US embassy cable - 03DJIBOUTI1656

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 001656 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR AF/E, ROBIN SMITH AND ANDREE JOHNSON IN AF/PD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, PHUM, DJ 
SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI: MEDIA COVERAGE ON EXPULSIONS 
RELEASE 
 
REF: (A)STATE 250486, (B)DJIBOUTI 1577, (C)DJIBOUTI 1510, 
 
(D)DJIBOUTI 1453 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1. (U) PER REF A POST RELEASED A PRESS STATEMENT ON 
SEPTEMBER 4 DISSOCIATING THE USG FROM THE DJIBOUTIAN 
GOVERNMENT'S RECENT IMMIGRATION POLICY.  POST PRODUCED A 
FRENCH TRANSLATION AND GAVE WIDE RELEASE TO THE STATEMENT 
IN BOTH LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL MEDIA OUTLETS.  POST ALSO 
DISTRIBUTED THE STATEMENT TO WARDENS, RESIDENT DIPLOMATIC 
MISSIONS, AND RESIDENT UNITED NATIONS ORGANIZATIONS. 
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA, INCLUDING RADIO FRANCE INTERNATIONAL 
(RFI), THE BRITISH BROADCASTING COMPANY (BBC), AND THE 
VOICE OF AMERICA (VOA), HAVE RUN RADIO BROADCASTS OF THE 
STATEMENT.  THE STATE BIWEEKLY NEWSPAPER, LA NATION, RAN 
PORTIONS OF THE STATEMENT IN A PAGE 5 ARTICLE.  THE 
OPPOSITION WEEKLY NEWSPAPER, LA REALITE, HAS COMMITTED TO 
INCLUDING THE STATEMENT IN THIS WEEK'S EDITION.  FSNS 
REPORT THAT SOME DJIBOUTIANS DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN 
SIGNIFICANTLY SWAYED BY THE RELEASE AS THEY PERCEIVE THAT 
THE ANNOUNCEMENT HAS COME TOO LATE, AFTER THE DEPARTURE 
OF MOST ILLEGALS, AND THAT THE USG IS SIMPLY TRYING TO 
COVER ITS TRACKS.  LOCAL MEDIA SOURCES REPORT, HOWEVER, 
THAT "THINKING PEOPLE" UNDERSTAND THE USG OPINION AND 
APPRECIATE THE STANCE THE USG HAS TAKEN.  IN ANY CASE, AN 
IMPORTANT POINT HAS BEEN MADE WITH THE DJIBOUTIAN 
GOVERNMENT IN REGARD TO HOW THE BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP IS 
PORTRAYED. END SUMMARY. 
 
PRESS STATEMENT 
--------------- 
 
2. (U) Per guidance in ref A post released the following 
language in a press communiqu on September 4. 
 
BEGIN PRESS STATEMENT: "The United States Government is 
concerned with the public perception and the mis- 
representation by certain media that it has played a role 
in the Djiboutian Government's current deportation 
policy.  The United States recognizes the sovereign right 
of every state to control its borders and to require that 
all persons be properly admitted and documented. 
However, the United States has played no role in the 
formation of the Djiboutian Government's current policy. 
 
The United States Government is deeply concerned about 
reports of mistreatment of detainees and related human 
rights abuses.  We believe that it is essential that all 
status determinations and deportations be carried out 
with full assurance of fundamental internationally- 
recognized human rights. 
 
The United States appreciates the strengthened bilateral 
relationship established with Djibouti.  Progress toward 
democratization and careful observance of internationally- 
recognized human rights are important to that 
relationship." 
 
END STATEMENT. 
 
Coverage 
-------- 
 
3. (U) PD Officer met with both the editor of the state 
biweekly newspaper and the director of state radio and 
television on September 4 to seek placement of the press 
release.  Both deferred commitment on this sensitive 
political issue but promised increased cooperation on 
coverage of positive aspects of the U.S. military 
presence in Djibouti.  The state biweekly newspaper, "La 
Nation," ran a page 5 piece on the statement on September 
8 titled "Les Etats-Unis ne sont pas impliques dans les 
operations de refoulement des clandestins" (Unofficial 
translation- The United States is not involved in the 
operations to expel illegal immigrants).  The piece took 
some editorial liberty with the statement but was 
encouraging to the degree that we obtained any state 
coverage at all.  To date, state radio and television 
have not covered the statement. 
 
4. (U) Opposition media in Djibouti consist of two weekly 
newspapers, "Le Renouveau" and "La Realite."  Le 
Renouveau is under temporary suspension after the 
imprisonment of its editor, Daher Ahmed Farah, last 
spring/summer and will not recommence publication until 
October.  PD Officer met with members of La Realite on 
September 8 and they stated that they would include the 
USG statement in this week's edition. 
 
5. (U) International media have paid significant 
attention to the release, and radio coverage (comment: 
the most effective news transmitter in this oral society) 
has been excellent.  PD officer responded to questions 
from RFI with language from the release which was 
broadcast on September 5-7.  The BBC and VOA have run 
pieces of the statement since its September 4 release. 
The BBC has requested a radio interview on September 11. 
Reuters has requested a video interview the week of 
September 15 when their crew arrives in Djibouti to cover 
the expulsions. 
 
COMMENT 
-------- 
 
6. (SBU) Despite indications that the more cynical 
Djiboutians believe the USG is "covering its tracks," 
after most of the expulsions have already taken place, 
our message has gone out and been heard. Local allies and 
sympathizers, as well as those open to persuasion, now 
have the official statement that the USG played no role 
in the recent immigration policy. 
 
7. (SBU) EQUALLY IMPORTANT IS THE LINE IN THE SAND. WE 
HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT WE WILL RESPOND PUBLICLY TO 
MISREPRESENTATION OF OUR BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP AND THAT 
OUR COMMITMENT TO THE RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IS REAL. 
 
TSMITH 
 
SIPDIS