VZCZCXRO3055
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHDJ #0753/01 2591356
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 151356Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9539
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 000753 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E AND DRL 
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM CASC SOCI DJ
SUBJECT: VISIT TO DJIBOUTI'S PRISON SHOWS IMPROVING CONDITIONS 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: During a September 10 visit to Djibouti's prison, 
EmbOffs noted substantial improvements in conditions.  While there 
were some persistent shortcomings--such as unsatisfactory sanitary 
conditions in the prison kitchen--EmbOffs noted that minors, women, 
and pre-trial detainees were held separately, and that there were 
appropriate separate accommodations for prisoners with communicable 
diseases.  EmbOffs toured a new facility for a better-educated, 
dedicated prison guard force, slated to replace the current National 
Police personnel this month.  There were no AmCit prisoners.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) PolOff, ConOff, and PolAsst visited Gabode Prison on 
September 10.  The visit had been requested via diplomatic note, and 
was granted quickly, within the requested time frame.  Prisons 
Director Saleh Djama and interim Gabode Prison Director Osman Harad 
Gadad accompanied EmbOffs on the prison tour, which included almost 
all prison buildings.  Although EmbOffs did not visit every prison 
area, they were shown each facility they requested to see.  Gabode 
Prison is Djibouti's only prison, save for small temporary holding 
facilities in outlying towns. 
 
-------------- 
PRISONER COUNT 
-------------- 
 
¶3. (U) Prison officials provided EmbOffs with a copy of the daily 
prisoner accounting records for September 10.  According to those 
data, there were currently 434 prisoners, including 3 juveniles and 
21 women.  About 60 percent of the prisoners had already been 
convicted, while 40 percent were awaiting trail.  The majority of 
prisoners--approximately 60 percent--were Djiboutians.  There were 
also sizeable populations of Ethiopian (about 20 percent) and Somali 
(about 14 percent) nationals.  There were no AmCit prisoners. 
Prison officials said that there were approximately 19 
administrative staff, and 50 National Police guards working at the 
prison. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
FACILITIES: BASIC BUT GENERALLY ADEQUATE 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) EmbOffs visited a majority of prisoner accommodations, 
including facilities for men, women, and minors.  There were three 
male minors, held together in separate quarters.  Women were also 
held separately, although prison officials noted that convicted 
women and female pretrial detainees were held together.  Although 
there were no children present in the women's quarters, prison 
officials said that small babies would be allowed to stay with their 
mothers.  EmbOffs were shown separate facilities for convicted male 
prisoners, and male prisoners awaiting trial.  EmbOffs were also 
shown one separate individual cell reserved for a high-profile 
prisoner.  The remaining prisoners were held in large communal cell 
houses, each holding approximately forty prisoners.  Each building 
had adequate light and ventilation, access to water faucets, and two 
toilets.  Prisoners had bedding on the floor in rows, with personal 
belongings hung on the walls.  While the cells were full to 
capacity, they did not appear overcrowded.  EmbOffs observed 
prisoners sleeping, resting, talking, and playing chess.  Prisoners 
had access to a mosque, although not--as the Prisons Director 
acknowledged--a church. 
 
------------------- 
THREE SQUARES A DAY 
------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) According to prison officials, prisoners were fed three 
times a day--including during the fasting month of Ramadan, for the 
benefit of Christian prisoners.  EmbOffs were shown the kitchen 
facilities, where meat was being prepared for the midday meal. 
Sanitary conditions were somewhat improved from past visits, but 
still rudimentary.  Meat was being prepared on unsanitary surfaces, 
and was covered with flies.  Prison officials showcased cooking 
equipment that they said was provided by the International Committee 
of the Red Cross (ICRC), although they said that due to problems 
with supplying oil to the stoves, they were now using wood fuel. 
Prison officials said that ICRC visited Gabode Prison regularly--at 
least twice a year and sometimes three times. 
 
------- 
HEALTH 
------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) EmbOffs visited prison infirmary rooms, and spoke with the 
prison's full-time nurse.  According to the nurse, while he had 
plenty of medications, there were sometimes gaps in supplying the 
prison with twice-weekly visits from a doctor.  He reported that the 
Ministry of Health had recently assigned a new prison doctor, four 
months after the last one left.  The nurse said that he was the one 
who responded to after-hours emergencies, and transferred prisoners 
 
DJIBOUTI 00000753  002 OF 002 
 
 
to the hospital if necessary.  When asked if the current level of 
care was adequate, the nurse said that he would prefer a full-time 
doctor who could provide more consistent follow-up care.  He also 
reported that there was no proper storage facility for medications. 
 
¶7. (SBU) EmbOffs saw two rooms for sick male prisoners: one solely 
for tuberculosis (TB) patients, and another for prisoners with other 
health problems, such as asthma.  According to the nurse, there were 
currently thirteen TB patients, and at the time, no HIV/AIDS 
patients.  Both holding areas for sick prisoners appeared to have 
adequate light and ventilation, and EmbOffs were shown TB treatment 
cards and medication.  EmbOffs were also shown one female prisoner 
held in separate quarters, and told that she was both a TB patient 
and mentally ill. 
 
----------------- 
NEW GUARD SERVICE 
----------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Prison officials said they were pleased with improved 
budgets, and reported that they were currently receiving 25 million 
DJF annually (approximately USD 142,000).  EmbOffs toured a large 
and attractive new facility adjacent to the prison, built to house 
barracks and offices for a new dedicated prison guard force. 
Prisons Director Saleh said that the new guard force would start 
training this month, and would eventually replace the current 
National Police staffing.  Saleh said that the new force would be 
better trained and educated than the National Police.  While the 
Ministry of the Interior administers the National Police, the new 
guard force will be under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of 
Justice, which has responsibility for the penal system.  All planned 
102 new hires would be required to have a high school degree, Saleh 
said, and some recruits who had already been hired even had two 
years of college. 
 
¶9. (SBU) COMMENT: Despite some remaining shortcomings, Djibouti's 
prison facilities are generally very basic, but adequate and 
improving.  The establishment of a new, more professionalized guard 
force will likely bring further improvement.  Moreover, the GODJ's 
willingness to grant EmbOffs quick and comprehensive access sends a 
strong signal that Djibouti is open to international scrutiny of 
their prison system--and perhaps to international assistance in 
improving it.  END COMMENT. 
 
WONG