ZIMBABWE REPORTEDLY WANTS CUBANS DOCTORS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 003160

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR PRM A/S TAFT, PRM/A, PRM/AAA, AF/S, AF/PD,
WHA/CCA

NAIROBI FOR REFCOORD AND INS

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PAGE 02 HARARE 03160 01 OF 02 121733Z
ROME FOR INS

LONDON FOR PFLAUMER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/12/10
TAGS: PREF PGOV PHUM PREL ZI CU
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE REPORTEDLY WANTS CUBANS DOCTORS
RELEASED TO ANOTHER COUNTRY FOR PERMANENT RESETTLEMENT

REF: HARARE 3113

CLASSIFIED BY CONSUL THERESA A. HEBRON FOR REASONS 1.5
B/D.


1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUESTED MESSAGE; PLEASE SEE
PARAGRAPH 8.


2. (C) SUMMARY: UNHCR OFFICIALS ADU AND SALOMONS
CONTINUED IN THEIR QUEST TO SECURE THE RELEASE OF THE
CUBAN DOCTORS JUNE 12, AT ONE POINT TELLING THE INS
OFFICER TO LEAVE THEM TO WORK INDEPENDENTLY. THEY HAD
NO OBJECTION TO EMBOFFS SEEING THE CUBANS BUT SAID THEY
WOULD NOT HELP THEM GAIN ACCESS. AT THE SAME TIME
SALOMONS PROBED FOR PROPRIETARY INFORMATION ON WHAT THE
DOCTORS TOLD INS OFFICER VARSANI ABOUT THEIR REFOULEMENT
ORDEAL. THE UNHCR OFFICIALS TOLD US THAT THE DECISION TO
RELEASE THE CUBANS NOW RESTED WITH PRESIDENT MUGABE, AND
THAT THE ZIMBABWEANS WERE ASKING THAT THE CUBAN
DEFECTORS BE RESETTLED IN A COUNTRY OTHER THAN THE
UNITED STATES, AS HAD BEEN THE PRACTICE IN SUCH CASES IN
THE PAST. REGIONAL UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE BAJULAIYE MAY
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COME TO HARARE TO TAKE OVER THE CASE, BUT DOWNPLAYS HIS
CHANCES OF ACHIEVING SUCCESS. MEANWHILE, SENIOR
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS CONTINUED TO OUCK THE AMBASSAOOR'S
ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THEM, OR FEIGNEO IGNORANCE OF THE
MERITS OF THE CASE WHEN REACHED. IF WE SEE NO PROGRESS
IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, POST ASKS THAT THE SECRETARY
REQUEST UNHCR HEAD OGATA TO INTERVENE WITH PRESIDENT
MUGABE TO SECURE THE CUBANS' RELEASE. END SUMMARY.


3. (C) ON JUNE 12 UNHCR REPRESENTATIVES ADU AND SALOMONS
ADVISED INS OFFICER SANJEETA VARSANI THAT HER PRESENCE
WOULD BE AN IMPEDIMENT TO ANY MEETINGS HELD WITH GOZ
OFFICIALS CONCERNING THE CUBANS AND WOULD HINDER UNHCR'S
IMPARTIALITY. SALOMONS, HOWEVER, ASKED VARSANI TO SHARE
INS INTERVIEW NOTES FROM THE JUNE 9 REFUGEE INTERVIEW
THAT SHE CONDUCTED WITH THE CUBANS, AS THIS INFORMATION
WOULD BE HELPFUL TO UNHCR IN THE MEETINGS WITH THE GOZ
OFFICIALS. SALOMONS ALSO STATED THAT HE SPECIFICALLY
WANTED INFORMATION REGARDING WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CUBANS
AFTER THEY WERE ABDUCTED FROM THE TEACHER'S HOME ON JUNE
2 AND WHAT SOUTH AFRICAN OFFICIALS DID OR SAID WHEN THE
CUBANS ARRIVED IN JOHANNESBURG. SALOMONS INDICATED THAT
IF UNHCR COULD ESTABLISH THAT SOUTH AFRICAN OFFICIALS
ASSISTED THE GOZ IN THE ATTEMPTED REFOULEMENT OF THE
CUBANS, THEN UNHCR STOOD A BETTER CHANCE AT SECURING THE
CUBANS' RELEASE INTO THEIR CUSTODY TODAY JUNE 12.
VARSANI DEMURRED AND SAID THAT SHE COULD NOT SHARE ANY
INFORMATION WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF HER INS SUPERIORS.
SALOMONS WENT ON TO STATE THAT THE PROCESS OF GETTING
THE CUBANS RELEASED MAY TAKE SEVERAL DAYS, AS THE FINAL
DECISION RESTED WITH PRESIDENT MUGABE. HE ALSO ADDED
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THAT IN THE PAST, WHEN HIGH PROFILE CUBANS DEFECT, CUBA
TRIES TO SAVE FACE BY HAVING THEM RESETTLED IN ANY
COUNTRY EXCEPT THE UNITED STATES.


