FBIS3-173
"drafr041_b_94001"
FBIS-AFR-94-041
Document Type:Daily Report
2 Mar 1994
EAST AFRICA
Djibouti
Opposition Leader on Objectives, FRG Talks
PM0203094394 London AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT in Arabic 26 Feb 94 p 6
PM0203094394
London AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT
Language: Arabic
Article Type:BFN
[Report by Ahmad Kamal Hamdi: "Djibouti Opposition Leader
Tells AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT: Government Refusing To Conduct Peaceful
Dialogue, Insisting on One-Party System]
[Text] Bonn--Ahmed Dini Ahmed, former Djibouti prime
minister and leader of the the opposition "Union and Democracy
Front" in Djibouti, is on a visit to Germany. During his visit
he met with a number of German Foreign Ministry officials in
Bonn. He also visited a number of Arab and Islamic embassies
and diplomatic missions there to explain political,
constitutional, economic, and social conditions in Djibouti as
well as the present situation in the Horn of Africa, especially
after the international forces' withdrawal from Somalia, and the
future of east African states.
In a statement to AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT, Ahmed Dini spoke about
the ongoing civil war between the government and the opposition
in Djibouti, pointing out that the opposition in his country
started out peaceful, constitutional, and away from any aspects
of violence. But it was forced to resort to the use of arms
because it is impossible to reach an understanding with the
government, which insists on establishing a one-party system,
violating human rights, and implementing illegal random death
sentences.
He added: 227 civilians have been executed in Djibouti so
far.
Ahmed Dini Ahmed added: The opposition in Djibouti tried to
open a dialogue with the government of President Hassan Gouled
through the mediation of some Arab and other states, but the
government rejected any peaceful dialogue and escalated military
repressive measures. As a result, the opposition was forced to
resort to fighting. Nevertheless, it is still looking for
reasonable means to reopen a dialogue and initiate negotiation.
The Djibouti opposition leader, who headed the first
independent government after independence in 1977, said that the
opposition's aims are to establish a pluralistic, democratic
system, to hold free and honest elections, to guarantee
constitutional freedoms, to establish freedom of expression and
the press, and to respect human rights.
Ahmed Dini Ahmed told AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT that he sensed from
his contacts with officials in Bonn that Germany does not
support the present regime in Djibouti because of its human
right violations. And that the Federal Government has suspended
its development aid to Djibouti since 1992, namely after the
implication of the authorities and security men in the murder of
54 oppositionists.
He said that Germany once offered the Djibouti Government a
ferry for civilian use in Djibouti Port. But the government
turned it into a military ship equipped with weapons and machine
guns. When Djibouti refused to remove these weapons, Bonn
announced the suspension of its financial, material, and
security aid, keeping some development aid, especially in the
area of water prospecting and irrigation and some agricultural
development projects.