UN HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE ORDERED TO CLOSE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LUANDA 000248 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2018 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL AO SUBJECT: UN HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE ORDERED TO CLOSE Classified By: AMB DAN MOZENA FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (U) This is an action request, please see paragraph 9. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Post recently learned that on March 4th, 2008, the GRA sent a note verbale to the Office of the High Commissioner on HUMAN RIGHTS (OHCHR) - Geneva, declaring that Angola will not sign an MOU formalizing the status of the Human RIGHTS Office in Angola (HROA). The GRA called the HROA's presence "inappropriate," given the country's peace and stability. Foreign Minister Miranda later ordered the office closed within 30-45 days. Closure of the office is a negative development, fueling concern about GRA commitment to addressing HUMAN RIGHTS problems and contradicting Angola's written commitment to strengthen its relationship with the HROA as a part of its bid last year for a seat on the UN Human RIGHTS Council. The focus now is on sustaining HROA's ongoing programs beyond the office's closure. Post seeks guidance on how best to contribute to any international response to this step by the GRA. END SUMMARY ¶3. (C) On March 4, 2008, the Angolan mission in Geneva informed the OHCHR that the GRA will not sign an MOU formalizing the HRO's status in Angola (text of note verbal emailed to AF/S.) Given the policy of the High Commissioner on HUMAN RIGHTS (HCHR) that offices without full mandates will be closed, this move effectively forces closure of the HROA. Scant reasons for the decision were given. The note verbale sent to OHCHR called the HROA's presence "inappropriate," given the country's peace and stability. In a meeting between the HCHR and Angola's mission in Geneva, the GRA expressed interest in continued cooperation on an ad-hoc basis, citing the examples of OHCHR activities in China and Russia. ¶4. (C) Subsequently, Minister of Foreign Affairs Joao Miranda ordered a rapid shutdown of the HRO. In a March 7 phone call to acting Resident Coordinator Gita Welsh, Miranda said the office should close within 30-45 days. This phone call was not followed by written notification to close, nor has the OHCHR directly notified the Angola UN Country Team of the closure. HRO Angola Background -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The HRO in Angola was established following a 2003 meeting between President Dos Santos and then HR High Commissioner Sergio Mello, in which Dos Santos verbally authorized the office's creation. A formal legal agreement between the UN and GRA regarding the office's mandate was never made. MOU negotiation, giving the office a full mandate to report on and monitor HUMAN RIGHTS abuses and autonomy from the UN country team, began over a year and a half ago. In December 2007 the HROA believed it was close to finalizing the agreement. This belief was bolstered by the GRA's written pledge to increase cooperation with the HROA in May 2007, as Angola promoted its candidacy for the UN HUMAN Rights COUNCIL (letter e-mailed to AF/S). Reaction from Geneva, EU -------------- ¶6. (C) According to HROA Head Vegard Bye, OHCHR is sending a delegation to Angola next week. Bye said he will work through the acting resident coordinator to call a meeting of the diplomatic community upon their arrival in country. Bye suggested two likely courses of action for the OHCHR: simply shut down the office and its programs, or negotiate with the GRA to delay the office's closure to allow for a managed transition in which UNDP could assume responsibility for the HROA's programs and activities. ¶7. (C) The EU Ambassadors to Angola included the issue on the agenda of its March 28, 2008 meeting. According to participants, some EU countries believe that no grounds exist for international action, as the HROA never had a legal mandate. Other countries, however, suggested that an EU stance is appropriate given the GRA's written commitment to the HROA and donor support for its programs, but that action must first be requested by the UN. Resident European Commission Head Joao Ferreira told Ambassador Mozena before the meeting that additional information on what the HUMAN Rights High Commissioner is or is not saying/doing in response to this GRA action is necessary before the EU can take any action. He doubts there will be any "pro-active EU intervention" here before and until the High Commissioner has spoken out. Similarly, the UN mission in Angola is also waiting for OHCHR to take the lead in any response to the GRA. ¶8. (C) COMMENT: The GRA's decision to close the UN HUMAN LUANDA 00000248 002 OF 002 Rights Office here is a negative step, and fuels concern about the government's commitment to addressing the country's many HUMAN RIGHTS problems, as detailed in the recently-released Country Report on HUMAN RIGHTS Practices. Furthermore, the government had given a written commitment last year to the international community to "promote and protect HUMAN RIGHTS at the national level by( continuing to support a constructive dialogue and increased cooperation with the Office of the United National High Commissioner on Human RIGHTS in Angola." Closing that very office precipitantly is not consistent with that commitment. In Post's view, the international community, led presumably by the High Commissioner for HUMAN Rights, should convey to the GRA that closure of the HROA contradicts the commitment it had made when advocating its candidacy last year for a seat on the UNHRC. We would think it unlikely that the Angolans would reverse their decision, but perhaps they could make more space available to ensure ongoing HROA programs. END COMMENT ¶9. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: Please advise how best Post can be part of any coordinated international response to this step by the Angolans. MOZENA