LARGE-SCALE DEPORTATION OF AFGHAN REFUGEES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 001975 SIPDIS SIPDIS MOSCOW FOR REFUGEE OFFICER, DHS; USOSCE FOR ELIZABETH KAUFMAN E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2017 TAGS: PREL PREF PGOV UNDP UNHCR AF UZ SUBJECT: LARGE-SCALE DEPORTATION OF AFGHAN REFUGEES POSSIBLE BY THE NEW YEAR REF: A. TASHKENT 1740 ¶B. TASHKENT 1664 ¶C. TASHKENT 1494 Classified By: Poloff Tim Buckley for reasons 1.4 (B, D) ¶1. (C) Summary. On November 13 poloff met with UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Kyoko Postill to discuss the situation of Afghan refguees remaining in Uzbekistan. Postill said there has been no international uproar over the GOU's October 4 statement at the UNHCR Executive Committee announcing that "law enforcement authorities will take measures on their forced deportation from the country." UNHCR staff are presently in Tashkent conducting an assessment of remaining refugees to determine whether any more might qualify for resettlement programs. The UNHCR team has already identified 60 individuals whom they believe might qualify for US resettlement, although this may depend on whether adult children of former Khad affiliates are eligible. Sweden indicated that it may be able to accommodate a limited number of additional refugees for resettlement before the end of the year. UNDP is urging UNHCR to make a decision quickly about whether to pay the GOU for visa documentation, relocate refugees to a third country, or accept that remaining refugees will be deported. While some refugees have valid passports and financial means, there will still likely be several hundred refugees affected by anticipated deportations. End summary. Uzbek Statement in Geneva -------------- ¶2. (C) Post obtained a copy of the statement made on October 4 by Uzbekistan's Permanent Representative in Geneva to the 50th Session of the Executive Committee of UNHCR. The statement emphasized Uzbekistan's cooperation with UNHCR for many years in assisting refugees and facilitating humanitarian aid shipments. Now that UNHCR is no longer able to operate in Uzbekistan, the statement added that UNDP was asked to "complete a resettlement process in the shortest possible time". The statement reminded that Uzbekistan does not recognize refugee mandate certificates since it is not a party to the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees. The Uzbeks added that, despite its recommendations, UNDP did not apply for appropriate visas for refugees "on a fee basis." As a result of this "violation of Uzbek legislation," the statement announced that "law enforcement authorities will take measures on their forced deportation from the country." UNHCR Assessment Under Way -------------- ¶3. (C) Per reftel A, a 2-person UNHCR team arrived in Tashkent to reassess the refugees and determine their possible eligibility for resettlement programs, including to the United States. Postill noted that UNHCR sent Belarussian nationals to conduct the assessments since they do not require visas to enter Uzbekistan, although UNDP did notify MFA of the project. Postill reiterated that it is difficult to keep track of the exact number of refugees since they live all over the country and many have valid travel documents to travel back and forth (the last official count was 1,284, but the current figure is believed to be lower). She said there is anecdotal evidence that some Afghan refugees have up to four passports, which they use to conceal travel. As described in reftels, Postill again noted that even some refugees who have been deported have negotiated with Uzbek authorities not to place the removal stamps in the passports, allowing them to reenter even after deportation proceedings. The assessment team will "clean up the database" by the end of the month, which should provide a clearer understanding of how many bona fide Afghan refugees remain in Uzbekistan. The GOU continues to refuse to provide UNDP with travel records of Afghans crossing the border with valid passports, which TASHKENT 00001975 002.2 OF 002 would allow UNDP to focus its efforts on bona fide refugees. Adult Children of Khad Members Eligible? -------------- ¶4. (C) Postill said preliminary estimates from the assessment team indicate there are at least 60 individuals (the number of cases is still unknown) who may be eligible for consideration for US resettlement programs. This includes some people who slipped through the cracks during the last process (reftel B) and were not interviewed, but the majority are adult children of former Khad-affiliated refugees who grew up in Uzbekistan and had no personal involvement in the Khad regime. A major question is whether these refugees are eligible to apply for US resettlement programs, and poloff promised to pass the information to DHS officers in Moscow. However, even if additional refugees are eligible for resettlement in the US or elsewhere in 2008, it will be too late if the GOU proceeds with deportations. Sweden May Take More Refugees -------------- ¶5. (C) Sweden has indicated a willingness to accept approximately 40 additional cases for resettlement before the end of the year. UNDP is hoping to confirm this as quickly as possible. Per DCM's previous suggestion (reftel B),UNDP passed along the suggestion to approach Russia about accepting former Khad-affiliated refugees, but they have not received any feedback about this possibility. "They are Already Deporting People" -------------- ¶6. (C) Postill said the GOU is already deporting small numbers of Afghan refugees, but UNDP often does not find out until much later, if at all. Many refugees avoid reporting imminent deportation to UNDP since they believe they can work out a better solution on their own, and the GOU does not readily share the information. However, now that the Uzbeks have made the statement in Geneva, Postill believes they will proceed with "mass deportations" soon after the New Year. The definitive tones of the Uzbek statement in Geneva also indicates the GOU is not reconsidering its demand to collect visa fees, as reported in reftels A and B. UNDP previously calculated that obtaining visas for remaining refugees would cost approximately $275 each for a one-year duration. Relocating the refugees to a third country is still possible despite drawbacks, but UNDP has heard no recent information about this. Postill noted that UNDP "has no mandate and no budget" for refugees, and the onus is on UNHCR to make a decision very soon. Comment -------------- ¶7. (C) Even if more refugees qualify for resettlement after UNHCR completes its assessment, there will still likely be several hundred refugees remaining when the GOU begins large-scale deportations. The GOU likely feels that it documented the legal bases of its case in Geneva and provided fair warning of its plans to deport remaining refugees to Afghanistan. UNDP is doing the best it can working outside of its mandate and comfort zone, and UNHCR efforts and funds are necessary to avoid deportations given the lack of available resettlement options. While some Afghan refugees may have passports, business links, and financial resources, there are still many refugees who have political reasons to fear deportation to Afghanistan. NORLAND