Daniel M. Austin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

DJIBOUTI, Djibouti -On Friday, the feelings of outrage and violence that have swept through parts of Africa and the Middle East came to the small African nation of Djibouti. Thousands of Djiboutians took to the streets calling for the ouster of the country’s President Ismael Omar Guelleh. Responding to the protests, security forces loyal to President Guelleh clashed with demonstrators, the ensuing violence left several people dead. Along with those killed, dozens of protesters were injured and at least three key opposition leaders were arrested. The small east African nation is a critical ally to both France and the United States.

As of Saturday evening, resident of the capital reported a heavy police presence patrolling the streets trying to restore calm. Although demonstrations continued on Saturday, the protests were less intense that what occurred on Friday. Protesters claim that on both Friday and Saturday, thousands of people took to the streets to protest President Guelleh rule and his attempt to run for a third presidential term. President Guelleh has been in power since 1999. In 2010, he oversaw a change to the country’s constitution allowing him to run for a third term in April 2011.

According to the Interior Minister Yacin Elmi Bouh, one police officer was killed in the fighting and a single protester was killed when he was hit by a speeding police vehicle during Friday’s protest. In contrast to the official government report, protesters claim at least four people were killed and more than 50 were injured during Friday’s march.

According to Djibouti’s chief prosecutor three main opposition leaders have been detained following a protest march. Djama Souleiman, the chief prosecutor claims that Mohamed Daoud Chehem, head of the Djibouti Party for Development; Ismael Guedi Hared, president of the Union for a Democratic Alternative; and Aden Robleh Awaleh, leader of the National Democratic Party, are a threat to democracy in Djibouti and have been taken into police custody.

Djibouti, a former French colony, contains a large French military base housing over 3,000 soldiers as well as a strategically important American Army base. The Army base is the only American military base located in Sub-Saharan Africa. This base is critical infrastructure that the United States military uses for launching attacks throughout Africa and continues to be an important piece of the U.S. strategy to combat terrorism.

For more information, please see:

BBC — Djibouti: Ismael Omar Guelleh faces huge protest march—18 February 2011

Reuters – Protests hit Djibouti, opposition leaders held – 19 February 2011

Voice of America — Djibouti Opposition Leaders Detained – 19 February 2011

by Laura Hirahara
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast– Hundreds of people have been killed in Ivory Coast since the mid-December election in which opposition leader Alassane Ouattara beat long-time incumbent Laurent Gbagbo.  The results, which have been certified by the U.N. and are internationally recognized, show Ouattara winning with an eight point margin.  Despite this, Gbagbo has refused to hand over power and there is strong evidence that he is coordinating military attacks against those who voted for Ouattara.

Since mid-December as many as 300 people have been killed.  However, the number of those murdered could be higher.  Since the election, Gbagbo has refused to release the bodies of the dead, halting autopsies on bodies with gun-shot wounds.  These bodies have remained at the city morgues and continue to come, with another 22 people killed this week alone.  Reporters with the Associated Press investigated in the former capital of Abidjan and found as many as 113 bodies at 9 different morgues.  The U.N. believes another morgue is holding 80 bodies, calling these cites “mass graves”.  Morgue employees told the AP that government officials stand guard at the morgues to monitor all activity.  The government is also refusing the release the names of many of the bodies being held and family members have had to physically search through the remains to try and identify their missing loved ones.

Gbagbo, who has been in power for the last ten years, has been suspected of carrying out ‘government death squads’ since 2002.  These squads are accused of ‘disappearing’ people and many are still missing.  One such individual, Abdoulaye Coulibaly, worked for a non-profit group that was associated with Ouattara during the election.  Coulibaly was thrown into a vehicle after soldiers surrounded the café he was at and started shooting.  His family has not seen him since and has not been able to find anything that points to his whereabouts.

The victims have been those who either supported Ouattara or those even suspected of supporting his campaign.  Many of the killings have occurred in the northern region of the country which is predominately Muslim and supported Outtara who himself is a Muslim from the north.  The names obtained by the AP indicate the victims of these killings are Muslim.

The U.N. has repeatedly been denied access to sites of reported mass graves and entrance to the government-run morgues.  A report prepared by the human rights division of the U.N. stated:

The fact that we have been prevented twice from conducting a fact-finding mission. . .suggests that there may be some truth in the alleged existence of a mass grave in that area and/or deposit of 60 to 80 corpses at a mortuary in Anyama.

For more information, please see;

Reuters- Nearly 300 Killed in Ivory Coast Violence, UN Says– 10 Feb., 2011

AFP– At Least 296 Killed in Ivory Coast Unrest: UN– 10 FeB., 2011

AP- AP Impact: New Proof of Ivory Coast Vote Killings– 15 FeB., 2011

by Laura Hirahara
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

MOGADISHU, Somalia- The New York based organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released a report on the war-torn capital of Somalia, Mogadishu, citing heightened violence between Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the Islamic militant group al-Shabaab .  In this report, HRW has called upon the international community to intervene in Somalia to prevent further civilian casualties and stop the flow of refugees out of the country.

Somalia has existed without a central government since 1991 when President Mohamed Siad Barre was removed from power.  In 2006, Ethiopian military forces entered Mogadishu to oust an Islamic court coalition which was controlling the city.  Since then, violence has steadily escalated, leading to all out war-fare in the streets of Mogadishu and mortar and rocket fire attacks within the city limits.

Al-Shabaab, which claims ties to al-Qaeda, has launched two major offenses against the TFG, both in May and then again over August and September of last year.  Currently, the TFG, which is the internationally recognized government of Somalia, controls only portions of the capital city.  The TFG has support from nearly 8,000 African Union peacekeeping troops but battles have been brutal and often amount to small gains and losses.  Frank Langfitt, reporting from Mogadisu for NPR stated “This morning. . .the African Union took about 70 yards and they expect that later tonight al-Shabaab will try to take back that 70 yards.”

In the midst of this fighting, thousands of civilians in Mogadishu are either leaving their homes or becoming victims of the conflict.  Though Somalis have been fleeing to refugee camps in Kenya since 1991, the recent conflict has prompted everyone who can afford to leave Mogadishu to make the journey across the border.  The International Committee of the Red Cross reported this last January that it received a record number of patients with war related injuries in 2010, amounting to over 2,300 injured.  HRW claims that both sides are responsible for massive civilian deaths which they believe may amount to war crimes.  Said  Rona Peligal, deputy Africa director at Human Rights Watch, “The world has for too long ignored the appalling cost to civilians of the fighting in Mogadishu. . .An international commission of inquiry is urgently needed to investigate war crimes committed in Somalia by all sides.”

For more information, please see;

Bloomberg- War Crimes Investigation Needed in Somali Capital, Civil Rights Group Says– 14 Feb., 2011

Bikyamasr- End War Crimes in Mogadishu– 15 Feb., 2011

NPR- On the Front Lines in Somalia– 14 Feb., 2011

By Daniel M. Austin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

ALGIERS, Algeria –  On Saturday, February 12, thousands of Algerian police officers in riot gear clogged the streets of the capital to prevent pro-democracy demonstrators from marching on the city’s main square. The protesters, inspired by events that have taken place in Egypt and Tunisia are demanding significant government reforms.  During clashes with Algerian security forces several hundred protesters were arrested or detained. As of Saturday evening, police officers were still patrolling the streets and dozens of armored police vehicles had sealed off the city’s main square.

Demonstrators gathered in May First Square in central Algiers shouting for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to leave office. The demonstrators were contained by a large contingent of police officers armed with truncheons. Reports vary on the number of protestors involved in the demonstration from several hundred to several thousand. One observer claimed that the government had mobilized 30,000 police officers as a show of force to ensure any popular revolt would be stomped out. Along with the demonstration in Algiers, protest marches also took in other cities throughout Algeria including Annaba, Constantine and Oran.

The demands of protesters in Algeria are similar to what was asked for in Tunisia and Egypt. Specifically, the demonstrators want President Bouteflika to leave office, an end to the State of Emergency that has been in place for more than 19 years, and democratic elections. 

The government of President Bouteflika has been attempting to break this popular uprising using tactics similar to what was seen in Egypt. In particular, aggressive police tactics and violence against protesters as well as journalist have been reported. Protestors claim as many as 500 people have been arrested in the capital city alone. Further, several hundred demonstrators were detained in other cities throughout the country.  Additionally, the government has limited or shut down access to the internet including Facebook attempting to limit the protester’s ability to organize using social media.

Similar to Egypt, Algeria suffers from high unemployment, rising food prices, a lack of housing and disconnect financially and socially between the average Algerian and the class of people who rule the country.  Political corruption and poverty are rampant in this North Africa nation even though Algeria has oil resources and holds the eighth largest supply of natural gas in the world.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera — Algeria protesters push for change – 12 February 2011

Bloomberg — Algeria Detains 100 Protesters During Algiers Sit-In – 12 February 2011

New York Times – Security Forces Halt Protest in Algeria – 12 February 2011

Reuters — Algeria police stifle Egypt-inspired protest — 12 February 2011

The Telegraph—Algeria Shuts Down internet and Facebook as Protest Mount – 12 February 2011