Posted on 11/30/2002 1:45:28 PM PST by TLBSHOW
AREAS OF INSTABILITY: Djibouti enjoys a stable political climate, thanks in part to the large French military presence based in country. However, Djibouti's international borders are very porous and lightly patrolled. In particular, Somalia, Djibouti's neighbor to the south, is believed to be a haven for terrorists and other insurgent elements. Continuing instability in Somalia and Yemen present the potential for internal unrest in Djibouti, which has large ethnic Somali and Yemeni populations. In addition, neighboring Ethiopia and Eritrea recently concluded a settlement to a long-running border dispute, and nearby Yemen is pursuing a struggle against potential terrorists. Civil unrest or armed conflict in neighboring countries could disrupt air travel to and from Djibouti or otherwise negatively affect its security situation.
Djibouti might be a good place for an earthquake or explosion, remember the old song "Shake, shake, shake...shake shake shake...shake Djibouti, shake Djibouti!"
Maybe that should be spelled "sheik" in this case.
On 1 January 1890, Italy set the boundaries of Eritrea and ruled it as a colony until 1941, when the British defeated the Italians in Africa and took over the administration. After the Italian defeat in World War II, Britain administered Eritrea. Following a decision by the United Nations, Eritrea was federated to Ethiopia in 1952, with a certain amount of autonomy.
However, during the federation with Ethiopia, Emperor Haile Selassie's government systematically violated the rights granted by the UN. The oppression culminated with the dissolution of the Eritrean parliament and the annexation of Eritrea as Ethiopia's fourteenth province in 1962.
In 1961, an armed struggle for independence began. The thirty years of fighting ended in May 1991, when the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) liberated Asmara and established the Provisional Government of Eritrea (PGE). In an internationally supervised referendum in April 1993, 99.8 per cent of the Eritreans voted for independence, which was officially declared on 24 May 1993
At least someone else on this thread has a cents of humor. This is series. LOL
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