Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DJIBOUTI283
2006-03-06 03:48:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Djibouti
Cable title:  

SOMALIA THROUGH DJIBOUTI'S CONSULAR

Tags:  CMGT PTER ASEC KE ET DJ SO CIVS KFRP 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS DJIBOUTI 000283 

SIPDIS

FOR CA/OCS, CA/P, AF/E
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CMGT PTER ASEC KE ET DJ SO CIVS KFRP
SUBJECT: SOMALIA THROUGH DJIBOUTI'S CONSULAR
WINDOW

REF: NAIROBI 740

UNCLAS DJIBOUTI 000283

SIPDIS

FOR CA/OCS, CA/P, AF/E
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CMGT PTER ASEC KE ET DJ SO CIVS KFRP
SUBJECT: SOMALIA THROUGH DJIBOUTI'S CONSULAR
WINDOW

REF: NAIROBI 740


1. SUMMARY. Embassy Djibouti agrees with the analysis in
reftel. Djibouti is also responsible for providing consular services
to Somalia. Post is unable to confirm identities or relationships to
petitioners. The consular section concurs with Nairobi's stated
concerns about possible ACS fraud. END SUMMARY.

VISA CONCERNS
--------------

2. While Djibouti does not handle Diversity Visas, Post does
process Immigrant Visas, and Visas 92 and 93 (for family
members of asylees and refugees) as well as a small number of
Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV) applicants. The 92s and 93s have the
highest level of fraud. Post is instructed that these cases are
already adjudicated, and our only role in the process is to verify
identity and relationship. But therein lies the concern. Post has
almost no way to accurately establish identity. Relationships can
sometimes be validated through DNA, but that has problems as
well (see paragraph 4).


3. For a fee, any civil document can be obtained from the Somali
Embassy in Djibouti. On 2 March, a Somali woman produced in a
visa interview ten birth certificates, for her nine children and
herself. They were all stamped as issued the prior day. While they
are legitimately issued documents direct from the embassy, they
are meaningless. Some applicants say they are asked to swear that
the information is true before they can receive the documents, but
most report that they don't even have to do that. The woman who
offered the birth certificates didn't bring her children or any
evidence of their existence with her to Djibouti when she obtained
the documents.

DNA - SOMETIMES FRIEND, SOMETIMES FOE
-------------- --------------

4. Frequently, the only way to establish relationship is through
DNA testing. With no civil documents of confidence, and
photographs and letters extremely rare, DNA seems the only
reliable evidence. When DNA does show a relationship though, it
often does not meet the required 99.5% burden of proof. For
example, someone will petition for a parent or child. The DNA
establishes a close relationship, but per the DNA it is more likely
to be a sibling.


5. Additionally, some applicants will offer DNA to establish a
relationship, but the "children" they petition for are actually adult
Embassy Djibouti frequently sees individuals who are well into
their twenties (estimated by a panel physician) who claim to be as
young as ten. Visas 92 and 93 are intended only to reunite spouses
and minor unmarried children with their asylee or refugee anchor
relative. Since the cases have already been adjudicated prior to
being sent to post, the applicants will point to the DNA to establish
identity and relationship, although they are not the ages of the
individuals claimed in the petition.

ACS ISSUES
--------------

6. Djibouti does not have anything to add to Nairobi's thorough
commentary on concerns about Somali-Americans, passport
sharing, and child smuggling. Many similar stories have been seen
here. Djibouti shares all the same concerns and concurs
completely with Nairobi's assessment of the issues and the
difficulties facing our posts in informed adjudication.


7. Djibouti echoes Nairobi's request for guidance from Consular
Affairs and regional posts about best practices for processing
Somali Immigrant and Somali-American ACS cases.
RAGSDALE