US embassy cable - 05DARESSALAAM148

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAR ES SALAAM 000148 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NAIROBI FOR FFP BACON 
KAMPALA FOR REFCORD 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF, PGOV, TZ 
SUBJECT: DEC/JAN REFUGEE UPDATE: PRESIDENT MAKAPA WANTS NO 
MORE BURUNDIAN REFUGEES 
 
 
1. Summary. At a January 14 joint UNHCR-WFP donor briefing, 
the UNHCR Country Director said he was concerned about 
Tanzanian President Mkapa's recent remarks about not 
granting asylum to any additional Burundian refugees. The 
UNHCR also noted that only small numbers of Burundian were 
repatriating, that Tanzanian government officials continued 
to deny Burundians first asylum and sometimes deportated 
them.  The UNHCR also outlined its plans to facilitate 
return of Congolese refugees.  The WFP Deputy Director 
provided information about pipeline shortfalls in February. 
End Summary. 
 
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BY THE NUMBERS: REFUGEE HOLDING STEADY AROUND 400,000 
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2. As of January 15, the UNHCR assisted 404,000 refugees in 
Tanzania, with the breakdown as follows: 
--245,000 Burundians 
--153,500 Congolese 
----3,000 Somalis 
----2,000 Other 
 
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PRESIDENT SAYS NO MORE BURUNDIAN WILL BE ALLOWED IN 
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3. The UNHCR Country Director, Chrys Ache, expressed 
concern about Presidential Mkapa's public statement in late 
December that Tanzania would accept no new arrivals if the 
political situation in Burundi worsened.  The UNHCR 
formally expressed concern about Mkapa's remarks to the 
Minister of Home Affairs.  Home Affairs Minister Mapuri 
said the President's remarks stemmed from frustrations at 
the political gridlock in Burundi and did not signal a 
refugee policy change.  Ache reiterated that the 
President's remarks could give political cover for local 
governmental authorities to deny asylum to Burundian 
refugees.  Ache also noted that President Mkapa had made 
similar remarks January 7 at his annual  New Year's sherry 
party for the diplomatic corps. 
 
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TRIPARTITE ON CONGOLESE RETURN 
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4. A tripartite session for the UNHCR, and the governments 
of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania was set 
for January 20 in Dar es Salaam to discuss repatriation of 
Congolese refugees in Tanzania.  UNHCR Country Director 
Ache said this first meeting would establish a tripartite 
committee, which would develop plans to facilitate the 
repatriation of Congolese refugees in Tanzania.  Ache said 
that the Congolese refugees had repeatedly expressed a 
desire to return, and that the numbers of returnees had 
increased.  For this reason, the UNHCR was establishing a 
field presence in South Kivu. 
 
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FEW BURUDNIANS REPATRIATE 
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5. In calendar year 2004, 82,930 Burundian refugees 
repatriated, but that pace of repatriation has dropped 
dramatically since September.  In December only 2,064 
Burundians repatriated. The UNHCR Country Director 
attributed the decline to the political uncertainty in 
Burundi, as well as to the food insecurity in the refugees' 
home provinces.  The Burundian Government recently declared 
famine in two provinces, Muyinga and Kirundo.  Muyinga 
province, in particular, is a high return area for 
refugees. 
 
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57 NEW ARRIVALS: MORE ASYLUM SEEKERS DENIED REFUGEE STATUS 
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6. The UNHCR Country Director said there were 57 new 
arrivals in December. He also noted there continued to be 
scattered reports of denial of first asylum and reports of 
forced deportations of refugees found outside the camps. 
The UNHCR has sought to participate, as mandated, in 
procedures to screen asylum seekers, but with mixed 
results.  While Tanzanian Government Official sometimes 
involve UNHCR staff in asylum screening procedures, they do 
not present official notifications to UNHCR offices but 
instead telephone local UNHCR staff. The UNHCR is currently 
developing guidelines on joint screening with Ministry of 
Home Affairs. 
 
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CRIME SPIKING IN CONGOLESE REFUGEE-HOSTING DISTRICT 
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7. After summer crime waves in the Northern refugee- 
hosting district of Ngara, there is now a crime wave 
further south, in the Kigoma region.  While it is rumored 
that these are ethnic/politically-motivated criminals from 
the DRC, the UNHCR Director noted that both locals and 
refugees were targeted in robbery attempts. The killing of 
a refugee woman in Lugufu camp is under investigation. 
 
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PIPELINE UPDATE 
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8.  World Food Program Deputy Director Giancarlo Stopponi 
said that problems with the food pipeline persisted. 
Although donors have made several large new pledges, food 
will not arrive in time to forestall rations cuts.  Refugee 
rations are still reduced by roughly 20 percent.  In 
February, rations for two commodities will be reduced.  The 
Tanzanian Government has made an unprecedented offer to 
donate salt to refugees to offset the shortfalls. 
 
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IMPLEMENTING JOINT WFP/UNHCR RECOMMENDATIONS 
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9.  The UNHCR program officer, Mary Jane Popovitich, said 
the UNHCR has been following through on the joint WFP/UNHCR 
mission recommendations. The UNHCR will increase soap 
rations in February, and also distribute buckets during the 
1st half of this year. UNHCR still has difficulty clearing 
sanitary materials through Tanzanian customs. Problems also 
persist in distributing firewood to the most vulnerable 
refugees. 
 
10. Comment. Burundian refugee's status is precarious in 
Tanzania. Several officials, from the President down to 
local officials, have pointedly emphasized that the time is 
right now for Burundians to return and that Tanzania is 
growing weary of hosting them indefinitely.  End Comment. 
STILLMAN