LEBANON: SENIOR COORDINATOR FOLEY HEARS OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 BEIRUT 000952

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA
PRM A/S WITTEN, AMB FOLEY, HARRIS
ALSO FOR IO A/S SILVERBERG AND PDAS WARLICK
INL FOR A/S DAVID T. JOHNSON
USUN FOR KHALILZAD/WOLFF/KUMAR/PHEE
NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/YERGER/GAVITO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/26/2018
TAGS: PREF PHUM PTER IQ LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: SENIOR COORDINATOR FOLEY HEARS OF
IMPROVED TREATMENT OF IRAQI REFUGEES

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Michele J. Sison for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) In a June 26 visit to Beirut, Senior Coordinator for
Iraqi Refugee Issues James Foley learned from the head of the
agency responsible for immigration control, Surete Generale
Director Wafiq Jezzini, that the Surete Generale has
suspended its practice of detaining Iraqi refugees living in
Lebanon without legal status. Jezzini also expressed
willingness to waive overstay fines for Iraqi refugees who
are selected for resettlement in the United States. Beirut
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Deputy Representative Ayaki
Ito assessed that the inflow of Iraqi refugees into Lebanon
has stabilized, noting that the total number of Iraqi
refugees is approximately 50,000 at present. Ito agreed to
target referring an additional 2,000 Iraqi refugees to the
United States for resettlement. Caretaker Cultural Affairs
Minister Tariq Mitri, who served as Acting Foreign Minister
until May 2008, remains an advocate for improved treatment of
Iraqi refugees and volunteered to raise awareness of the
Iraqi refugee situation to the new cabinet. He suggested
that either the new Interior Minister or new Foreign Affairs
Minister take the lead on this portfolio. End summary.


2. (C) In back-to-back meetings on June 26, Ambassador Foley,
accompanied by Charge, Elizabeth Harris of PRM/A and poloff,
met Director Major General Wafiq Jezzini and Brigadier
General Siham Harake at the Surete Generale, Deputy
Representative Ayaki Ito at the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) office, and caretaker Cultural Affairs
Minister Tariq Mitri in his office at The Ministry.

PAUSE IN DETAINING REFUGEES
--------------


3. (C) Referring to an agreement with UNHCR, Jezzini informed
us of the Surete Generale's efforts over the past four months
to release 177 Iraqi refugees from its detention centers. He
noted that approximately 50 Iraqi refugees remain in
detention but are scheduled for release; however, a number of
them have criminal records in Lebanon. He is therefore
reluctant to release these individuals. Harake explained
that the Iraqi refugees were arrested because they entered
the country illegally, noting that they were given the
minimum sentence, one month, because of their situation.


4. (C) According to Jezzini, the Surete Generale, which gave
these released refugees a three-month grace period to
establish legal status, has been willing to extend the grace
period by another three months. Jezzini also said his
officers were instructed to refrain from arresting the
illegal refugees at checkpoints. Foley urged Jezzini to
continue refraining from imprisoning the Iraqi refugees and
to maintain protective space for the community.

RESETTLEMENT PROCESS TOO SLOW
--------------


5. (C) Informing us that 100,000 Iraqi refugees currently
live in Lebanon, Jezzini declared that Lebanon cannot accept
the Iraqi refugees because of the overwhelming number of
Palestinian refugees Lebanon also must accommodate (an
estimated 400,000). Jezzini said the resettlement process
for Iraqis is too slow. Harake offered the Surete Generale's
services to help with departure passes for resettled Iraqi
refugees, transportation to the airport, and anything else
that might speed up the process. Jezzini inquired whether
the U.S. could push other countries to resettle more Iraqi
refugees.


6. (C) Foley informed Jezzini that DHS representatives
currently processing refugee cases at Embassy Beirut will be
looking at 1,900 Iraqi refugee cases for resettlement in the
coming months, and have started interviewing as of June 23.
He expressed the U.S.'s intention to raise the numbers of
resettled Iraqi refugees, noting that security conditions in

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Beirut prevented the DHS representatives from starting as
scheduled in May. Foley mentioned that, in his June 27 stop
in Geneva, he would push UNHCR to pass more cases to the U.S.
and inquire about forwarding additional cases to other
countries, including Canada and Australia.

WILLING TO WAIVE
OVERSTAY FINES
--------------


7. (C) In response to Foley's request that the Surete
Generale consider waiving the overstay fines ($630 per
person) the Iraqi refugees are subjected to upon departure
from Lebanon, Harake agreed to work with UNHCR to waive the
fees, on the basis of a humanitarian exception.

IN NEED OF AMBULANCE,
PRISON REFURBISHMENT
--------------


8. (C) Noting the USG delivery of 189 Dodge Chargers to the
Internal Security Forces (ISF),another Lebanese security
service, Jezzini opined that the Surete Generale needs
vehicles, as well as assistance with the detention center and
prison refurbishment. Harake interjected that the Surete
Generale desperately needs an ambulance. (Note: INL/Embassy
Beirut is exploring funding options for requested ambulance.
End note.) Ambassador Foley used this opportunity to again
argue against the detention of Iraqi refugees.

UNHCR RELIES ON
"CONTINUING FLEXIBILITY"
OF LEBANESE AUTHORITIES
--------------


9. (C) Ayaki Ito, from UNHCR, spoke of the Surete Generale's
detention of the Iraqi refugees, saying that 70 percent of
all refugees in Lebanon are illegal, and the Surete
Generale's policy of arresting individuals without legal
status has been a continuing problem. Typically, Ito said,
the Iraqi refugees are given a choice by Surete Generale to
"voluntarily" repatriate to Iraq, or face indefinite
detention. Last year, he continued, there were 800 refugees
or asylum seekers in detention, and 90 percent of them were
Iraqi.


