DJIBOUTI: MEDIA COVERAGE ON EXPULSIONS

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
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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
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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
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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
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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