US embassy cable - 04DJIBOUTI822

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000822 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, ELAB, ECON, EINV, CASC, ASEC, DJ 
SUBJECT: ARHIBA PROTESTS IN DJIBOUTI ADDRESSED BY PRIME 
MINISTER 
 
REF: DJIBOUTI 795 
 
Classified By: Pol/Econ Erinn C. Reed for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (U) Seven youths from the Arhiba neighborhood were 
arrested on the afternoon of 8 June, following protests 
against hiring practices at Djibouti's new Doraleh Port 
Facility and Free Zone.  These arrests were the subject of a 
second day of protests on 9 June. 
 
2. (U) Prime Minister, Dileita Mohammed Dileita, speaking 
before Parliament on 10 June said, these seven arrests were 
related to several graffiti messages that appeared on a 
public wall during the protests and that had possible 
terrorist connotations.  The Prime Minister stated that the 
arrests were not aimed at harming the community but rather 
were made as a precaution against what the government sees as 
"outside influences" seeking to use the youth.   He also said 
in his remarks that these graffiti messages and the force 
behind the protests needed to be investigated "in order to 
protect friends and guests in Djibouti."  (Note: This comment 
refers to the French, American and coalition military 
presence in Djibouti.)  He told Parliament that these 
protests incite tribal hatred and that the Djiboutian 
government would not tolerate threats. 
 
3. (U) Four of the seven arrested claimed responsibility for 
the graffiti, the other three denied involvement.  Those that 
confessed were sent to Gabode prison pending full 
investigation.  The three who denied involvement were 
temporarily released on 12 June, pending a full 
investigation. 
 
3. (C) Comment: Pol/Econ and Econ FSN drove by the wall on 
which the graffiti had been scrawled.  The messages were 
heavily anti-government, anti-Guelleh and anti-the recently 
inaugurated Free Zone. Some of the messages included: "The 
Free Zone is a Presidential Boutique," "IOG (Ismael Omar 
Guelleh) profits, steals from the citizens, we will respond 
otherwise this time," "IOG - the people are not fools, stop 
dreaming," "Arhiba is united in misery against injustice and 
oppression."  Most of the graffiti messages had a similar 
content and did not explicitly indicate terrorist intentions. 
 The one message on the wall that is more likely to be 
construed as a terrorist threat stated: "We like sacrifice, 
we have martyrs and we have terrorists."  This message is 
more likely aimed at eliciting a sharp government response 
rather than indicating anti-foreign sentiment. 
RAGSDALE