WORLD REFUGEE DAY CELEBRATIONS MARRED BY SECURITY LAPSE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 000532

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E, PRM/AFR, S/CRS
ADDIS ABABA FOR REFCOORD
NAIROBI FOR RDRAPCHO AND REFCOORD
LONDON, ROME, PARIS FOR AFRICA-WATCHER
GENEVA FOR KPERKINS
CJTF-HOA FOR POLAD

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF PREL KPAO DJ
SUBJECT: WORLD REFUGEE DAY CELEBRATIONS MARRED BY SECURITY LAPSE


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR),EmbOffs, and Camp Lemonier planned a June 18 donation of
clothing, toys, and shoes to refugees in Djibouti in a show of
support for United Nations World Refugee Day (WRD). The U.S.
convoy, consisting of the Refugee Officer, PAO, PD Assistant, and
six uniformed representatives from the Camp traveled to the
Ali-Addeh refugee camp in southwestern Djibouti to distribute the
donations. However, security at the refugee camp was inadequate and
refugees flooded the distribution area, disrupting the orderly
distribution of goods. Ten boxes of donations were taken,
approximately half the supplies transported to the camp. No major
injuries were reported, but an Embassy radio was taken. END
SUMMARY.


2. (U) Planning for WRD started June 3. Refugee officer contacted
Camp Lemonier about possible donations. The Camps responded with a
large donation of several hundred pairs of shoes, clothing, and
toys. Refugee Officer contacted UNHCR to coordinate the delivery
and distribution of goods.



3. (U) UNHCR Representative Ann EnContre stated that the U.S.
delegation would be met in Ali Sabieh by Hassan Omar Ali, the
Secretary General of Interior and the Director of the National
Office of Assistance to Refugees and Disaster Stricken People
(ONARS). The Prefet of Ali Sabieh, Ibrahim Soubaneh, was also
slated to accompany the U.S. delegation.


4. (U) The convoy arrived in Ali Sabieh at 9:15 a.m. June 18 to meet
Hassan Omar and EnContre as planned, but neither was present. The
Refugee Officer contacted EnContre, who instructed the convoy to
continue straight to the camp, where she said Hassan Omar and Prefet
Soubaneh would be waiting. The refugee camp is approximately 35
kilometers (forty minutes in extreme off-road conditions) from Ali
Sabieh.


5. (U) When the U.S. convoy arrived at the camp, the Gendarmerie
security forces denied entry. UNHCR arrived within minutes and was
also denied entry as both Hassan Omar and Prefet Soubaneh failed to
appear. UNHCR and the U.S. convoy were instructed to return to Ali
Sabieh to meet with Soubaneh.


6. (U) Soubaneh and EnContre resolved the misunderstanding in
person. Soubaneh granted entry into the camp and radioed the
permission to the Gendarmerie from Ali Sabieh. The convoy returned
to the refugee camp at 11:45 a.m. and unloaded the goods in the
monthly food ration distribution area. This area has controlled
access entry and security fencing. The security fencing consists of
barbed wire, with a three-foot high concrete wall on one side. The
concrete wall is further topped with three feet of barbed wire.


7. (U) UNHCR security consisted of two local police officers, two
Gendarmes, and the local head of the refugee camp (an Ethiopian
refugee). By 12:15 p.m., groups of children were brought to the
distribution site. The distribution proceeded in an orderly fashion
for the first fifty children.


8. (U) Around 12:55 p.m., an argument erupted between an adult
refugee and a refugee coordinator. Large numbers of adults and
adolescents began to jump the concrete and barbed wire wall. The
local security did not move to prevent incursions. UNHCR
representatives attempted to stop the flow of refugees but were
quickly overwhelmed. At least one hundred refugees swarmed the tent
and began to grab the remaining ten boxes that goods were stored in,
approximately half of what was transported to the camp.


9. (U) UNHCR and U.S. representatives evacuated the space, seeking
refuge in their vehicles. They left the tent or moved to the sides
to avoid the rush. Within seconds, the refugees stripped the tent
of all the donated items and a U.S. Embassy radio, and then
dispersed.


10. (U) A Radio-Television Djibouti (RTD) journalist present at the
donation indicated he suffered a minor injury when he was pushed
into a table during the rush. The journalist reported no other
injuries thus far, but the rush of refugees was recorded on film.
The footage will be broadcast on the evening news, with the focus on
the failure of local law enforcement to prevent the incident.


11. (SBU) COMMENT: Security was insufficient for the distribution
process and the presence of U.S. military was not a deterrent.
Several factors contributed to the events. First, the fact that
children, not male adults, were selected to be the recipients of the

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aid upset the older males. Hassan Omar's absence and the
first-come, first-served attitude of the local tribal elders also
contributed. Refugees were encouraged to grab donations so that
they could be redistributed later under the supervision of tribal
elders. Hassan Omar later called the Refugee Officer and apologized
on behalf of the Ministry of Interior and on his own behalf.
EnContre also contacted the Refugee Officer to express her
embarrassment and apology.


12. (SBU) Unless otherwise instructed by the Department, Embassy
and Camp Lemonier PAOs, if contacted, will say that an unfortunate
incident occurred, but that the USG is in full support of the
Djiboutian government and UNHCR's praiseworthy work in support of
refugee populations in Djibouti.

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