DJIBOUTI'S RESPONSE TO 2003 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT

UNCLAS DJIBOUTI 000333 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREF PREL PHUM DJ SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI'S RESPONSE TO 2003 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT ¶1. (U) In a meeting March 8th with PolOff, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Badri Ali Bogoreh, commented on the release of the 2003 Country Report on Human Rights. Bogoreh initially was highly defensive, calling the report severe. He then commented that Djibouti still has work to do in the area of Human Rights. Bogoreh described a new Commission on Human Rights, which is writing the first report on Human Rights done by the Government of Djibouti. (Comment: This Committee is the result of a DHRF grant of $25,000 from Post in FY03. The project expects to be completed in March. Post will follow up on the report. End Comment.) ¶2. (U) Bogoreh thanked the U.S. for its frankness in the Human Rights Report. He also asked for patience and support, saying there is work to be done but that his government is moving in the right direction. RAGSDALE