Djibouti police disperse demonstrators against presidential elections

The police in Djibouti opened tear gas to disperse scores of demonstrators, protesting against the presidential elections launched by President Ismael Omar Jeila as the only candidate.

The demonstrators who gathered in front of the headquarters of the opposition democratic coalition union raised banners accusing the government of oppressing democracy in Djibouti, and called on the voters to reject the elections which took place on Friday.

One of the banners said that the demonstrators prefer death to be subjected to the results of these elections which they described as fake. The police said that friction with the demonstrators resulted in no casualties.

On the other hand, President Jeila told the French Le Figaro in an interview issued on Friday that he feels regret that there was no competitor for him in the elections and accused the opposition of lacking enough courage to give the voters the right to choose between two candidates.

Some 197,000 persons are eligible to vote among Djibouti's 700,000 population in the elections which started on Friday morning.

The elections are being held in the presence of 20 observers from the Arab league, the African Union and the Francophonic organization. The first results are expected to be issued today Saturday.

Jeila will be elected for the second 6-year term of office and presumed to be the last according to the constitution of this small country which is situated in the African horn.