US embassy cable - 05DJIBOUTI149

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 DJIBOUTI 000149 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER; STATE FOR AF AND AF/E 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/03/2015 
TAGS: SOCI, SCUL, PREL, PGOV, ASEC, PINR, KISL, DJ 
SUBJECT: ISLAM IN DJIBOUTI 
 
Classified By: Pol/Econ Erinn C. Reed for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: During recent years, the Islamic world has 
witnessed changes in religious attitudes and verbal outlook. 
Fundamental views that oppose all things external to Islamic 
culture expressed by scholars and preachers have taken hold 
in some Muslim societies. This fervent opposition of anything 
not adhering to the strictures of fundamental Islam has led 
some societies to withdraw into themselves. Djibouti is known 
for practicing a moderate and tolerant version of Islam since 
the early ages of the religion. However, Djibouti has not 
been able to avoid the impact of recent movements pushing for 
a return to the fundamentals of Islam. End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) Islam took hold in Djibouti in the religion's early 
years. Prior to French colonial rule, religious leaders were 
often leaders in community affairs. They taught religion, as 
well as administered affairs such as marriage contracts, 
inheritance, and resolving conflicts with Shari'a law. 
Islamic education was based on memorization of the Quran. At 
higher levels, education focused on the Arabic language and 
Islamic jurisprudence. Memorization in quranic schools (known 
in Djibouti as Madrassad or Mal'amad) had become part of 
Djiboutian culture and was seen in nearly every populated 
area. Religious leaders exercised traditional authority over 
their communities through a network system, uniting different 
localities under a set of rules and traditional regulations 
blended with Shari'a. However, colonial rule greatly weakened 
the authority of traditional community leaders overall. 
 
3. (SBU) Djibouti's constitution, established in 1992, 
declares Islam as the state religion. Statistics show an 
estimated 99 percent of its 650,000 citizens as Sunni Muslim. 
The actual number of practicing Muslims is much less. The 
country observes Muslim holy days as national holidays. 
Djibouti is culturally integrated in the wider Islamic world 
through its membership in the Organization of Islamic 
Conference and the Arab League. However, the Government of 
Djibouti employs modern interpretations of Islamic texts in 
the creation of national programs and policies. The President 
is required to take an oath on the Holy Quran at 
inauguration, but religion governs only a few aspects of 
Djiboutian politics. The Ministry of Muslim Affairs was 
created to monitor the affairs of Muslims, such as oversight 
of mosques. Islamic law based on the Quran is used in family 
matters and is administered by family judges within the 
Ministry of Justice. These two instances are the only areas 
where religion governs instead of merely influencing. 
 
4. (SBU) Historically, Djibouti has adhered to the Shafi'i 
school of thought, one of four in the Islamic faith. The 
Quran and the Sunna (sayings) of the Prophet are considered 
to be sacrosanct among Djiboutians. Recently, the country has 
witnessed changes and a loss of the historic adherence to the 
Shafi'i school. During the last decade, the Hanbali and 
Tabligh schools of thought, brought from Saudi Arabia and 
India, have developed significantly in Djibouti. The Hanbali 
school is commonly known as Wahabism, named after the 
movement's founder, Mohamed Abdoul Wahab. 
 
5. (C) Djibouti has not been able to ignore the active role 
of Islamic movements and the impact of their calls for a 
return to traditional Islamic values and legal authority in 
the daily life of Muslims. It would be necessary to create a 
trans-clan organization to achieve these goals in Djibouti, 
something that is difficult to do on secular issues. Even 
though circles of Islamic education are well established in a 
sustainable system throughout Djibouti, there is an 
educational migration of Djiboutian students to the Islamic 
world. Most of these students head towards Saudi Arabia, 
Egypt, and since 2001, Sudan. All of these countries are 
centers of modern Islamic movements. Djiboutians have not 
been receptive to Islamic radicalism, tending instead to 
identify first with their ethnic kin rather than religious 
ties. However, radical Islamic ideas have been gaining ground 
in Djibouti. More women are choosing to wear veils, and more 
men in Government are growing beards as a sign of religious 
piety. There is also evidence that some members of the Armed 
Forces returning from military schools in Saudi Arabia have 
adopted Wahabism. Resistance to these movements exists but 
seems to be increasingly more timid. 
 
Institutional Hierarchy 
----------------------- 
6. (SBU) The Cadi is the country's senior judge of Islamic 
law and is appointed by the Minister of Muslim Affairs. 
Officially titled, the Minister of State for Charitable and 
Religious Affairs, this position was created in May 1999 when 
President Ismail Omar Guelleh formed his cabinet. At his 
inauguration, he declared that Islam would be a central tenet 
of his government. Generally, Djibouti is trying to show a 
firm commitment to Islamic symbolism, exploiting it to fit 
state objectives. The mission of the Ministry of Muslim 
Affairs is to define the orientations of national identity in 
order to harmonize religious action according to 
socio-cultural specifications of the country and to govern 
all matters related to Islam, its education and the 
propagation of Arab-Muslim culture. 
 
