ETHIOPIA: (C-AL7-01035) SOME COMMERCIAL FOOD

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 002524

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/E, PRM/AFR AND INR/AA
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER
CJTF-HOA AND USCENTCOM FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/2017
TAGS: PREF PHUM PGOV MOPS EAGR EAID ET
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: (C-AL7-01035) SOME COMMERCIAL FOOD
ALLOWED TO ENTER OGADEN BUT EMERGENCY FOOD RELIEF ON HOLD


Classified By: REFCOORD KENT HEALY. REASON: 1.4 (B),(D).


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. On August 9, the UN Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reported that
World Food Program (WFP) emergency food relief is now finally
en route to the Ogaden area of Ethiopia's Somali Region, with
4 trucks making deliveries, and 32 other trucks anticipated
to deliver food to four of the five zones where military
operations against Ogadeni insurgents continue.
Additionally, limited commercial food is reportedly now
available in Degehabur, following the military's escort of
trucks delivering food from neighboring Somaliland.


2. (C) SUMMARY CONTINUED: In a separate meeting on August 10
with Ambassador and USAID Mission Director, the Deputy Prime
Minister affirmed that the GOE sought to deliver emergency
food where security conditions permitted, and welcomed the
suggestion that WFP food monitors accompany such convoys.
The Deputy PM expressed reservations about any USG "disaster
declaration" for the Ogaden, noting the need for a careful
assessment, and highlighting concerns "negative elements"
could exploit such a declaration for political ends. END
SUMMARY.

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EMERGENCY FOOD FOR OGADEN HELD IN JIJIGA
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3. (SBU) An August 9 meeting of UNOCHA, UN agencies, and NGOs
provided a mixed picture of the humanitarian situation in
Ethiopia's Somali Region. Information from different sources
reported a tightening of the ban on commercial vehicular
traffic in the last few days, which has directly affected
food availability in the region. According to UNOCHA, very
limited food was reaching the 5 zones where the Ethiopian
National Defense Force (ENDF) is conducting an ongoing
counterinsurgency against suspected supporters of the Ogaden
National Liberation Front (ONLF).

-- WFP reported that humanitarian food destined for the
region had been held by the military at Kebribeyah (45 km
south of the regional capital, Jijiga, and just outside the
area of military operations). Some 10 trucks had arrived at
Kebribeyah, but only 4 had been allowed to proceed further
toward the Ogaden (Warder). The ENDF was holding the other 6
trucks until the arrival of an additional 27 trucks from WFP
food warehouses in Dire Dawa, so that all the trucks could
travel as a single convoy.

-- According to WFP, the emergency food distribution underway
totaled 1,900 metric tons and consisted of 4 trucks for
Warder, 17 trucks for Korahe, 17 for Degehabur, and 5 to
Gode. WFP reiterated its concern that 1,900 metric tons of
emergency food being distributed only represented a stopgap
measure, and that significant tonnage was required for the
Ogaden. Preliminary estimates from the WFP and the
federal-level Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Agency
(DPPA) indicate that 30,000 MT of commodities per month would
be required to meet the food needs of the 1.5 million people
in the affected zones. While WFP said that it was discussing
increasing humanitarian food with the GOE, if needed, there
was consensus among UN agencies and humanitarian partners
that the continued ban on commercial food remains a key cause
of food insecurity. (NOTE: On August 10, USAID/DCHA/OFDA's
East and Central Africa office issued an internal Level 2
Alert on the food security crisis in the Somali Region;
alerts range from Levels 1 to 4, with "4" being the most
severe. END NOTE.)

-- New health problems had been reported in Jijiga and Fik.
UNICEF was following a dual approach: addressing health needs
of populations near the perimeter of zones where military
operations continued, in an attempt to support populations
moving out of those zones; and mobilizing mobile health,
nutrition, and hygiene teams to assist the regional health
bureau and increase access. WHO announced the continuation
of an anti-polio campaign in early October.


4. (SBU) Following a visit by Abay Tsehaye, National Security

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Advisor to the Prime Minister, to Jijiga for consultations
with Somali Region authorities, the Somali Region government
had reportedly re-allocated additional funds for security:
increasing defense and military spending from 15 million to
55 million birr (approximately USD 6 million),and doubling
the overall budget for the Somali Region from 500 million to
one billion birr.


5. (SBU) UNOCHA Head of Office and Deputy to the Humanitarian
Coordinator Paul Hebert reported that he had raised concerns
about the Ogaden with foreign ministry officials on August 3,
and had underscored the vulnerability of women and children.
Hebert appealed for international partners to engage the
Prime Minister or the Deputy Prime Minister to discuss
intervention to maintain the movement of food supplies to the
Somali Region.

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LANDMINES POSE SAFETY CONCERNS
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6. (SBU) According to UNOCHA, there has been little fighting
in the Somali Region over the last month, but unconfirmed
reports of additional landmines placed on roads. Concerns
about the safety of humanitarian access has increased,
following the July 29 landmine incident between the towns of
Degehamedo and Degehabur (in the Fafen River valley of
Degehabur Zone) that killed three local NGO staff. An
increased number of landmines have reportedly been planted on
main roads within the last 2 weeks, in areas where the
military is active. NGOs noted that due to ongoing military
operations, very few organizations are currently operating in
the Ogaden; those that remain face sharp restrictions in
their freedom of movement and access to communities. If the
GOE permits such NGOs and other humanitarian agencies wider
latitude in the near future, concern about safety (e.g., due
to landmines) may continue to limit their movement and
operations.

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SOME FOOD FROM SOMALILAND REACHING DEGEHABUR
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7. (SBU) In an August 10 update to A/DCM, Hebert reported
that while "severe food shortages persisted" west of
Degehabur, i.e., Degehamedo Woreda, bordering Fik Zone),the
situation in Degahabur woreda appeared to be "stabilizing,"
as the military had escorted trucks carrying commercial food
from Somaliland via Kebribeyah (in Jijiga Zone) to Degahabur
town. Notably, those supplying food were reportedly
non-Somali and selling food at "monopolistic" prices: 25
percent above the normal price increase of basic staple
foods, but an improvement over the 100-200 percent increases
in June and July. In addition, trucks had managed to skirt
the ban on commercial food and deliver to some rural areas in
Degehabur, where prices were lower than those in town.

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THREATS OF FORCED RELOCATION IN REPORTED ONLF STRONGHOLD
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8. (SBU) In its August 9 weekly briefing, UNOCHA reported
that in 2 of the 5 zones where military operations continue
(Degehabur and Kebridehar Zones),the military had
"requested" that elders direct pastoralists to move their
livestock to four designated areas (not identified) within a
week, or else they would be considered "hostiles." Elders in
Kebridehar reportedly refused to force pastoralists into
these designated areas. UNOCHA considers these actions as
"voluntary movements," in contrast to reports of the military
forcing villagers in the Warder Zone to move to selected
sites.


9. (C) In an August 10 update to A/DCM, Hebert reported that
the military was "backing off" from earlier threats of forced
concentration in Degehabur, as the threats were driving
pastoralists to disperse even more widely into the bush. The
army had reportedly asked elders to ensure that villagers
return to their original locations. Degehabur's population


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