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 DJIBOUTI 00000532 002 OF 002 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. LIST