposition parties were significantly disadvantaged by electoral rules and the use of government powers of incumbency.

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Overview

Hopes that elections would further promote Djibouti's democratic opening suffered a setback as the January 2003 parliamentary poll resulted in a clean sweep for the ruling Presidential Majority Union (UMP) coalition. The result was due in part to the UMP's incumbency and dominance of the government administrative apparatus and disadvantageous electoral rules. The opposition Union for Democratic Alternance (UAD) subsequently alleged widespread voter fraud, but its case was rejected by the Constitutional Council.

Djibouti was known as the French Territory of the Afar and Issa before gaining independence from France in 1977. Djibouti's people are deeply divided along ethnic and clan lines, with the majority Issa (Somali) and minority Afar peoples holding most political power. In 1991, Afar rebels of the Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (FRUD) launched a three-year guerrilla war against Issa domination. In 1994, the largest FRUD faction agreed to end its insurgency in exchange for inclusion in the government and electoral reforms. However, sporadic attacks continued by a radical wing of the group.

President Hassan Gouled controlled a one-party system until 1992, when a new constitution adopted by referendum authorized four political parties. In 1993, Gouled was declared the winner of a fourth six-year term in Djibouti's first contested presidential elections. Both the opposition and international observers considered the poll fraudulent. In the 1997 legislative elections, which were also considered unfair, the Popular Rally for Progress (RPP), in coalition with the legalized arm of the FRUD at the time, won all 65 National Assembly seats.

Gouled stepped down in 1999 after 22 years in power, opening the way for the country's first change in presidential leadership. The RPP's Ismael Omar Guelleh won the presidential poll that year with 74 percent of the vote, while Moussa Ahmed Idriss of the Unified Djiboutian Opposition (ODU) received 26 percent. Guelleh, who was Gouled's nephew and a former head of state security, had long been considered the de facto head of government and the president's heir apparent. For the first time since elections began in 1992, no group boycotted the vote, which was regarded as generally fair.

In 2001, the government followed up a peace agreement it had signed with the radical wing of the FRUD in 2000 with a more extensive accord. Like the previous agreement, it was aimed at putting an end to the ethnic Afar insurgency that began in 1991.

In the January 2003 parliamentary elections, a pro-government bloc of four parties under the umbrella UMP ran against the opposition UAD bloc of four parties. The ruling UMP captured all 65 seats despite the UAD receiving 37 percent of the votes in a low voter turnout of 48 percent. In addition, although the coalition won 62 percent of the vote, the election law stipulates that the majority victor in each of the country's five electoral constituencies (in this election, the UMP) wins all seats in that district. The Constitutional Council rejected UAD allegations of widespread voter fraud.

The polls came at a time of increasing U.S. interest in Djibouti, which is strategically located on the Red Sea. In 2003, some 2,000 U.S. Army and Special Forces troops were stationed in Djibouti in support of U.S. foreign policy objectives in the Middle East.

Approximately 2,700 French troops are among 8,000 French residents of Djibouti. French advisors and technicians have traditionally effectively run much of the country. Although this is slowly changing, President Guelleh favors retaining strong ties with France.

Djibouti has little industry and few natural resources, although its strategic position has long proved to be an important asset. Services provide most of the national income. Efforts to curb rampant corruption have met with little success.

Political Rights and Civil Liberties

The trappings of representative government and formal administration have had little relevance to the real distribution and exercise of power in Djibouti. Although international observers declared the 1999 presidential poll generally fair, the ruling party had the advantage of state resources to conduct its campaign. President Ismael Omar Guelleh announced in September 2002 that Djibouti would have a full multiparty system, as opposed to a four-party system. In the 2003 legislative election, opposition parties were significantly disadvantaged by electoral rules and the use of government powers of incumbency. The country's political opposition has suffered from significant divisions and had previously been unable to achieve any successes in elections that were controlled by the government.

Despite constitutional protection, freedom of speech is not guaranteed. The government owns the principal newspaper, La Nation, as well as Radiodiffusion-Television de Djibouti (RTD), which operates the national radio and TV. Journalists have to generally avoid sensitive issues covering human rights, the army, Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (FRUD), relations with Ethiopia, and French financial aid. In July, the leader of an opposition party and a journalist were jailed on charges of libel. As noted by Amnesty International, the case reflected the weakness of the rule of law as it included arbitrary refusal of bail and a prison sentence for what normally would have been a civil case. Djibouti was also identified in 2003 by the press watchdog group Reporters Sans Frontieres as a country in which freedom of speech is significantly limited. Numerous journalists have been expelled or detained for publishing without government approval. There are also internal pressures on the media. Moreover, journalists are largely untrained and poorly paid. There is only limited Internet access.

Islam is the official state religion, but freedom of worship is respected, although the government discourages proselytizing. While freedom is generally respected, education choices are limited and Djibouti has no university.

Freedom of assembly and association are nominally protected under the constitution, but the government has demonstrated little tolerance for political protest. There are complaints of harassment of political opponents and union leaders. Local human rights groups do not operate freely. However, women's groups and other nongovernmental organizations operate without hindrance. Workers may join unions and strike, but the government routinely obstructs the free operation of unions.

The judiciary is not independent. Sharia (Islamic law) prevails in family matters. The former chief of police, General Yacin Yabel Galab, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2002 on charges related to an attempted coup in December 2000. Eleven other police, including eight senior officers, received sentences ranging from 3 to 10 years. Galab was chief of police from independence until his dismissal just prior to the coup attempt. Security forces arrest Djiboutians without proper authority, despite constitutional requirements that arrests may not occur without a decree presented by a judicial magistrate. Prison conditions are harsh, with reports of beatings, torture, and the rape of female inmates.

Despite equality under civil law, women suffer serious discrimination under customary practices in inheritance and other property matters, in divorce, and regarding the right to travel. Female genital mutilation is widespread, and legislation forbidding mutilation of young girls is not enforced. Women's groups are making efforts to curb the practice. A record number of seven women were elected to parliament in January 2003.

Topics: Human rights,