CUBAN DOCTORS SHUFFLED TO ANOTHER IMMIGRATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 003277 SIPDIS DEPT FOR PRM A/S TAFT, PRM/A, PRM/AAA, AF/S, AF/PD, WHA/CCA NAIROBI FOR REFCOORD AND INS ROME FOR INS LONDON FOR PFLAUMER CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 03277 191532Z E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/10 TAGS: PREF PGOV PHUM PREL ZI CU SUBJECT: CUBAN DOCTORS SHUFFLED TO ANOTHER IMMIGRATION HOLDING FACILITY REF: A). STATE 115930 (NOTAL) B). HARARE 3264 CLASSIFIED BY DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION EARL M. IRVING FOR REASONS 1.5 B/D. ¶1. (C) UNHCR REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE OLUSEYI BAJULAIYE TOLD AMBASSADOR MCDONALD JUNE 17 THAT CUBAN DOCTORS LEONEL CORDOVA RODRIGUEZ AND NORIS DEL CARMEN PENA MARTINEZ HAD BEEN TRANSFERRED FROM GOROMONZI REMAND CENTER TO ANOTHER, UNDISCLOSED (TO US) LOCATION WITHIN HARARE, STILL UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE ZIMBABWEAN IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES. BAJULAIYE SAID THAT HE AND LOCAL UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE JOHN ADU INSPECTED THE LOCATION PRIOR TO THE DOCTORS' TRANSFER AND SATISFIED THEMSELVES THAT IT WAS FIT FOR HABITATION. IN ADDITION, THE UNHCR OFFICIAL HAD NO NEWS AS OF JUNE 18 ON PROGRESS ON A DECISION BY EITHER THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT OR PRESIDENT MUGABE ON THE DISPOSITION OF THE DOCTORS. HE ALSO COULD SHED NO LIGHT ON PROGRESS TO IDENTIFY A THIRD COUNTRY WILLING TO ACCEPT THE CUBANS IF RELEASE IS FINALLY GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT. (COMMENT: IN SHORT, AS OF THIS WRITING FORWARD MOVEMENT HERE ON THE CASE REMAINS STALLED. END COMMENT). ¶2. (SBU) THE EMBASSY'S PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER HAS CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 03277 191532Z LEARNED THAT "THE MIAMI HERALD" REPORTER SANDRA MARQUEZ GARCIA IS SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE IN HARARE ON JUNE 19. PER REF (A) POST WILL NOT DISCUSS THE CASE WITH HER AND REFER ALL HER INQUIRIES TO UNHCR OR THE DEPARTMENT/PA. MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL >