Djibouti: Reaction of the government in general following the failed coup attempt of December 2000 and information on clan groups, if any, that are experiencing difficulties
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 25 May 2001 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | DJI37112.FE |
| Reference | 7 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Djibouti: Reaction of the government in general following the failed coup attempt of December 2000 and information on clan groups, if any, that are experiencing difficulties, 25 May 2001, DJI37112.FE, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3f7d4d8c0.html [accessed 20 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to media sources, on 7 December 2000, Yacin Yabeh, the chief of staff of the National Police Force (Force nationale de police, FNP), and armed police officers rebelled against the decision made on 4 December 2000 by President Ismail Omar Guelleh to dismiss Yacin Yabeh from the position he had occupied since 1977 (AFP 14 Dec. 2000; ibid. 8 Dec. 2000; ibid. 7 Dec. 2000; La Lettre de l'Océan indien 9 Dec. 2000; Country Reports 2000 2001; LDDH 30 Dec. 2000; IRIN 8 Dec. 2000).
Sources add that rebel police officers occupied a number of public buildings for a few hours, including the Radio Télévision de Djibouti (RTD) building and the presidential palace (ibid.; La Lettre de l'Océan indien 9 Dec. 2000). However, loyalist military forces were able to overpower them (ibid.). According to official sources, "only two people were killed" during the confrontation (IRIN 14 Dec. 2000). However, other sources note that between five and nine people were killed (AFP 8 Dec. 2000; Country Reports 2000 2001) and that more than 10 others were wounded during the fight with the military (ibid.).
According to La Lettre de l'Océan indien, General Yacin Yabeh is a member of the Issa Furlaba sub-clan, and the majority of the rebel police officers are Furlaba (9 Dec. 2000). Also according to this source, [translation] "General Yacin Yabeh had fled, but at the end of the evening, he was located and loyalist forces said they would be able to arrest him soon" (La Lettre de l'Océan indien 9 Dec. 2000).
According to the Hargeysa newspaper Mandeeq, the government arrested approximately 50 members of the Issa Furlaba sub-clan, including government and private sector professionals, as well as women and elder members of the same sub-clan as Yacin Yabeh, the leader of the rebellion (14 Dec. 2000).
According to IRIN, General Yacin Yabeh was formally charged with conspiracy and breach of state security (14 Dec. 2000). Twelve police officers, including eight senior officers, were allegedly also charged with the same offences (IRIN 14 Dec. 2000).
However, the Djiboutian Human Rights League (Ligue djiboutienne des droits humains, LDDH) states that [translation] "on 13 December 2000, the prosecutor placed 13 officers of the National Police Force under a provisional committal order, and they were immediately imprisoned in the Gabode civilian prison" (30 Dec. 2000). In addition, Country Reports 2000 states that these 13 officers were still being detained in the Gabode prison at the end of 2000 (2001).
Further, according to the LDDH, [translation] "on 17 February 2001, French authorities in Djibouti refused to hospitalize General Yacin Yabeh Galab at Bouffard, a French military establishment in Djibouti, although the Djiboutian judicial authorities had authorized it" (27 Mar. 2001). In addition, on 14 March 2001, the LDDH declared that General Yacin Yabeh was in a [translation] "critical" state of health and stated that it was [translation] "very concerned about General Yacin Yabeh's health condition, which can only be controlled in a specialized medical centre by the medical team that has always monitored it." The LDDH asked the Minister of Health to [translation] "intervene directly with the President of the Republic to ensure that all measures are taken to (1) grant a temporary release and (2) facilitate all procedures for the medical evacuation of General Yacin Yabeh" (LDDH 14 Mar. 2001).
In addition, the LDDH was refused authorization to visit FNP prisoners (17 May 2001). It adds that
[Translation]
given this refusal, and detention conditions similar to, or even worse than, those experienced by certain politicians, the LDDH can only consider these prisoners, who have been detained since the incident of 7 December 2000, as political prisoners.
The LDDH was recently shocked to learn that the situation in the prison has worsened and that the conditions and the pressure on the families of these political prisoners are becoming increasingly humiliating and unacceptable.
It seems that for three months, the examining magistrate's file on the 7/12/00 case has been practically closed, there remaining only higher-level decisions before the Criminal Court is seized of the matter.
The LDDH has noted that for a month, the extension of the period of detention has appeared to be very abusive and that the severe detention conditions must be considered a true form of unbearable torture.
The LDDH is issuing an urgent appeal to all members of the World Organization Against Torture, asking for their involvement in the case of these tortured prisoners in order to begin taking positive action with the Djiboutian authorities (LDDH 17 May 2001).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Agence France Presse (AFP). 14 December 2000. "L'ex-chef de la police rebelle de Djibouti inculpé de complot et de meurtre." (NEXIS)
_____. 8 December 2000. "Mutinerie : l'ex-chef de la police de Djibouti en fuite mais 'localisé'." (NEXIS)
_____. 7 December 2000. "Des policiers en colère dans Djibouti-ville, des coups de feu entendus." (NEXIS)
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2000. 2001. United States Department of State. Washington, DC. Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN). 14 December 2000. "Djibouti: Coup Attempt Leader Charged." _____. 8 December 2001. "Djibouti : Witnesses Describe 'Coup Attempt'." La Lettre de l'Océan indien [Paris]. 9 December 2000. "Djibouti : le coup de tête d'un général." (NEXIS)
Ligue djiboutienne des droits humains (LDDH). 17 May 2001. "Communiqué de Presse No /13/01/LDDH." _____. 27 March 2001. "Lettre ouverte au directeur de publication du journal le Progrès organe hebdomadaire d'information du Rassemblement Populaire pour le Progrès RPP, M. Idriss Arnaoud Ali, président de la Commission permanente de l'Assemblée nationale et secrétaire général adjoint du Parti RRP, parti au
pouvoir." _____. 14 March 2001. "Le Général Yacin Yabeh va-t-il mourir faute de soins? La monstrueuse vengeance de Guelleh." [Accessed 23 May 2001]
_____. 30 December 2000. "Manifestations armées des Forces Armées rapidement réprimées par les armes des Forces Armées." Mandeeq [Hargeysa, in Somali]. 14 December 2000. "Djibouti: About 50 Arrested in Connection with Aborted Coup - Somaliland." (NEXIS/BBC Worldwide Monitoring 14 Dec. 2000)