4. (C) CONSUL RECEIVED A TELEPHONE CALL FROM FORWARD
MADZIYA (STRICTLY PROTECT),THE TEACHER WITH WHOM THE
CUBANS HAD BEEN STAYING AFTER THEY REQUESTED ASYLUM.
VARSANI WENT TO VISIT MADZIYA AT THE SCHOOL WHERE HE
TEACHES IN GLEN NORAH, A HIGH-DENSITY AREA OUTSIDE OF
HARARE. AFTER CONFIRMING THAT VARSANI HAD THE CUBANS'
BEST INTERESTS IN MIND AND THAT SHE KNEW WHERE CORDOVA
HAD HIDDEN THEIR PASSPORTS, MADZIYA TOOK VARSANI TO HIS
HOME AND HANDED OVER THEIR PASSPORTS, TELEPHONE DIARIES,
AND OTHER PERSONAL DOCUMENTS.


5. (C) ADU AND SALOMONS CONTINUE TO ARGUE THAT THE USG
SHOULD KEEP ITS DISTANCE FROM THE CASE AND ALLOW THE
CUBANS TO BE RESETTLED IN SOME OTHER COUNTRY, AS A
"FACE-SAVING MEASURE" FOR THE GOZ. SALOMONS ALSO TOLD
VARSANI THAT IF SHE ANO CONSUL WISHED TO VISIT THE
CUBANS, THAT PERMISSION WOULO HAVE TO BE SECURED WITHOUT
UNHCR ASSISTANCE. JAMES MCANULTY, POLITICAL REFUGEE
COOROINATOR AMEMBASSY NAIROBI, SAIO THAT PREETA LAW OF

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ACTION PRM-01

INFO LOG-00 AF-00 AID-00 CA-02 CIAE-00 DODE-00 WHA-00
SRPP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 OIGO-02 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00
INR-00 INSE-00 IO-00 L-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00
OIC-02 OMB-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00
SP-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00
VO-03 PMB-00 DRL-02 G-00 SAS-00 /015W
-------------- 61E1B9 121734Z /49
O 121725Z JUN 00
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6298
INFO AMEMBASSY NAIROBI IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE
USINT HAVANA IMMEDIATE
COMMISSIONER USINS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY ROME
USMISSION GENEVA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 003160

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR PRM A/S TAFT, PRM/A, PRM/AAA, AF/S, AF/PD,
WHA/CCA

NAIROBI FOR REFCOORD AND INS

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 HARARE 03160 02 OF 02 121734Z
ROME FOR INS

LONDON FOR PFLAUMER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/12/10
TAGS: PREF PGOV PHUM PREL ZI CU
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE REPORTEDLY WANTS CUBANS DOCTORS
RELEASED TO ANOTHER COUNTRY FOR PERMANENT RESETTLEMENT

THE UNHCR REGIONAL SERVICES CENTER NAIROBI ALSO
MENTIONEO THE GOZ'S OSTENSIBLE OESIRE TO HAVE THE CUBANS
RESETTLEO ANYWHERE BUT IN THE U.S. MCNAULTY THOUGHT
THAT ONE POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO THE IMPASSE WOULO BE TO
ACKNOWLEOGE THAT THE CUBANS WOULO GO TO KENYA, WHILE
GLOSSING OVER THE FACT THAT THEY WOULD ALSO TRAVEL
ONWARO FOR RESETTLEMENT IN THE U.S. HOWEVER, THIS MAY
BE TOO TRANSPARENT A RUSE FOR THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT,
AS WORO OF ONWARO PROCESSING HAS ALREAOY HIT THE PRESS
IN THE STATES.


6. (C) OLUSEYI BAJULAIYE, UNHCR REGIONAL
REPRESENTATIVE, TOLO LUSAKA DCM WHITEHEAO JUNE 12 THAT
HE MAY COME TO HARARE TO SORT THE PROBLEM OUT HIMSELF.
BAJULAIYE REITERATED THAT THE CASE WAS ON MUGABE'S OESK
FOR DECISION. ALTHOUGH A SKILLED OIPLOMAT, BAJULAIYE
THINKS HE IS CURRENTLY OUT OF FAVOR WITH THE GOZ,
BECAUSE OF STATEMENTS HE MAOE ABOUT POSSIBLE REFUGEE
INFLUXES FROM ZIMBABWE DUE TO THE LAND CRISIS.


7. (C) MEANWHILE, AMBASSADOR MCDONALD SPOKE WITH THE
INFLUENTIAL SECRETARY OF THE CABINET, CHARLES UTETE, WHO
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WAS CORDIAL ENOUGH BUT PROFESSED IGNORANCE OF THE MERITS
OF THE CASE. THE AMBASSADOR ALSO ATTEMPTED TO SPEAK
WITH HOME AFFAIRS MINISTER DUMISO DABENGWA AND OTHER
SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, ALL OF WHOM PROVED
UNAVAILABLE.


8. (C) ACTION REQUESTED: IF THE CUBAN DOCTORS ARE NOT
RELEASED WITHIN THE NEXT 48 HOURS POST RECOMMENDS THAT
THE SECRETARY PLACE A CALL TO UNHCR HEAD OGATA TO
REQUEST THAT OGATA SPEAK WITH PRESIDENT MUGABE TO SECURE
THE DOCTORS' FREEDOM AND TRANSFER OF CUSTODY TO UNHCR.

MCDONALD

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