This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 001071 
 
SIPDIS 
 
For AF DAS Donald Yamamoto 
For AF/EX Virginia Milhous 
For OBO/AM Franklin White 
For L/AF 
For DS/IP/ITA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL AMGT DJ
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR COMPENSATION FOR VACANT BUILDING 
ACROSS STREET FROM EMBASSY COMPOUND 
 
 
1.(U) National Security Service (NSS) Director, 
Hassan Said Khaireh passed to Ambassador in late 
September a copy of a letter he said had been 
sent to DAS Don Yamamoto by Houssein Mahmoud, an 
attorney acting on behalf of several Djiboutian 
clients who are owners of "Soleillet", an 
unoccupied building directly across the street 
from the current embassy compound.  The letter 
relates to the owners' desire for "compassion and 
compensation" ostensibly for "losses" stemming 
from what the attorney claims was a U.S. Embassy- 
mandated evacuation of the building following the 
terrorist attacks against the U.S. in September 
¶2001. 
 
 
¶2. (U) Ambassador advised Hassan Said that the 
Embassy in Djibouti had no information at all on 
the circumstances of the evacuation of the 
building in question.  She told the NSS Director 
that it would appear, however, that any exercise 
of the type described would had to have been a 
Government of Djibouti decision and undertaking, 
and not within the purview of the U.S. Embassy. 
Hassan Said disagreed, stating that while the 
evacuation was carried out by Government of 
Djibouti authorities, it was done so at U.S. 
insistence and direction. 
 
¶3. (U) We are providing for AF, OBO and L the text 
of the letter from the attorney for the building 
owners, as passed to us by Hassan Said.  There 
is the possibility that the owners will elevate 
this matter to the local courts, but this is 
unclear at the moment.  Post would appreciate 
guidance from the Department on how to respond, 
if the Department wishes to respond at all. 
 
¶4. (U) Begin text of letter: 
 
¶M. Houssein Mahamoud 
Director 
KAMAJ, Agence Immobiliere 
Tel: (253) 35-40-91 
Fax: (253) 35-40-92 
Djbiouti 
 
June 8, 2005 
 
HE DONALD YAMAMOTO 
Deputy Assistant Secretary 
Bureau of African Affairs 
U.S. State Department 
Washington, DC 
Fax: 00-1-202-637-6301 
     00-1-202-663-0510 
 
Subject: Appeal for compassion and compensation 
 
Your Excellency, 
 
I would like to take this opportunity to kindly 
request your assistance in resolving the compensation 
issue of the owners of the building known as Soleillet 
located across the street from U.S. Embassy compound 
in Djibouti. 
 
As you recall, the Soleillet building was evacuated 
from its occupants and the main road leading to the 
Embassy blocked by the National Security Services in 
October 2001, right after the criminal attacks on the 
World Trade Center, to strengthen the safety and 
security of the U.S. Mission in Djibouti. 
 
As you know, the Soleillet building juts out over the 
Embassy compound and anyone standing almost anywhere 
in the Embassy was vulnerable to an attack launched 
from Soleillet. The evacuation of the building helped 
enhance the overall security measures, significantly 
reduced surveillance activities and prevented 
potential terrorist attacks. 
 
These security measures were taken during your tenure 
as Ambassador in Djibouti to bolster the security 
posture and provide safe and secure environment to the 
Mission with the understanding and implicit accord 
that the U.S. Government will compensate the owners of 
the building. 
 
I have been trusted by all owners to try to facilitate 
the resolution of this issue and I would like to share 
with you the need for compassion and compensation for 
those who have been dispossessed from their 
properties. 
 
On September 14, 2004, I met the U.S. Ambassador, HE 
Madame Ambassador Marguerita Ragsdale, to discuss 
avenues to find an adequate solution to settle the 
issue. Following that meeting and upon the Ambassador 
request, we submitted to the Ambassador a document 
detailing the value of the building with the hope that 
the U.S. Government will put to rest this issue. We 
express our deepest gratitude to HE Madame Ambassador 
Marguerita Ragsdale for her outstanding effort to 
advance the resolution of this issue. 
 
The owners of the building understood the need to 
evacuate their properties, they packed their 
belongings on a very short notice in solidarity with 
the American people during a time of a major crisis 
and heightened threat against U.S. interests and all 
peace and freedom loving people. After 3 years and 7 
months most of the property owners are still too 
humble to complain but they can't understand the lack 
of compensation for the loss of their homes. Few of 
them contemplate filing a lawsuit against the 
Government of Djibouti but they believe that the U.S. 
Government is morally responsible for their 
misfortune. 
 
The lack of compensation threw the owners of Soleillet 
building into disarray. The decision to confiscate 
their properties cracked the very foundation of their 
economy (lost revenues from rents) and crushed the 
small community that lived there for decades. Most of 
them are in a desperate state of mind. They feel 
humiliated and concerned about their future. During 
the recent presidential election, some voted to 
"punish" the government they feel has failed them 
(that has taken away their homes without proper 
compensation). Many are voicing their disappointment 
vis-a-vis the U.S. Government without questioning 
their support of the war on terror in which their 
country is proudly playing a major role. 
 
Please allow me to submit to you two proposals that 
have been put forward by the property owners: 
 
-  The first solution: the U.S. Government rents the 
building for 34 320 000 Djibouti Francs or $US 193 898 
per year. 
-  The second solution: the U.S. Government purchase 
the building for the amount of 255 698 978 Djibouti 
Francs or $US 1 444 626. 
 
With either solution, property owners claim the 
payment of rents accumulated over the period from 
October 2001 to May 2005 and thereafter until a final 
solution is agreed upon (U.S.Government purchases the 
building, the U.S. Embassy moves to the new Haramous 
site, ownership of the building is returned to owners, 
etc.). 
 
Unpaid accumulated rents are estimated to: 
 
Average rent per apartment of 130 000 FDJ x 22 
apartments: 2 860 000 FDJ x 12: 34 320 000 FDJ yearly 
rent. 
 
3 years and 7 months rents: 122 980 000 FDJ or $US 694 
802 
 
We would like to ask you, with all due respect and 
fond memories of your tenure as U.S. Ambassador to 
Djibouti to help us settle this issue by providing to 
Soleillet property owners an adequate compensation for 
the loss of their homes. 
 
Please find attached a document detailing soleillet 
real estate status. 
 
With our utmost respect, 
Sincerely, 
 
END TEXT 
 
RAGSDALE