UNHCR ASKS EGYPT TO DELAY DEPORTING SUDANESE

UNCLAS CAIRO 000132 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR PRM/A, PRM/AFR, PRM/ANE, PRM/MCE ROME PLEASE PASS TO MFO (LAROCCO) GENEVA FRO RMA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV SU EG KREF UNHCR SUBJECT: UNHCR ASKS EGYPT TO DELAY DEPORTING SUDANESE DETAINEES PENDING REFUGEE DETERMINATIONS REF: A. CAIRO 58 ¶B. CAIRO 82 Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) The GOE has not yet begun deportation of Sudanese detainees. Interior Ministry contacts advised on January 8 that the 72 hour grace period given to UNHCR to interview Sudanese detainees (see Refs A and B) had expired, and the GOE had not yet determined whether to give UNHCR additional time to make refugee status determinations on the detainees. MFA contacts also confirmed that the situation remains under discussion. ¶2. (SBU) UNHCR's representative in Cairo Saad al Attar advised Refcoord that the High Commissioner sent a personal letter to FM Aboul Gheit on January 6 noting that UNHCR had screened the 631 Sudanese under GOE detention and asking for additional time to complete the review of the detainees status. UNHCR said it has placed the detainees in four categories: 1) 145 individuals who had registered but lost their documents when evicted from the park 2) 57 individuals from Darfur who should be protected within the terms of the 1967 OAU convention 3) 99 vulnerable cases (women and children) 4) 326 individuals who either had been screened (years ago) and rejected (but nonetheless should have their cases reviewed) or are unregistered. ¶3. (SBU) According to Al Attar, UNHCR determined that the Sudanese in categories one, two and three should be released and permitted to stay. However making due process refugee status determinations (including screening/interviews, status determinations, and appeals) on those in category four would require at least one month (using approximately 9 lawyers plus support staff). Al Attar said that UNHCR had offered to allow the GOE to embed its own personnel in the refugee status determination teams. As of January 8, the MFA had not responded to UNHCR's request, but Al Attar said he believes the GOE will agree to allow UNHCR more time to make the refugee status determinations and will not begin deportations in the immediate future. RICCIARDONE