US embassy cable - 04DJIBOUTI307

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000307 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2014 
TAGS: PREF, PREL, EAID, DJ 
SUBJECT: SOMALILAND REFUGEES IN DJIBOUTI HEAD FOR HOME 
 
REF: ADDIS ABABA 03982 (NOTAL) 
 
Classified By: Pol/Econ Erinn C. Reed for reasons 
1.5 b and d 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY: After a long hiatus, voluntary 
repatriations from Djibouti's Ali-Adde and Hol-Hol 
refugee camps have begun to leave in reportedly 
steady numbers.  However, food resources remain tight 
and over-evualtion of the population has gone 
unresolved. 
 
REFUGEE REPATRIATION RESUMES 
---------------------------- 
2. (U) UNHCR, in coordination with Djiboutian and 
Somaliland authorities, once again began the repatriation 
of Somaliland refugees.  UNHCR reported that on February 
11th, during the first round of repatriations in over 
six months, 214 refugees turned in their ration cards 
in order to receive their 9-month repatriation food 
package.  The refugees also received forty dollars U.S. 
as an adjustment allowance.  However, sources at UNHCR 
say that only 71 people were physically transported 
from the camps.  This discrepancy alludes to the 
over-estimation of the real refugee population.  There 
are currently over 22,000 registered refugees on the 
rolls in Ali-Adde and Hol-Hol refugee camps.  Even if 
UNHCR succeeded in repatriating "214" refugees per week, 
as is their hope, the repatriation would take over two 
years.  World Food Program (WFP) reported that the 
second round of repatriations, which took place on 
February 27th, included 596 persons.  This number has 
not been confirmed, but sources intimate that again, the 
number reflects the number of ration cards turned in and 
food packages doled out, not the number of refugees that 
were relocated to Somaliland. 
 
WFP'S TIGHT FOOD RESOURCES MAY BE HELPED BY REPATRIATIONS 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
3. (U) According to WFP Director Fatma Samoura, unused 
resources that were allocated to 2003 calendar-year 
repatriations were being used to make up food packages 
given to the returning refugees.  Calendar-year 2003 
repatriations totaled 241 persons, whereas resources were 
scheduled for 5,000 to repatriate.  Presently, these 
remaining resources can provide food packages for another 
4,500 repatriations.  Samoura did not indicate whether 
this met the needs for the number of repatriations 
scheduled for calendar-year 2004. 
 
4. (U) Samoura also said that current resources for feeding 
the regular population of the two refugee camps has been 
stretched thin due to the need from the Aour Aoussa Transit 
camp.  The two camps have been on half-ration 
for the past six months in order to prevent a possible 
humanitarian crisis, such as the one that took place in 
September 2003 and to feed the 8,000 plus asylum seekers 
at Aour Aoussa transit camp (RefTel).  Samoura commented 
that the currentresources should last until June, but 
rations may need to be reduced further at that time, 
depending on the success of the repatriations. 
 
EXACT NUMBER OF REFUGEES STILL NOT CERTAIN 
------------------------------------------ 
5. (C) UNHCR'S planned attempt at re-registration to 
validate the actual number of refugees present in the 
camps had near violent results when the UNHCR 
representative arrived in Hol-Hol to announce the 
re-registration exercise in early February and was 
reportedly stoned out of the camp.  The re-registration 
has been put on indefinite hold, due to what Post views 
as Government posturing to receive maximum donor resources. 
UNHCR reports that the asylum status committee convened in 
Ali Sabieh to determine status for the approximately 8,000 
individuals at Aour-Aoussa transit center continues to 
make progress. 
 
6. (C) COMMENT: While the manner in which repatriations 
are taking place may not be transparent, the bottom line 
is a net positive for the USG.  Names continue to be 
removed from the rolls at a steady clip. END COMMENT. 
RAGSDALE