7. (C) In October 2004, the High Islamic Council (HIC) was 
created within the Ministry of Muslim Affairs. One of the 
main tasks of the HIC is to give guidance on religious 
matters. It advises on matters related to religious 
inspiration, and puts forth recommendations on general 
religious education and preaching orientations. The HIC is 
governed by a board made up of the Minister of Muslim Affairs 
and seven consultative members, chosen from among erudite and 
national Muslim leaders. The HIC controls three important 
services: the High Fatwa Authority, responsible for religious 
solutions to general and specific queries; the Da'wa 
Committee on Islamic Orientation, responsible for guiding 
religious education, promoting moderate ideas, and improving 
the performance of Imams; and the Mosques Council, 
responsible for monitoring the functioning of mosques. The 
Government has an effective control over the message that 
mosques preach. Since 9/11, sermons have been toned down to 
align more with western, rather than with fundamentalist, 
ideology. Institutions that heavily preached anti-Western and 
anti-Jewish sentiment are now taking a much lower profile 
when expressing their views. 
 
8. (SBU) In July 2004, President Guelleh created Diwan Az 
Zakat (DZF) to take charge of collecting and distributing the 
Zakat, a compulsory charity imposed on every Muslim under the 
Third Pillar of Islam. This organization is headed by an 
executive board of nine members. Five of these positions are 
held by members of Djiboutian society that pay the most 
charity. The remaining four positions are chosen for their 
integrity and competence. As of yet, there have been no 
public calls for Djiboutians to pay their Zakat through the 
DZF. However, some of the board members have used the time 
since the organization's creation to visit Persian Gulf 
countries and Sudan to gain experience in similar 
organizations that have existed for more than a decade. 
 
Islamic Tendencies and Factions Present in Djibouti 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
9. (SBU) In the wider Islamic world, activists belonging to 
different schools of thought have been questioning the 
legitimacy of state policies, particularly those regarding 
the role of Islam in the State and society. These activists 
have formed organizations to address their way of 
understanding Islam, lately referred to as "political Islam." 
Many of the new groups and organizations can be found in 
Djibouti with varying levels of influence. The most prominent 
of these organizations are considered to be the "Salafiyah 
(Wahabis)" and the "Tabligh." These groups were both 
initially formed in the late 1950's. The Salafiyah and 
Tabligh groups both advocate harmonization of the indigenous 
culture and laws of the State with the Islamic legal system. 
The roots of this methodology can be seen in the Wahabi 
school in Saudi Arabia and the neo-Sufis in India. 
 
10. (SBU) Though these movements share the aspiration to 
bring traditional Islamic values into the lives of their 
communities, their tactical approaches in Djibouti are mainly 
peaceful. The two movements believe in an evolutionary reform 
of the society through education and revival of pure Islamic 
values. The movements have represented themselves as a 
reawakening of the faith. This has been a phenomenon seen 
often when Muslims suffer an external threat, such as 
colonialism or invasion, with Islam employed as an ideology 
of liberation (Jihad). Reawakenings and moral rearmament have 
also been seen whenever new charismatic preachers, 
organizations, or brotherhoods have appeared in the religious 
community intensifying the call for renewal of the faith. 
 
Wahabi Groups in Djibouti 
------------------------- 
11. (SBU) There are several educational and political 
institutions present in Djibouti that adhere to the Wahabi 
school of thought. One of the larger schools is the Islamic 
Saudi Institute (ISI), supported by the Saudi Arabian 
Government, which provides for education under the Saudi 
system through the final year of High School for a yearly fee 
(100 USD). The ISI is a branch of the Imam Mohamed Ibn Saoud 
Islamic University in Riyadh. The Director of the ISI in 
Djibouti is appointed by the University's dean. The ISI and 
its Saudi teachers reportedly enjoy diplomatic immunity while 
in Djibouti. The teacher complement at the ISI is made up of 
Saudis, Egyptians, Sudanese, and some Djiboutians. The ISI 
program is similar to other Saudi institutes. Basic subjects 
such as mathematics, literature, and sciences are mixed with 
religious instruction in the Quran, Islamic History, Sunna, 
Shari'a, and Islamic Jurisprudence. A diploma from the ISI in 
Djibouti entitles a student to enroll in the Imam Saoud 
University, however this is a rare occurrence for Djiboutian 
students due to Saudi regulations restricting enrollment of 
foreigners except those authorized by a bilateral agreement. 
Even so, enrollment at the ISI in Djibouti grew substantially 
during the 2003/2004 school year to a total of 300 full-time 
students. 
 
12. (SBU) The Religious Consulate of Saudi Arabia, a part of 
the Saudi Embassy, had a central role in monitoring and 
funding demonstrations of a religious nature, in accordance 
with its beliefs. However, since 9/11, the Religious 
Consulate has taken on a more discreet role. Formerly located 
on an independent compound, the Religious Consulate has moved 
onto the Saudi Embassy grounds. Even so, the numbers of Saudi 
personnel in Djibouti are increasing each year. The head of 
the Saudi diplomatic mission was elevated from Charge 
d'affaires to the rank of Ambassador five years ago. 
 
