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GV French gendarmes dressed in civilian clothes lined up at Djibouti airport
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GV Gendarmes with families walking across tarmac and boarding aircraft (7 shots)
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GV PAN UP FROM Stationary aircraft TO jet airliner taxiing down runway
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Initials BB/1805



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The french colonial authorities have begun their withdrawal from the tiny Red Sea territory of Afars and Issas, which becomes independent on June 27.

SYNOPSIS: The first major pull out was this group of gendarmes and their families, who left the capital, Djibouti, on Thursday (2 June). The French have in the past kept a strong military and police presence in the territory, which is peopled basically by two tribes, the Afars, and the Somali Issas. As a result of an election last month, held at the same time as a referendum in which the people overwhelmingly voted for independence, Mr. Hassan Gouled, a member of the majority Issas tribe, was elected Prime Minister. The territory -- important strategically because it lies at the bottom end or the Red Sea -- is the last French foothold in Africa. France intends to keep a residual military presence, but in the end it will be up to the government of the new state.