SOMALI REFUGEES IN ERITREA

UNCLAS ASMARA 000049 SIPDIS LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS DEPT FOR AF/E SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREF PGOV PHUM SO ER SUBJECT: SOMALI REFUGEES IN ERITREA ¶1. (SBU) United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative in Eritrea Vedasto Joseph Mwesiga and UNHCR Senior Protection Officer Alvin Gonzaga informed Emboffs that there are 4,789 Somali refugees in Eritrea located in the Emkulu Camp outside of Massawa. Mwesiga said that the majority of the refugees are members the Marehan sub clan from the Gedo region. Gonzaga said 60 percent of the refugees came to Eritrea prior to 2000 via Djibouti and were encamped near Assab. The camp was moved to Massawa during the 1998-2000 border war after Assab was attacked by Ethiopian artillery. The remaining 40 percent arrived almost entirely between the end of the border war in 2001 and 2003. From 2004 through 2006 approximately 60 new refugees arrived per year, but in 2007 the number increased to 208. ¶2. (SBU) Mwesiga said the refugees receive good treatment and reported no violations of human rights. He also said food is provided directly to the refugees by UNHCR and each person receives 2,100 calories per day. ¶3. (SBU) Gonzaga said 60-65 percent of the refugees in the Emkulu camp were eligible for resettlement. The Canadians are the only country agreeing to accept these refugees, and will receive approximately 100 over the next few months. The Australians have interviewed some refugees, but have yet to accept them. Both Mwesiga and Gonzaga expressed interest in the USG settling as many refugees from the camp as possible, but noted that DHS interviewers were not able to obtain Eritrean entrance visas when last tried in ¶2004. MCMULLEN