ARMY ROADBLOCK IN DJIBOUTI WITH SOLDIERS ON GUARD; GROUPS OF AFRA PEOPLE, WHO OPPOSE INDEPENDENCE, BEING TRANSPORTED FROM DJIBOUTI AFTER VOTING; POLLING STATION; POSTER OF PARTI MOUVEMENT POPULAIR WHICH FAVOURS INDEPENDENCE; VOTING SCENES; THE GOVERNOR; M. LOUIS SAGET, HOLDING PRESS CONFERENCE; BARBED WIRE BARRICADES AND SOLDIERS.




Initials RM/VS/MGT/GLH


EDITORS: SEE ALSO 2694/67 "FRENCH SOMALILAND: II PEOPLE KILLED IN DJIBOUTI RIOTING AFTER REFERENDUM" SERVICED TODAY (21 MARCH 1967)

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Background: THE SOMALIA GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED IN MOGADISHU TODAY (TUESDAY) THAT IT DID NOT RECOGNISE THE RESULT OF LAST SUNDAY'S REFERENDUM IN FRENCH SOMALILAND, IN WHICH 60 PER CENT OF THE VOTERS ARE CLAIMED TO HAVE VOTED AGAINST INDEPENDENCE. THE SOMALIA STATEMENT SAID THE NEWS OF THE REFERENDUM RESULT HAD BEEN RECEIVED "WITH UTTER SHOCK, ALTHOUGH IT WAS CLEAR FROM THE OUTSET THAT A FAIR REFERENDUM, DEVOID OF TRICKERY AND FORCE, WAS OUT OF THE QUESTION."
THE OVERSEAS MINISTRY IN PARIS ANNOUNCED THAT 22,523 VOTERS IN FRENCH SOMALILAND, REPRESENTING 60.47 PER CENT OF THE ELECTORATE, FAVOURED CONTINUED ASSOCIATION WITH FRANCE, AS OPPOSED TO 14, 734 WHO VOTED FOR INDEPENDENCE. AS A RESULT, AN ELECTION WILL BE HELD FOR A DEPUTY IN THE FRENCH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. SUPPORTERS OF INDEPENDENCE FOR FRENCH SOMALILAND ARE FURIOUS ABOUT THE SITUATION.

FRENCH TROOP REINFORCEMENT FLEW INTO DJIBOUTI TODAY, FOLLOWING CLASHES WITH THE AUTHORITIES IN DJIBOUTI IN WHICH 11 PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND 25 INJURED. DJIBOUTI'S SPRAWLING SOMALI QUARTER HAS BEEN COMPLETELY SEALED OFF BY BARBED WIRE WHILE, INSIDE, FRENCH FOREIGN LEGIONNAIRES, PARATROOPS AND FRENCH COLONIALS REGIMENTS ARE CARRYING OUT THE MOST INTENSIVE SEARCH AND IDENTITY CHECK THE TOWN HAS EVER KNOWN.

THE GOVERNOR OF FRENCH SOMALILAND, M. LOUIS SAGET, HAS CLAMPED A DUSK-TO-DAWN CURFEW ON THE TERRITORY AND ORDERED THAT ANYONE BREAKING THE CURFEW BE SHOT ON SIGHT.