Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASMARA324
2008-06-17 14:29:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Asmara
Cable title:  

EGYPT'S ERITREAN DEPORTEES LAND IN MASSAWA

Tags:  PREF PREL SU EG ER 
pdf how-to read a cable
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FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9746
INFO RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO IMMEDIATE 0445
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0068
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RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
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RUEPADJ/CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASMARA 000324 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E AND PRM
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/2018
TAGS: PREF PREL SU EG ER
SUBJECT: EGYPT'S ERITREAN DEPORTEES LAND IN MASSAWA

REF: STATE 064810

Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for Reason 1.4 (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASMARA 000324

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E AND PRM
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/2018
TAGS: PREF PREL SU EG ER
SUBJECT: EGYPT'S ERITREAN DEPORTEES LAND IN MASSAWA

REF: STATE 064810

Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for Reason 1.4 (d)


1. (C) Summary: Embassy inquiries regarding Egypt's
deportation of Eritreans were met with deception, lack of
knowledge, and surprising openness from different sources. A
well-placed Embassy source informed Emboffs of Egypt Air's
deportation flights to Massawa, a location more concealed for
Egyptian/Eritrean cooperation on deportations than Asmara
International Airport. An Egyptian Embassy official
apparently misinformed Emboff of his government's intentions,
and local UNHCR officers were unaware of the fate of
deportees. End Summary.

RELIABLE SOURCE - SOME ERITREANS DEPORTED, MORE TO FOLLOW
-------------- --------------


2. (C) On June 16, Emboff was informed by a highly credible
Embassy source that Egypt Air was facilitating the
deportation of Eritreans from Egypt to Eritrea. According to
the source, the first flight arrived during the early morning
hours of June 16, and the rest were scheduled one per night
until June 22. (Note: Source's information did not track
with Amnesty International claims that deportation charter
flights have been ongoing since June 11. End Note.) The
source said the planes contained around 200 passengers,
including women, children, and the elderly, and were landing
in Massawa rather than Asmara. The passengers were
immediately disembarked upon arrival, with the plane
returning directly to Egypt. The source noted the Egyptian
security services in Cairo informed the Egyptian Embassy in
Asmara that the information was "top secret" and not to be
revealed.

EGYPTIAN EMBASSY DENIES DEPORTATIONS
--------------


3. (C) On June 16, Egyptian Embassy Deputy Hossam Abdallah
Nooreldin informed Emboff no Eritreans had been deported from
Egypt, and that he would know if they were. He stated that
on June 13 or 14 the Egyptian government decided to halt
deportation plans until UNHCR reviewed the cases. Hossam
seemed surprised at the level of USG interest in the
deportations, stating that illegal immigration from Africa in
general and Eritrea in particular was a difficult matter that
needed to be addressed. Emboff reported Hossam seemed
uncomfortable during the conversation, and believed that
Hossam was likely aware of the flights but instructed not to
reveal this information.

GSE TELLS UNHCR "NOTHING TO SEE HERE"
--------------


4. (C) UNHCR Protection Officer Jose Gonzaga (protect) told
Emboff on June 17 that UNHCR officers in Egypt had access to
Eritreans held for deportation in Aswan, but the Eritrean
government had denied requests to visit returnees. Gonzaga
said he may receive a list of the deportees' Eritrean contact
information, which will allow UNHCR to contact family members
to check whether the deportees are being held or were
released.

COMMENT
--------------


5. (C) Deportees face incredible hardships after arriving in
Eritrea. W'ia, their likely destination, is a desert
detention facility south of Massawa holding large numbers of
national service evaders and individuals caught attempting to
illegally leave Eritrea. It is reportedly similar to a
concentration camp, with hundreds of prisoners herded nightly
into a small bivouac area with no facilities. Those found to
have evaded national service or deserted the military
potentially face severe physical punishments. Other
prisoners face lengthy incarceration.


6. (C) Landing the deportation flights in Massawa rather

ASMARA 00000324 002 OF 002


than Asmara is most likely an attempt to maintain secrecy.
Asmara's airport is close to the city with only a few flights
per day. The arrival of an off-schedule flight would likely
attract attention, as would buses loaded with deportees
traversing the length of Asmara toward Massawa enroute to
W'ia. Massawa's airport does not host commercial passenger
traffic, providing enhanced operational security. The
airport is located approximately seven miles from the city,
protected by a road checkpoint five miles away. Massawa is a
small city with very little vehicle traffic, especially after
dark, and roads from the airport toward W'ia bypass the
center of town.
MCMULLEN