UNHCR REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES ATTEMPTS TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 003231

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR PRM A/S TAFT, PRM/A, PRM/AAA, AF/S, AF/PD,
WHA/CCA
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PAGE 02 HARARE 03231 01 OF 02 141750Z

NAIROBI FOR REFCOORD AND INS

ROME FOR INS

LONDON FOR PFLAUMER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/14/10
TAGS: PREF PGOV PHUM PREL ZI CU
SUBJECT: UNHCR REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES ATTEMPTS TO
BROKER A DEAL FOR THE CUBANS' RELEASE

REF: HARARE 3164

CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD FOR REASONS 1.5
B/D.


1. (C) ON JUNE 14 LUSAKA-BASED UNITED NATIONS HIGH
COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR) REGIONAL
REPRESENTATIVE OLUSEYI BAJULAIYE TOLD AMBASSADOR
MCDONALD THAT HE HAD MET WITH A NUMBER OF OFFICIALS IN
HARARE WITH RESPECT TO THE CASES OF CUBAN DOCTORS LEONEL
CORDOVA RODRIGUEZ AND NORIS DEL CARMEN PENA MARTINEZ.
HIS FIRST CALL WAS ON THE REFUGEE COMMISSIONER, MR. I.

T. MUKHARO, TO WHOM HE PROTESTED THE CONDITIONS UNDER
WHICH THE CUBANS WERE BEING HELD. DOCTORS CORDOVA AND
PENA HAVE NO MATTRESS AND RECEIVE ONLY ONE MEAL A DAY,
ACCORDING TO MICHIEL SALOMONS, THE UNHCR LAWYER WHO HAD
VISITED THEM EARLIER ON JUNE 14. THE CUBANS ARE SLEEPING
ON BLANKETS ON A HARD, COLD, CEMENT FLOOR IN THE
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE WINTER. SALOMONS WAS ALLOWED ONLY
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TO LEAVE MONEY FOR FOOD AND TOILETRIES, BUT NO BLANKETS
OR A MATTRESS. THE GOROMONZI POLICE EXPLAINED TO
SALOMONS THAT PERSONS IN REMAND STATUS WERE PROHIBITED
FROM SLEEPING ON A MATTRESS, AS IT COULD BE USED TO
CONCEAL WEAPONS.


2. (C) BAJULAIYE REPORTED THAT HE HAD SCHEDULED A
MEETING AT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS WITH LEGAL
AND CONSULAR AFFAIRS HEAD, DR. ELITA SAKUPWANYA, WHO WAS
CALLED AWAY TO BRIEF FOREIGN MINISTER MUDENGE ALMOST AS
SOON AS THE MEETING BEGAN. THE UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE
ALSO SPOKE WITH THE CUBAN AMBASSADOR TO ZIMBABWE,
RODOLFO SARRACINO, WHO ASSURED THE FORMER THAT HIS
GOVERNMENT HAD NO OBJECTION TO THE DOCTORS LEAVING FOR A
THIRD COUNTRY, POSSIBLY CANADA, AND THAT HE HAD SENT A
DIPLOMATIC NOTE TO THAT EFFECT TO THE ZIMBABWEAN
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. BAJULAIYE SAID THAT THE
ZIMBABWEANS FELT THEMSELVES BOXED, UNDER TREMENDOUS
PRESSURE FROM THE CUBANS, THE UNHCR AND THE USG. ASKED
WHAT WAS THE STATUS OF THE CUBAN DOCTORS UNDER
ZIMBABWEAN LAW, BAJULAIYE EXPLAINED THAT THE ZIMBABWEAN
REFUGEE COMMITTEE HAD DECIDED ON JUNE 8 THAT IT "NEITHER
RECOGNIZED NOR REJECTED" REFUGEE STATUS FOR THE CUBANS.


3. (C) THE UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE WANTED TO PRESENT THE
ZIMBABWEANS WITH A DEAL. HE WANTED TO PROPOSE THAT THE
GOZ HAND OVER CUSTODY OF THE CUBANS IMMEDIATELY TO UNHCR
FOR RESETTLEMENT. THE RESETTLEMENT COUNTRY WOULD BE
CANADA, ALTHOUGH CANADIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER JAMES WALL
HAD BEEN VERY CAUTIOUS IN A CONVERSATION WITH BAJULAIYE
THE AFTERNOON OF JUNE 14. THE CANADIAN DIPLOMAT
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EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF THE CUBANS AND
FOUND THE ZIMBABWEAN'S MIDDLE OF THE ROAD DECISION
PUZZLING, AS WAS THEIR RELUCTANCE TO RELEASE THEM TO
UNHCR. HE PROMISED BAJULAIYE HE WOULD CHECK WITH HIS
HEADQUARTERS. HARARE UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE JOHN ADU TOLD
AMBASSADOR MCDONALD THAT ON JUNE 14 HE HAD MET WITH
ZIMBABWEAN HOME AFFAIRS MINISTER DUMISO DABENGWA, WHO
SAID HE WOULD NOT ALLOW DOCTORS CORDOVA AND PENA TO
LEAVE UNTIL HE WAS SATISFIED THAT THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT
APPROVED OF WHERE THEY WERE GOING. THE MINISTER DID NOT
VOICE OBJECTION TO THAT DESTINATION BEING CANADA.
BAJULAIYE THOUGHT THAT THE DECISION TO RELEASE THE
CUBANS RESTED WITH THE PRESIDENT. THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE
WOULD USE THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO COMMUNICATE
HIS DECISION TO THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS.


4. (C) THE AMBASSADOR TOLD BAJULAIYE THAT THE USG WOULD
BE CONVOKING THE ZIMBABWEAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED
STATES TO EXPLAIN THE USG'S SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THIS
MATTER AND THE TREATMENT OF THE CUBANS. HE ALSO TOLD THE
UNHCR REPRESENTAT