CUBAN DOCTORS LIKELY TO BE RETURNED TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 003485 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 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 03485 261458Z LONDON FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/26/10 TAGS: PREF PGOV PHUM PREL ZI CU SUBJECT: CUBAN DOCTORS LIKELY TO BE RETURNED TO GOROMONZI DETENTION CENTER REF: HARARE 3397 (NOTAL) CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD FOR REASONS 1.5 B/D. ¶1. (C) ON JUNE 26 UNHCR REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE OLUSEYI BAJULAIYE TOLD CONSUL THAT CUBAN DOCTORS LEONEL CORDOVA RODRIGUEZ AND NORIS DEL CARMEN PENA MARTINEZ WERE STILL AT THE RHODESVILLE REMAND CENTER, WHERE THE GOVERNMENT HAD MOVED THEM ON JUNE 17. HE THOUGHT THAT THE CUBANS WOULD BE RETURNED TO THE GOROMONZI DETENTION CENTER IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, AS THE RHODESVILLE FACILITY WAS ONLY A TRANSIT CENTER. THE UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE REPORTED THAT HIS STAFF STILL ENJOYS DAILY ACCESS TO THE CUBANS, WHO WERE RESIGNED TO THE TRANSFER. NEVERTHELESS, BAJULAIYE TOLD CONSUL THAT HE INTENDS TO PROTEST THE CUBANS' TRANSFER, COMPLAINING THAT GOROMONZI DETENTION CENTER IS LOCATED TOO FAR FROM HARARE. HE ALSO INTENDED TO REGISTER HIS CONCERN ABOUT THE CUBANS' SAFETY AT GOROMONZI. ¶2. (C) G. GARRETT GRIBSBY OF SENATOR HELMS' STAFF ASKED AMBASSADOR MCDONALD FOR ASSISTANCE IN DELIVERING A "CARE PACKAGE" TO THE CUBANS, AS HE WAS UNDER INSTRUCTIONS TO CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 03485 261458Z PUT IT IN THE CUBANS' HANDS. THE AMBASSADOR REFERRED HIM TO BAJULAIYE AND INDICATED TO GRIBSBY THAT IT WAS UNLIKELY THAT THE GOZ WOULD AGREE TO HIS REQUEST. THE SENATOR STAFFER INTENDS TO MEET WITH BAJULAIYE THE EVENING OF JUNE 26 TO PURSUE A STRATEGY TO FULFILL HIS MISSION. MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL >