This dyad belongs to the conflict Djibouti: Government

Summary of conflict Djibouti: Government

The FRUD launched an opposition against the government in 1991. A peace agreement was signed between the parties in 1994 but a splinter group, FRUD-C, continued their resistance on low scale. In 1999 the conflict became active again but was ended by a peace agreement between FRUD-C and the government in early 2000.

Since the peace agreement in 2000 the conflict has not been active.

Conflict background

The former French colony Djibouti became independent in 1977. The largest ethnic group in the country is the Afar who reside mostly in the North and have kinsmen in Eritrea and Ethiopia. Two other groups, the Issa and the Gadaboursi, are both of Somali decent and represent the second and third largest ethnic groups respectively. Combined the two Somali groups make up the majority of the population of Djibouti and live mostly in the southern part of the country.

Following independence Hassan Gouled Aptidon, of the Issa, became the country’s first president. The President ruled through a national coalition which was relatively united in the beginning. Yet the authoritarian tendencies of the President, often favoring his own kinsmen, soon became apparent and the national coalition broke down in the early 1980s, following the launch of a movement for effective multiparty democracy. The attempt to register an opposition party was defeated as a law was passed declaring Djibouti a one party state in 1981. The main opposition movement FDLD (Front Democratique de la Libération de Djibouti) carried out attacks against government troops during the 1980s. The government responded with operations against the civilian population and the opposition against the government repression grew.

In 1990 prominent figures in the opposition formed the UMD (Union des Mouvements Démocratiques) to coordinate their efforts. In January 1991 one soldier was killed and several people were arrested following what the government claimed to have been a coup attempt orchestrated by Afari people. Resistance against the President and his one-party system of rule through the RPP (Rassemblement Populaire Pour le Progres, People’s Rally for Progress) grew in early 1991 with many incidents reported. Three opposition groups, originally created by the FDLD to mobilize people in different social sectors, united in 1991 to form FRUD (Front pour la restauration de l’unité et de la démocratie, Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy). In November 1991, FRUD, mostly comprised of Afari people, launched an attack on government troops. FRUD leader Mohammed Adoyta Yussuf claimed that FRUD “wishes to replace the tribalist regime of President Gouled with a government of national unity”.

FRUD and the armed conflict in Djibouti

The November 1991 attacks on government troops by the FRUD (Front pour la restauration de l’unité et de la démocratie, Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy) was a reaction against President Gouled Aptidition and his RPP (Rassemblement Populaire Pour le Progres, People’s Rally for Progress) one-party rule. It aimed to “replace the tribalist government of President Gouled” and install a “government of national unity”. The day following the attacks an opposition leader, Abdallah Mohamed Kamil, declared that all guerillas fighting in the north were members of FRUD. By mid-November FRUD had captured two cities in the north while the government was reported to call on France for military assistance. In late November the President claimed to be ready to hold a national referendum to “consult” the population on “changes to be made in the political domain”. The same day, 27 November 1991, FRUD declared a seven day ceasefire. Two days later France declared they were to send military observers to the north in order to see that there was no infiltration of foreign soldiers across the international border. On December 15 FRUD declared a five day ceasefire in order to allow for the French deployment.

The government of Djibouti claimed that the rebellion was a foreign invading force and continued to claim this as violence continued in the early months of 1992. The French role increased as a representative had discussions with both President Gouled and representatives of FRUD. A sign of progress was the release of FRUD representative Abbate Ebo Adou who had been imprisoned since late 1991. The release was a basic condition for FRUD to consider negotiations as an alternative. The result was a ceasefire agreement in February 1992 and French peacekeepers were deployed to ease the fighting. During 1992 a multiparty constitution was adopted but when it was time for elections only two parties had been permitted to register. The FRUD had not been allowed to register and new violence broke out in November 1992 resulting in the withdrawal of French peacekeepers from the area. The fighting continued in1993.

In April 1994 there was a split in the FRUD where the new faction, led by Ahmed Ougoureh Kible, seemed to open up for possible negotiations to end the conflict. The new faction expressed disagreements with the FRUD stance which kept the conflict at a no war no peace status. The Kible faction and the government entered into negotiations and in June 1994 an agreement to end the fighting and allow FRUD to enter into politics was signed. The faction that was left - FRUD--C - opposed negotiations and was led by Ahmed Dini, a former prime minister of Djibouti. The June agreement was followed by another agreement in December 1994 for peace and reconciliation. The agreement contained a revision of the constitution and seven FRUD leaders received positions in the government.

FRUD--C, sometimes also referred to as the Radicals or FRUD-Armé) continued their opposition and fighting against the government. The fighting was on low-scale for the first years after the 1994 agreement but the situation intensified in the second half of 1998 following the Eritrea-Ethiopia border conflict. As a response to Eritrean accusations of Djibouti aiding Ethiopia, allowing military shipments to pass through its harbours, the government of Djibouti increased its military presence in the North. FRUD--C, located in the north, launched an attack on an army base in 1999. Following the attack the rebel group demanded negotiations with the government. In May 1999 President Gouled Aptidon stepped down from his post, making his nephew Ismail Omar Gelleh his successor. The change of government eased tensions both with Eritrea and with FRUD--C. The new government took office at the start of 2000 and already on the 7th of February there was a peace agreement, signed between FRUD--C and the government, ending the conflict. The agreement stipulated the incorporation of FRUD--C forces into the army and the withdrawal of the army from the north. It also provided reforms of the political system and a far-reaching decentralisation.