MYSTERY SURROUNDS ERITREAN DEPORTEES FROM EGYPT

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000353 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/E AND DRL LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/14/2018 TAGS: PREF PHUM PGOV SOCI ER SUBJECT: MYSTERY SURROUNDS ERITREAN DEPORTEES FROM EGYPT REF: ASMARA 324 Classified By: Ambassador Ronald K. McMullen for reason 1.4(d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Mystery and conflicting statements continue to surround the status of the Eritreans recently deported from Egypt (reftel). While the UNHCR reports that some have been returned to their homes and some returned to national service, the MFA insists that each individual has been safely returned home with cash gifts from the government. Reuters speculates that at least a portion of those returned are still detained in the Wi'a prison camp. End Summary. UNHCR IN THE DARK -------------- ¶2. (C) PolOff met with UNHCR representative Alvin Gonzaga (protect) on July 7 to discuss the status of the deportees. Gonzaga presented little useful information, in what is becoming an unfortunate pattern with the UNHCR in Asmara. He stated the prevailing rumor is that the returnees who had previously completed national service requirements have been returned to their homes while those who still had service to complete were returned to their military units. Although Gonzaga previously mentioned the UNHCR Cairo office holds a master list of Eritrean refugees in Egypt, he expressed concern over the safety of the deportees' families and has reportedly instructed the Cairo office to hold on to the list rather than to attempt to verify whether the Eritreans have actually been returned home. Gonzaga also was unsure of exactly how many returnees there were, quoting previously reported estimates of between 400 and 1,400. MFA TELLS A FAIRY TALE -------------- ¶3. (C) DCM and PolOff met with MFA Director of the Euro-Americas Division, Tsehaye Fassil, on July 10, who gave an exceedingly sugary version of the details. According to Tsehaye, all of the returnees, totaling "nine jumbojets-worth," were "pardoned" by the Government of the State of Eritrea (GSE) and returned home with spending money courtesy of the government. Tsehaye emphasized that it was not in Eritrea's national interest to punish such a large number of citizens. He also expressed surprise that the citizens were fearful of returning, claiming to not know where this rumor of impending abuse originated. When the DCM attempted to persuade Tsehaye to allow either the UNHCR or another third party entity to interview the returnees and eliminate the air of doubt regarding the GSE's goodwill, Tsehaye defiantly claimed that the GSE does not intend to "play the game" and will not kowtow to international interests. Tsehaye also affirmed that the UNHCR has no authority over Eritrean citizens, citing that pending UNHCR cases would be nullified. REUTERS FEARS THE WORST -------------- ¶4. (C) Reuters correspondent Jack Kimball (protect) bluntly states that the returnees are most likely still in the Wi'a prison camp, located some 47 miles East by South East of Asmara along the barren, coastal lowlands. (Note: photos on the GSE-owned www.shabait.com show the returnees being addressed by the Wi'a commander. End Note.) While he does not know the full details, Kimball postulates that even if the GSE were to allow some of the deportees to return home, this would only be temporary and their future safety against being rounded-up by the GSE could not be secured. ¶5. (C) COMMENT: Post finds it next to impossible to determine the actual fates of the deportees. Although the UNHCR holds a master list of the deportees who registered with the UNHCR while in Egypt, attempts to contact their families either from the UNHCR, the U.S. Embassy, or another diplomatic entity may prove hazardous and dangerous to the families contacted. End Comment. MCMULLEN