UNHCR REPORTS WORSENING HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 001460

SIPDIS

NEA/ARP JHARRIS AND JBERNDT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF PREL SA YM
SUBJECT: UNHCR REPORTS WORSENING HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN
YEMEN

REF: RIYADH 1351

RIYADH 00001460 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Ambassador James B. Smith for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

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


1. (C) Acting UNHCR Regional Representative Dr. Hamdi
Bukhari reported that the humanitarian situation in Yemen is
deteriorating and blamed clashes between the al-Houthi rebels
and Yemeni forces for causing civilian casualties on October

29. Dr. Bukhari faulted the Saudi government for not doing
enough to help those fleeing from conflict areas, but
remained hopeful that through constructive dialogue,
additional cooperation and assistance from the Saudi
government would be forthcoming. UNHCR's top priorities were
opening additional humanitarian corridors, and providing safe
passage to those fleeing the conflict areas, and Bukhari
reported that UNHCR critically needed additional resources to
accomplish these goals. End Summary.


CLASHES BETWEEN REBELS AND YEMENI FORCES
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2. (U) Acting Regional Representative for UNHCR, Dr. Hamdi
Bukhari (Strictly Protect) elaborated on UNHCR press release
on the situation, which reported that "random exchanges of
fire" between al-Houthi rebels and government troops in
northern Yemen had resulted in an unknown number of innocent
civilian casualties on October 29. Bukhari explained that
the victims belonged to a group of approximately 500
internally displaced persons (IDPs) who found shelter in Al
Sam camp on the outskirts of Sa'ada city. Preliminary reports
from field officers in the conflict zones indicated that
there was no presence of government forces in the area and
that "the attacks were random." He noted that 7 houses were
destroyed by rocket fire, killing at least 20 people although
UNHCR reported only an "unknown number" of casualties.


SAG NEEDS TO DO MORE
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3. (C) Dr. Bukhari referred to an incident where 150
families from Razih fled to al-Jabri near the border only to
be quickly turned around by Saudi border authorities. They
were not even allowed to cross into Saudi Arabia for passage
back into Yemen at a different point along the border.
UNHCR, according to Dr. Bukhari, seeks to open additional
humanitarian crossing points and has urged the SAG to offer
safe passage to IDPs fleeing conflict areas in Yemen.


4. (C) Dr. Bukhari opined that a bilateral security
relationship calling for the "swift return of illegal
immigrants" is driving current border security measures. The
SAG has not yet recognized IDPs fleeing from these conflict
zones, he explained, adding that the SAG classifies these
individuals as illegal labor immigrants rather than as IDPs.
He asked for USG help in conveying these concerns to the
Saudi government.



5. (C) The UNHCR has "refrained from denouncing the border
situation in order to leave room for dialogue with the SAG
and encourage further humanitarian cooperation, but at some
point," stated Dr. Bukhari, "the UNHCR will be forced to
denounce the situation clearly and publicly" (Note: Dr.
Bukhari was referencing SAG policy of turning IDPs fleeing
conflict zones away at the border and not offering safe
shelter to these people. End Note).


DETERIORATING HUMANITARIAN SITUATION
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6. (C) According to Dr. Bukhari, the humanitarian situation
in Yemen is very quickly "spiraling out of control." A
recent security assessment of the Alp and Mandaba border area
conducted by UNHCR officials concluded that humanitarian
activity must be confined within 5km of the border because
the security situation is too volatile and dangerous beyond
this point. He also noted that additional humanitarian
convoys in the Alp area were needed to provide relief to the

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growing number of IDPs. (Comment: Only last month, Dr.
Bukhari told us that the basic needs of the IDPs in the Alp
region had been met, and that additional humanitarian convoys
to the region would not be needed - see reftel. End
comment.) Dr. Bukhari acknowledged that he had not foreseen
how quickly the humanitarian situation would degenerate. He
emphasized that UNHCR needed additional material support to
address the situation.


SAG MILITARY INVOLVEMENT?
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7. (C) Asked indirectly whether there were any reports of SAG
involvement in Yemen beyond that of protecting and securing
the border, Dr. Bukhari always skirted around the implied
question. However, when asked point-blank whether there were
any reports from the field that indicated that the SAG was
engaging in military-type operations in Yemen, Dr. Bukhari
smiled and said, "We have seen a lot of things, but we are
focusing on the humanitarian side of the Yemen situation."
He would not elaborate any further and re-emphasized that
UNHCR is only interested in humanitarian work. (Comment:
Dr. Bukhari's observations are consistent with other reports
that Saudi forces have provided some logistical support along
the border to ROYG forces. We have no evidence of Saudi
involvement beyond this. End comment.)
SMITH