UNHCR CONFIRMS SAG'S FIVE-STAR HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 001538 SIPDIS NEA/ARP JHARRIS AND JBERNDT E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/17/2019 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF SA YM SUBJECT: UNHCR CONFIRMS SAG'S FIVE-STAR HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS REF: A. 09 RIYADH 1525 ¶B. 09 RIYADH 1494 ¶C. 09 SANAA 2030 RIYADH 00001538 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 confirmed on November 17 that Saudi Civil Defense was effectively managing the humanitarian situation along the southern Saudi Arabian border. Returning from a two day trip to Yemen, Bukhari reported that UNHCR Camp Muzruk had reached full-capacity but had enough humanitarian supplies, whereas the IDPs in the Alp/Mandaba region, only 2km from the Saudi border, were in desperate need of additional humanitarian aid. Due to a positive border security assessment completed this week, UNHCR cross-border humanitarian efforts are currently underway again, and will provide relief to approximately 200 families in the Alp/Mandaba region. End Summary. FIVE-STAR HUMANITARIAN AID -------------- ¶2. (C) Acting UNHCR Regional Representative Dr. Hamdi Bukhari (Strictly Protect) confirmed previous reporting by Post (reftel A) in a meeting with Poloff on November 17 that Saudi Civil Defense was effectively providing for Saudi internally displaced persons (IDPs) along the Saudi-Yemen border. Referring to Saudi humanitarian aid as "five-star" quality, Bukhari stated that although UNHCR has not yet been inside a Saudi IDP camp, everything he has seen and heard from IDPs outside of these camps, indicate that the SAG is successfully managing this humanitarian situation. YEMENI IDPS ON SAUDI SOIL -------------- ¶3. (C) Bukhari did voice concern over the treatment of Yemeni IDPs, highlighting the SAG's systematic forced return of Yemeni IDPs found on Saudi soil. Bukhari discussed how prior to the November 3 Saudi-Yemen border conflict, there were many Yemeni IDPs living inside the Saudi border - tolerated because they were living with their fellow tribesmen peacefully. After November 3, however, the SAG began systematically returning all Yemeni IDPs (both old and new) to Yemen. These IDPs are being offered two choices by the SAG. They can be bused to Camp Muzruk with very few personal belongings, or they can return to Yemen with their belongings and cattle, but on their own, and most likely back into a conflict zone. UNHCR believes that the Saudis need to do more to protect the vulnerable IDPs seeking asylum or temporary protection from Yemen conflict zones, and have taken this issue up with the SAG in Riyadh and through UNHCR headquarters in Geneva. ¶4. (C) Related to the issue of forcible return is the extra burden these returned IDPs are putting on Camp Muzruk, which is now at full-capacity providing aid to 10,000 IDPs. According to Bukhari, there are another 10,000 IDPs outside of Camp Muzruk in the surrounding areas. During his recent trip to Yemen, Bukhari said he saw buses full of Yemeni IDPs being returned from Saudi Arabia to Camp Muzruk hourly. UNHCR is currently trying to open a second camp due to the overflow of IDPs at Camp Muzruk, but is encountering difficulties securing land which belongs to different sheiks and tribes. NEW SECURITY ASSESSMENT GIVES THE GREEN LIGHT -------------- ¶5. According to Bukhari, a new security assessment of the Saudi border was completed this week by UNHCR officials and the results were "very positive." The UN Security Advisor gave UNHCR the green light to resume its cross-border humanitarian convoys which were halted due to the escalating border conflict (reftel B). Bukhari informed Poloff that the second humanitarian convoy crossed the Alp border crossing November 17 in order to deliver aid to 200 families in the Alp/Mandaba border region. He stressed that aid coming from Saudi Arabia was critical since no internal humanitarian aid can reach this northern region of Sa'ada safely (reftel C), RIYADH 00001538 002.2 OF 002 but noted that the SAG has been cooperative in facilitating UNHCR's cross-border relief efforts. SMITH