10. (C) Ito confirmed that when released, refugees are given
three months to find employment and secure a residence
permit. However, he warned, it is difficult to find a job
because it is costly to the employer to hire a legal worker
as opposed to an illegal worker. Moreover, Ito said, the
refugees earn more money when working illegally. Ito noted
the Surete Generale's flexibility in extending the three
months to a six-month grace period. Absent a legal
framework, Ito stated, UNHCR is relaying on the "continuing
flexibility" of the Surete Generale. Ito reported that the
Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces have also
both been more flexible with checking documents at
checkpoints.

FEWER REFUGEES
ENTERING LEBANON
--------------


11. (C) Ito rejected the Surete Generale's estimate of
100,000 Iraqi refugees, believing that 50,000 is more
realistic based upon a Danish government survey. Ito
believed the Surete Generale exaggerates the number because
of Lebanese "paranoia regarding the Palestinian refugees."


12. (C) He said that 10,000 Iraqi refugees have registered at
UNHCR, adding that he is seeing fewer registrations recently.
He said that if a registered refugee is detained, UNHCR can
work to get the individual released. Registering also
provides the refugee with a certificate which can be shown at
checkpoints. He believes that fewer refugees are coming to
Lebanon, according to registration numbers and arrests made
at the borders, both of which have dropped.


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MOST IRAQI REFUGEES IN LEBANON ARE SHIA;
MANY TAKEN CARE OF BY HIZBALLAH
--------------


13. (C) Ito assessed that most Iraqi refugees reside in
Beirut, with a number of them in Nabatieh in southern
Lebanon. Forty five percent of those registered at UNHCR are
Shia, with Christians making up the second largest group at
26 percent, according to Ito. Ito believed that Hizballah is
assisting the Iraqi Shias, saying, "if the refugee goes to
Dahiyeh (the southern suburb of Beirut and a Hizballah
stronghold),he will be O.K."


14. (C) Rent, food, medical care, and school ar the largest
expenses refugees face, Ito explaind, adding that rent and
food prices have risen dramatically recently. UNHCR covers a
portion of medical and schooling expenses, as well as food
coupons, on a case-by-case, emergency basis. He mentioned
there are many religious charities that provide the same
services and money to the Iraqi Shia refugees.

WILLING TO REFER
ADDITIONAL CASES
TO THE U.S.
--------------


15. (C) "Resettlement is an effective tool," Ito stated, "but
we have to manage expectations." He added that 70 percent of
UNHCR's caseload has been met, and some of the remaining
refugees have a weaker claim to resettlement, explaining that
they left Iraq for economic reasons (showing a chart
indicating 70 percent of Iraqi refugees are male, the
majority of whom are between 20 and 40 years old) rather than
because of vulnerability issues. Ito agreed to refer more
cases to the U.S., affirming he would try for 2,000
additional referrals.


16. (C) When asked by Foley about other countries' Iraqi
refugee resettlement progress, Ito reported that in the
previous year, UNHCR referred a total of 700 to other
countries, and 759 to the United States. He added that
Australia and Canada have relatively slow processing times
and have stated they will not accept more referrals from
Lebanon.

UNHCR TO PREPARE A LIST OF
THOSE ELIGIBLE FOR FEE WAIVERS
--------------


17. (C) Noting that currently UNHCR covers the $630 overstay
fine (as well as the $40 departure pass fees) the GOL charges
for resettled refugees who are leaving Lebanon, Ito was
receptive to the suggestion that the Surete Generale waive
the fines if UNHCR prepares a list of all of the eligible
Iraqi refugees to be resettled.

MINISTER MITRI WILL RAISE ISSUE IN CABINET
--------------


18. (C) Recounting how the refugee portfolio landed in his
lap, caretaker Cultural Affairs Minister Tariq Mitri said he
was appalled when reading of the refugees' plight in Lebanon
in the Human Rights Watch report, and brought the issue to
Prime Minister Siniora's attention. Since it was unclear
whose domain the refugees fell in, Siniora requested Mitri,
who was also serving as Acting Foreign Minister at the time,
and has been involved in the Middle East Council of Churches,
to take responsibility. Mitri explained that because Lebanon
has not signed any of the international conventions
protecting refugee rights, the refugees are particularly
vulnerable in Lebanon and are subject to detention.


19. (C) Mitri suspected that many Iraqi refugees chose to
come to Lebanon because they believed Lebanon offered better
job opportunities and because they thought their situation
would receive more international attention (and therefore
increased resettlement potential) since the Iraq refugee
population is comparatively smaller in Lebanon than in Syria
or Jordan.

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20. (C) Mitri agreed with UNHCR's estimate of 50,000
refugees, explaining that the Surete Generale may be
inflating the number because many Christian and Shia refugees
have integrated into the communities, particularly in
southeastern Beirut, where the population figure is already
"an enigma." There are many Iraqi Assyrian and Chaldean
clerics who arrived in Lebanon in the 1950s who have
accommodated the Iraqi Christians. Plus, he added, the
registration rate is low, so it is difficult to assess the
true number.

RAISING CABINET AWARENESS
--------------


21. (C) Believing that many in the government hesitate to
work on this issue for fear of being accused of disrupting
the confessional balance, Mitri offered to report to the next
cabinet on the work he has done to date. He suggested that
PM-designate Siniora assign the portfolio to the new Interior
or Foreign Affairs Minister. "The situation is too serious
to be left solely to the Surete Generale," Mitri asserted.


22. (U) Ambassador Foley cleared this message.
SISON