EGYPTIAN OFFICIALS: INTERDICTION OF SUDANESE DUE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 002320

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2017
TAGS: PREF PHUM PREL EG IS SU
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN OFFICIALS: INTERDICTION OF SUDANESE DUE
TO TENSE BORDER SITUATION

REF: A. SECSTATE 103854

B. CAIRO 2195

C. 2006 CAIRO 170

Classified by Acting DCM William R. Stewart for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Emboffs pressed for a more humane GOE
approach to migrants and asylum seekers attempting to enter
Israel with MFA contacts on July 25, reinforcing points on
July 29 per ref A demarche. Separately, emboff informed the
UNHCR/Cairo office of our request for UNHCR/Geneva to take
the lead on coordinating an international response. The GOE
is attempting to balance between limiting possible internal
unrest from a large refugee/migrant population, guaranteeing
border security, and addressing the international community's
border and humanitarian concerns. GOE officials say reports
that Egyptian security forces have recently killed at least
one and wounded several Sudanese attempting to illegally
enter Israel should be taken in the context of a tense
security situation on the border after the Hamas take-over of
Gaza. End summary.

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GOE Formulating New Policy, Downplays Border Shootings
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2. (C) On July 25, poloff pressed for a more humane GOE
approach to migrants and asylum seekers, and discussed
reports that Egyptian security killed one Sudanese and
wounded several others attempting to illegally cross the
Israeli border, with Ministry of Foreign Affairs Cabinet
Advisors Ahmed El Fadly (U.S. Affairs) and Ahmed Abu Zeid
(African Affairs). Poloff reinforced these points with El
Fadly per ref A demarche on July 29. The GOE interagency
apparatus was formulating a policy to deal with the issue
comprehensively, they said, but legal questions were still
outstanding. Israeli press reports of a "deal" for Israel to
return Sudanese and other Africans that had entered illegally
from Egypt was still not concluded (ref B). UNHCR/Cairo had
not been in contact with the GOE on this issue, they said.
On July 29, Post Refugee Coordinator informed UNHCR/Cairo of
our request to UNHCR/Geneva to take the lead on an
international response per ref A demarche.


3. (C) El Fadly said that the GOE understands the
humanitarian concerns that the shooting incidents raise, but
noted that the GOE must take a comprehensive approach to
security along a border that is particularly tense after the
June Hamas take-over of Gaza. Similarly, Mohamed Imad, State
Security Investigative Service U.S. Embassy liaison officer,
told RSO FSN Investigator July 26 that, as border security
has been tightened, increased confrontations are the logical
outcome. However, Imad refused to verify that anyone had
been shot on the border. Ministry of Defense (MOD)
International Organizations (LAWIO) Chief Major General Nagy
Kamal had previously confirmed to poloff a July 4 shooting,
but was vague on the details, saying only that "per the rules
of engagement" it is permissible to fire directly at persons
attempting to cross the border.

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Smuggling Operations - Tacit GOE Support?
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4. (SBU) Sudanese refugees in Egypt often turn to Sinai
Bedouins to smuggle them to a better life in nearby Israel.
Although border confrontations get the most media attention,
Osama Mohammed El Hassan, Secretary General of the Democratic
Popular Front (a South Sudanese opposition movement),
estimated on July 15 that between 60 and 100 Sudanese are
successfully smuggled into Israeli every day. (Comment: This
is likely a high estimate, but we have no way of knowing the
true numbers. End comment.) Sudanese pay between $300 and
$700 for smuggling services, according to Egyptian and
Israeli press. UNHCR/Cairo has registered about 25,000
Sudanese refugees and asylum-seekers in Egypt, although the
exact number is unknown. Egyptian pro-government daily Rose
El Youssef on July 4 quoted estimates of 1.5 million
"expatriates" and 50,000 refugees.


5. (SBU) At a July 11 Cairo conference on Sudan, Sudanese
expatriates opined that the GOE has historically tacitly
approved Sudanese migration from Egypt to Israel. Sudanese
in Egypt are often poor and have difficulty finding work,
causing domestic problems for Egypt. The issue came to a
head in December 2005 when Egyptian police forcibly dispersed
a make-shift encampment of Sudanese refugees in central
Cairo, killing nearly 30 (ref C). Allowing Sudanese to cross
the Sinai and enter Israel, they surmised, could serve as a
pressure relief valve. Conference attendees said that, since

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June, Egyptian security has increased its interdiction
efforts. Indeed, according to the Egyptian daily Al Dustour,
Egyptian security forces stopped 106 Sudanese attempting to
illegally cross the Israeli border in June, as compared to
only 74 for all of January through May 2007.

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Comment
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6. (C) The Egyptians realize that GOE violence against
Sudanese on the Israeli border, particularly when examined in
concert with recent events in Gaza and Darfur, has the
potential to raise the ire of the international community.
However, the GOE is clearly treading carefully to formulate a
policy on migrants that will limit internal strife from a
large population of refugees and asylum seekers, guarantee
border security at a particularly tense time, and address the
international community's border and humanitarian concerns.
Increasing interdictions of Sudanese without further violence
would require a stepped up border presence, and could benefit
from better working-level coordination with the Israelis.
However, neither side has been willing to increase
cooperation to combat human and narcotics trafficking in the
past .
RICCIARDONE