13. (SBU) There are other institutions adhering to Wahabism 
which play a lesser role in Djiboutian society. The Yemeni 
School, a high school built in 2003 following the curriculum 
of the Yemeni Ministry of Education, has comparatively low 
enrollment rates. The Yemeni School does not give religion a 
primary focus. Reportedly, the governments of Djibouti and 
Egypt agreed in 2002 to build an Egyptian Islamic institute, 
to be called Al Azhar. The institute has yet to be 
constructed due to rumored disputes over whether to use an 
Egyptian contractor or a local Djiboutian company. 
 
Islamic NGOs and Associations 
------------------------------ 
14. (SBU) There are two main Islamic charities present in 
Djibouti, one Kuwaiti and one Saudi. The Africa Relief 
Committee (ARC) is a Kuwaiti NGO which collects funds from 
Persian Gulf governments and private donors to redistribute 
in poor Islamic countries. This redistribution is primarily 
through the construction of schools and mosques, well 
drilling, and food distribution. The ARC has been in Djibouti 
for seven years. Its latest project is the construction of a 
compound housing an orphanage, school, dormitories, sport 
facilities and a mosque at a cost of 600 million Djiboutian 
Francs (3.5 million USD). 
 
15. (SBU) The Saudi NGO is Al Nadwa or the World Assembly of 
Muslim Youth (WAMI), an organization headquartered in Jeddah. 
This NGO has recently taken over management of the boys' 
orphanage in Djibouti. The WAMI has been present in Djibouti 
since 1999. There is some doubt among the Djiboutian 
community on the seriousness of this NGO's activities in 
Djibouti. Critics have recently cited the organizations 
failure to accomplish improvements promised for the boys' 
orphanage. There are some who believe there is a possibility 
of WAMI's departure from Djibouti if the apparent lack of 
will for its presence continues. 
 
Public Diplomacy Approaches 
--------------------------- 
16. (SBU) Embassy Djibouti has responded to the need to 
identify innovative ways to increase its outreach and 
interaction with Djibouti's Muslim population. Arab media in 
Muslim countries often imply the U.S. is combating Islam in 
the name of its War on Terrorism, and it is critical to 
overcome this perception. Extremist preachers and 
fundamentalists often pander to that sentiment in order to 
achieve their goals. In societies where high illiteracy rates 
dominate, as in Djibouti, the challenge is greater. Yet, the 
presence in Djibouti of the United States is viewed favorably 
for its larger economic impact and the daily struggle against 
poverty is seen as more important than focusing on or 
approving a call for hatred. 
17. (SBU) Embassy Djibouti is focusing on activities that 
encourage face-to-face interaction between Americans and the 
Djiboutian community. English clubs, receptions, small-group 
lunches and dinners, public speeches, and school projects are 
examples of outreach activities currently being used. In 
Djibouti, winning hearts and minds is less a function of 
clever advertising than of maximizing the positive roles the 
U.S. plays here on a daily basis through U.S. aid programs, 
the military's civil projects,  and other assistance 
programs, including Self-Help. 
 
The Future of Islam in Djibouti 
------------------------------- 
18. (C) Comment: While the future tenor of Islam in Djibouti 
is difficult to predict, a potential for growth of 
fundamentalism does exist. Along with growing influence from 
major players in the Djiboutian Islamic community such as the 
Wahabis and Tabligh (also known as the Khourouj), there are 
smaller fundamental/extremist groups that need to be 
considered, including the Muslim Brotherhood, Al-Habash and 
Al-Ittihad Al-Islamia. The Wahabi movement has attracted 
mainly educated Djiboutians, especially among the educated 
youth. Tabligh, on the contrary, targets the uneducated and 
lower socio-economic classes of Djiboutian society. The other 
three groups have much smaller, focused cadres of followers. 
The Muslim Brotherhood caters to Djiboutians educated in 
Egypt. Al-Habash preaches an orthodox Islam, but also has 
element of Islamic mysticism with strong ties to Lebanon. 
Al-Ittihad Al-Islamia has members present in Djibouti, but 
keeps a low profile. Al-Ittihad was reportedly very active in 
the Arta Conference in 2000 for the Somalia peace process. 
Their members reportedly move freely in and out of Djibouti 
with a blind eye from the Djiboutian Government. One of their 
spiritual leaders, Sheik Umar Faruk, has been allowed to 
broadcast religious sermons on Radio Television Djibouti on 
several occasions in the past few years. 
 
19. (C) Comment cont: The majority of the Djiboutian 
population does not have a good base of knowledge about 
Islam, a fact which some believe makes it easier for them to 
be influenced by extremist preachers. A current issue that 
could cause internal turmoil for the Islamic community is the 
recent creation of the Family Code, which takes away some of 
the influence that Shari'a has on Djiboutian law. However, 
the Djiboutian government monitors the different Islamic 
factions, the issues they track, and the sermons they preach 
at mosques. For the moment, the growing fundamentalist 
movements are something to be watched carefully in Djibouti, 
but not a cause for alarm. End Comment. 
RAGSDALE