NGO CONCERN PLANS TO WITHDRAW FROM ROHINGYA

C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 000086

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2015
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF BG
SUBJECT: NGO CONCERN PLANS TO WITHDRAW FROM ROHINGYA

REFUGEE CAMPS DUE TO BDG PRESSURE

Classified By: POLCOUN D.C. McCullough, reasons: 1.5 (b),(d)


1. (C) Summary: Citing harassment from the BDG NGO Affairs
Bureau, NGO Concern has decided to withdraw from Rohingya
refugee camps. UNHCR says they plan on taking over Concern's
programs until they find a permanent replacement. END SUMMARY


2. (SBU) On January 4, Concern Country Director Columba
O'Dowd met with Poloffs to discuss her NGO's plans to
withdraw from the Rohingya Refugee Camps. Concern, the only
international NGO at the Rohingya camps, provides sanitation,
education, and procurement services to the Rohyingyan
refugees. Other services in the camps are provided through
the BDG's Ministry of Disaster and Food Management and
Ministry of Health.


3. (C) O'Dowd stated that on December 24 the BDG's NGO
Affairs Bureau (NGOAB) alleged in writing to Concern that a
Concern employee was involved in "anti-Rohingyan refugee
repatriation" work. When Concern requested further
information on the allegation, she said, the NGOAB gave
O'Dowd an angry and verbally abusive phone call while
refusing to state the nature of the anti-repatriation
allegation. Citing the consistent NGOAB history of pressuring
her staff at the camps, UNHCR's failures to intervene on
their behalf, and citing her own concern for her staff's
security O'Dowd stated that she had decided to withdraw
Concern from the Rohingya Camps.


4. (C) On January 5 Poloff met with UNHCR Deputy
Representative Mulusew Mamo to discuss the situation. Mamo
told us that UNHCR representative Christopher Lee had offered
to contest the NGOAB's allegation with the BDG, but O'Dowd
declined. Mamo said UNHCR will begin looking for another
international NGO to implement the educational programs once
Concern leaves. BDG complaints about "anti-repatriation
work" are common, Mamo added, because offering services such
as health or education are seen as deterring repatriation.
Such griping, he indicated, falls short of constituting a
genuine threat.


5. (C) Comment: Frustration, coordination problems, and
differing opinions between Concern and UNHCR over education
programs, rather than merely security, seem to be driving
Concern's decision to withdraw. END COMMENT.
THOMAS