Omar Ali Hassan
I was born in Djibouti on April 30th, 1978. Me and my wife Assia Isse Idriss are proud parents to four minor kids, three boys and a girl. In terms of languages I am proficient in French, English, Arabic, German, Somali, and Afar. In 1999 I obtained my High School Diploma in Djibouti and went on to study science for two years at a French university in Montpellier. With a passion to serve my country I returned back to Djibouti and joined the Djiboutian Army in 2001. By 2003 I was serving as an instructor in the Djiboutian Military School. Between 2004 to 2008 I attempted and graduated from the German Officer Mountain Course. In 2008, I was appointed as the company commander in the Rapid Intervention Regiment. In 2011, I graduated as a captain from the Maneuver Captain Career Course, Fort Benning Georgia, USA. From 2012 to 2014, I was deployed for the African Mission in Somalia as a company commander of the first-ever Djiboutian battalion sent there. After a few years, I was promoted to the post of Deputy Commander of the Military School in Holl-Holl, 25 miles away from the capital city Djibouti.
During my tenure I have trained 100 sharpshooters, mentored several company commanders, trained 100 young non-commissioned officers, organized and directed six months of training for 450 recruits in Djibouti’s military school. In August 2017 I was designated to gather, select, form, and command the Rapid Intervention Battalion.
I am deeply saddened and disturbed with the way things presently are in Djibouti. My beloved country has been taken over by dictatorship inflicting injustice, and corruption on its people. My heart bleeds for my country as I watch the wife of a young Djiboutian lieutenant pilot, crying and pleading for the release of her husband who has been detained in prison unfairly. It has made me realise the need to raise our voices against the inhumanity and injustice happening in Djibouti and led me to a social media campaign against the same. This bold step invited the wrath of the existing government who tried every opportunity to insult and threaten me, driving me out of my own country. Despite 20 years of dedicated service to the army, I was still abandoned by it. I was kicked out of my military lodging and my rightful dues that I was entitled to in exchange for my 20 year long service still yet to be paid. Currently I seek refugee asylum status in the USA while being constantly worried about the safety of his family who are living under fear, receiving threats and insults on a regular basis. I long to be reunited with my family and lead a peaceful life with them as I continue to keep the fight for democracy alive in Djibouti.
