UNHCR SAUDI-YEMEN BORDER RELIEF HALTED BY FIGHTING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 001494

SIPDIS

NEA/ARP JHARRIS AND JBERNDT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF SA YM
SUBJECT: UNHCR SAUDI-YEMEN BORDER RELIEF HALTED BY FIGHTING

REF: A. 09 RIYADH 1351

B. 09 RIYADH 1460

RIYADH 00001494 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 UNHCR will conduct two separate
missions to assess the prevailing security and humanitarian
situations along the Yemen-Saudi border. Although ready to
proceed with a much needed relief convoy at the Alp border
crossing, the deteriorating security situation has
temporarily halted any additional relief convoys to this
region where a growing number of internally displaced persons
(IDPs) are living. Dr. Bukhari doubted that UNHCR would play
a role in providing relief to displaced Saudis along the
border, believing that the Saudi government is capable of
dealing with and providing humanitarian relief for its
citizens. He did express concern, however, that the Shi'a
population along the border may face discrimination.


NEW SECURITY ASSESSMENTS IMMINENT
--------------


2. (C) Acting Regional Representative for UNHCR, Dr. Hamdi
Bukhari (Strictly Protect) discussed two security and
humanitarian assessments set to begin this week in a meeting
with Poloff on November 8. One mission will assess the
humanitarian situation of all refugee camps located within
Yemen while the other mission will assess Saudi border
security from Khamis Mushayt to the Jizan region. Assistant
High Commissioner for UNHCR Operations Janet Lim will be
joined by Dr. Bukhari on November 10 for a two day
humanitarian assessment of all refugee camps in the Alp and
Jizan border areas. The assessment will begin in Harad where
Camp Muzruk is located (Note: Camp Muzruk is the closest
refugee camp to the Saudi border in the Jizan region,
approximately 50km from the border. End Note).


3. (C) According to Dr. Bukhari, the refugee camps in the
Jizan region are experiencing no major challenges with
obtaining relief supplies as assistance is coming from within
Yemen. However, in the Alp/Mandaba region, the humanitarian
situation is dire as relief convoys come from Saudi Arabia
and due to the rapidly deteriorating security situation along
the border, additional relief convoys have been temporarily
halted. This includes a convoy set to deliver supplies at
the Alp border crossing later this week. The unforeseen
demand for additional humanitarian relief (ref a and b) is
due to the northern migration of IDPs toward the Saudi border
as conflict intensifies further South. Dr. Bukhari estimated
that the number of IDPs in the Alp region has grown from
approximately 5,000 to 10,000 in less than two weeks.


4. (C) According to Dr. Bukhari the SAG has consented to
allow a UN Security Department team to travel from Khamis
Mushayt to the Jizan region to assess the security situation
along the Saudi border as it pertains to UNHCR humanitarian
involvement in the region. This security assessment is a
precursor to allowing additional UNHCR relief convoys across
the border into Yemen.


NO UNHCR INVOLVEMENT IN SAUDI
--------------


5. (C) Noting that UNHCR raised the issue of providing
humanitarian assistance along the Saudi side of the border
with the SAG, Dr. Bukhari stated that the SAG has thus far
only mobilized its own civil protection forces to evacuate,
relocate and set up temporary shelters for Saudis in a few
border villages. The SAG has not approached UNHCR for
assistance and according to Dr. Bukhari they are unlikely to
do so. Believing that the SAG's civil protection forces are
well-equipped to deal with IDPs along the Saudi border, Dr.
Bukhari noted that the only concern he had was possible
discriminatory treatment of Shi'a IDPs if the border conflict
further deteriorates or is excessively prolonged.


ARMED CIVILIANS IN THE ALP REGION
--------------


6. (C) Dr. Bukhari mentioned that in the Alp border area,
armed civilians are widespread in the refugee camps and that

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this could lead to a potential "incident." Explaining that
these refugee camps are not under UNHCR's control, but are
instead controlled by local NGOs, tribes and powerful sheiks,
Dr. Bukhari cited the region's dire need for additional
humanitarian relief and growing IDP population as cause for
concern. Only 5km away from the Saudi border, Dr. Bukhari
believes that there could be an incident in which an
estimated 5,000 to 10,000 IDPs, some of them armed, force
their way across the Saudi border. Dr. Bukhari again
reiterated the need for SAG cooperation in identifying and
accepting vulnerable IDPs trying to flee conflict areas by
crossing the border into Saudi Arabia (ref B).



SMITH