CUBANS STILL IN JAIL, INS OFFICER ATTEMPTING TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 003105 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR CA A/S MARY RYAN, CA/VO/F/P DARIA DARNELL, AF PDAS NANCY POWELL, AF DAS WITNEY SCHNEIDMAN, AF/S DIRECTOR ARLENE RENDER, AF/S DEPUTY DIRECTOR DON BOOTH, AND AF/S ZIMBABWE DESK OFFICER CHARLES GURNEY NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 03105 091105Z GENEVA FOR RMA NAIROBI FOR REFCOORD AND INS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/10 TAGS: PREL PREF CMGT ZI CU SUBJECT: CUBANS STILL IN JAIL, INS OFFICER ATTEMPTING TO GAIN ACCESS FOR FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEW REF: HARARE 3096 CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD FOR REASONS 1.5 B/D. ¶1. (C) ON JUNE 8 AMBASSADOR MCDONALD SPOKE WITH MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PERMANENT SECRETARY MACHIVENYIKA MAPURANGA TO REITERATE OUR DESIRE TO SOLVE QUICKLY THE REFUGEE CASE OF CUBAN DOCTORS LEONEL CORDOVA RODRIGUEZ AND NORIS PENA MARTINEZ. THE AMBASSADOR INFORMED THE PERMANENT SECRETARY THAT WE HAD HEARD FROM THE LOCAL UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE THAT CUBAN AMBASSADOR RODOLFO SARRACINO WAS PRESSURING THE MFA TO HAND OVER THE CUBANS, A REQUEST THE AMBASSADOR EXPECTED THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT WOULD EXERCISE ITS SOVEREIGNTY TO DENY. THE AMBASSADOR ALSO ASKED WHAT WOULD BE THE OPINION OF THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT IF THE CUBANS WERE REMOVED TO ANOTHER COUNTRY PENDING COMPLETION OF IMMIGRATION FORMALITIES FOR THE UNITED STATES. ¶2. (C) MAPURANGA REPLIED THAT AS FAR AS THE GOVERNMENT CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 03105 091105Z OF ZIMBABWE WAS CONCERNED THE CUBANS COULD GO WHERE THEY WISHED; THE MATTER WAS NOW THE COMPETENCE OF UNHCR AND THE RECEIVING COUNTRY. RESPONDING TO THE AMBASSADOR'S REMARK ABOUT THE CUBAN AMBASSADOR'S EFFORTS, THE PERMANENT SECRETARY SAID THAT HIS MINISTRY DID NOT CHANGE ITS POSITION WITH "EVERY GUST OF WIND." ¶3. (C) AMBASSADOR MCDONALD LATER SPOKE WITH ACTING CHIEF IMMIGRATION OFFICER MR. KARAGA TO SECURE THE LATTER'S COOPERATION IN ARRANGING ACCESS TO THE CUBANS FOR EMBASSY CONSULAR OFFICER HEBRON AND NAIROBI INS OFFICER SANJEETA VARSANI. THE CUBANS OPTED TO REMAIN IN THE GOROMONZI DETENTION FACILITY AS THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO BE HELD TOGETHER AND, IN ANY EVENT, LIVING CONDITIONS WERE OSTENSIBLY BETTER THAN IN THE IMMIGRATION SERVICE'S TRANSIT CAMP, ACCORDING TO LOCAL UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE JOHN ADU. THE CHIEF IMMIGRATION OFFICER DISCLAIMED KNOWLEDGE OF THE ISSUE AND TRANSFERRED THE CALL TO THE ACTION IMMIGRATION OFFICER, WHO INSISTED THAT THE UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE CONTACT HIM DIRECTLY WITH THE REQUEST. THE AMBASSADOR THEN SPOKE WITH UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE JOHN ADU, WHO REPORTED THAT HE ALREADY HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE ACTION OFFICER, BUT WOULD SEEK A FACE-TO-FACE MEETING. AS THIS CABLE IS BEING ISSUED, THE INS OFFICER AND EMBASSY CONSULAR OFFICER ARE ON THEIR WAY TO GOROMONZI DETENTION FACILITY. ¶4. (C) COMMENT: WE CONTINUE TO THINK THAT EVACUATING THE CUBANS FROM ZIMBABWE IS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION TO ENSURE THEIR WELFARE. IN FACT, AMBASSADOR MCDONALD STRONGLY RECOMMENDS THAT THEY BE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 HARARE 03105 091105Z FROM ZIMBABWE TO THE U.S. OR A THIRD COUNTRY. NO MATTER HOW MANY ASSURANCES WE RECEIVE FROM THE GOZ, IT IS STILL QUITE POSSIBLE SOMETHING SINISTER IS AFOOT. OUR PREFERENCE WOULD BE FOR THEM TO GO TO THE U.S. FOR PROCESSING OR CANADA, IF THEY MUST GO TO A THIRD COUNTRY PENDING COMPLETION OF THEIR MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS OR OTHER INS FORMALITIES. A THIRD OPTION WOULD BE KENYA. END COMMENT. MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL >