Ethiopians in Djibouti

Djibouti has long had strategic and commercial significance for neighboring Ethiopia, especially after Ethiopia lost Eritrea in the 1990s and with it access to the sea. Now landlocked Ethiopia imports almost all its goods through Djibouti’s expanding network of ports. Ethiopian ships regularly glide across the Gulf of Tadjoura, bringing valuable cargos for loading on to Ethiopia-bound trucks.

The Addis Ababa-Djibouti City railway built during the early 20th century transported goods from the coast to the Ethiopian capital. But since the beginning of the new millenium Ethiopia has relied on legions of lorry drivers to keep it supplied. A new Chinese-built railway due to open soon will re-establish the Ethiopia-Djibouti rail link.

Djibouti’s close proximity to Ethiopia has resulted in a large Ethiopian diaspora estimated at 50,000. "Many people came here during the Derg’s communist rule," says Ashenaf Harege who works at the Ethiopian community center in Djibouti City. The center is a focal point for Ethiopians to celebrate holidays and festivals, and meet to discuss Ethiopia and learn about what’s happening back home.

The center serves Ethiopian food and drinks (the government exempts it from tax). "I came because the salary is better here," says Haile Gebremedhin (right), who works for a transport company. "It’s good living here, especially compared to other places in the region. Obviously there are problems, but the people are good."

Djibouti is predominantly Muslim with the call to prayer a regular daily refrain. But every Sunday morning Ethiopian Orthodox Christians gather for Mass at Saint Gabriel’s Church next to the community center. Both institutions were built on land donated by the Djiboutian government. "In other countries people hold religion against you, but here they don’t mind," Gebremedhin says.

Inside the church grounds women are wrapped in Ethiopian sheumas (delicate white shawls), the priest holds a large metal cross aloft during Mass as incense swirls in the air; worshippers bow to icons of the Virgin Mary and approach the priest to touch three times with their lips and forehead a wooden cross he carries.

Many Ethiopians living in Djibouti, particularly those with children like the girl seen here, are torn between either permanently settling in Djibouti or relocating back to Ethiopia.

"I do odd jobs like cleaning when I can, it’s very hard to get a full -time job here," says Samuel, 24, who came 12 years ago. His father was killed during the Derg after which he lived with his mother near the border with Djibouti. Like many Ethiopians he crossed without a passport, leading to four months in prison. "Without a passport I can’t go anywhere unless I stow away on a ship."

Both Alex (left), 25, and Zerihun, 29, live in Djibouti without documentation. They have been stowaways on ships to places as far away as Cape Town and even Singapore. Now they clean cars and clear rubbish for money. "It’s a dog’s life, living like that, having to run from police," Zerihun says. "No, we live like soldiers," Alex objects.

Across the Gulf of Tadjoura in the towns of Obock and Tadjoura, the Ethiopian language Amharic is widely spoken. Almost all Ethiopians came to Djibouti for the same reason: 'sira,' the Amharic word for work. "In Djibouti, a cleaning job can earn you as much as a professor in Addis Ababa," says Hussein in Tadjoura. "But I miss Ethiopia’s perfect weather. Here it’s too hot."