US embassy cable - 05ACCRA250

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 000250 
 
SIPDIS 
 
KINSHASA PASS TO BRAZZAVILLE 
YAOUNDE PASS TO MALABO 
 
FOR POLOFFS, REFUGEE COORDINATOR, AND PRM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF, PREL, GB, refugees 
SUBJECT: STATUS OF REFUGEES IN GABON 
 
1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  Accra-based Refugee Coordinator and Embassy 
Libreville officers met with refugees and Gabonese officials on 
January 25 - 27 to discuss refugee issues.  Although GOG officials 
said they warmly welcomed those fleeing violence in other countries, 
refugees recited a litany of complaints:  arbitrary arrests, 
violence against women, and several cases of refoulement.  Another 
paradox was the claim that refugees were in desperate need of 
additional assistance; although their homes were modest, refugees 
were well clothed, apparently received adequate nutrition (with few 
exceptions), many worked on the informal economy, and several 
carried cell phones.  Poloff and Ref Coord, encouraged by the news 
that 15 cases for resettlement to the U.S. were in process, 
nonetheless asked UNHCR to intensify its efforts to resettle the 
most vulnerable refugees.  End Summary. 
 
The Gabonese Welcome 
-------------------- 
 
2.  (U) Ref Coord Nate Bluhm, Poloff Glenn Fedzer, Pol Assistant 
Cedric Pehoua, UNHCR Resettlement Office Catherine Hamon, and UNHCR 
Resettlement Assistant Peggy Pentishi met with refugees and GOG 
officials during a trip to Libreville, Franceville, and Moanda on 
January 25 - 27.  Both the governor of Haut Ogooue province and the 
prefect of Moanda district said refugees would always be welcome in 
Gabon as long as they conducted themselves as law-abiding residents. 
The prefect noted that on January 24, for example, a Congolese 
carrying false documents had been arrested along with the refugee 
who had "loaned" out his refugee ID.  Both officials advised of an 
upcoming census that would include a reverification of the refugee 
population.  The prefect, calling the refugees "our brothers," added 
that Gabon could profit more from the presence of foreigners, who 
often bring with them skills that are in short supply in Gabon. 
 
Franceville Refugees Reply 
-------------------------- 
 
3.  (SBU) Franceville, Gabon's third largest city, is home to about 
4,000 refugees, mainly Congolese.  Refugees cited the lack of 
protection as their primary concern, claiming there had been several 
hundred arbitrary detentions in 2004, many of which were resolved 
only through payment of a $100 bribe.  Others, referring to 
prejudice encountered in their everyday lives, feared repercussions 
from extensive media coverage of a young (non-refugee) Congolese 
girl who had recently been caught in Gabon transporting illegal 
drugs.  While UNHCR assistance with primary school fees was 
laudable, refugees felt their educational opportunities beyond the 
primary level were limited or non-existent.  Some female refugees 
had reportedly resorted to prostitution in order to make ends meet. 
 
4.  (U) Housing:  For a first-hand impression of their living 
conditions, our delegation visited a number of refugee homes located 
on the edge of Franceville.  One Chadian refugee rented a tiny, 
three-room, wooden house with a concrete foundation for $70/month, 
supporting himself by operating a small store out of the front room. 
He was fortunate:  his brothers in Canada and France had wired him 
enough money to start the business and pay for his children's school 
fees.  Elsewhere, a single mother paid $30/month for a two-room 
house accommodating her and six children, including a niece who had 
not been documented as a refugee.  One small child had an 
unexplained stomach ailment and appeared to be malnourished.  A 
third refugee who supported himself by working as a chauffeur rented 
a small, four-room, wooden house for $90/month.  A tap just outside 
the house supplied potable water.  All of the housing we saw was 
small, poorly ventilated, and lacked indoor plumbing, although 
electricity was available to most refugees. 
 
5.  (U) NGO's:  In 2004 UNHCR provided $387,000 to the Association 
for Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid [ALISEI], an implementing 
partner with 15 employees.  In addition to subsidizing the fees for 
several hundred primary school children and providing limited 
medical assistance on weekdays through its contract nurse, ALISEI 
leases agricultural land for cultivating manioc, the staple crop of 
Central Africa, and at least nine other fruits and vegetables.  One 
refugee-farmer said he earned over $200/month, while a middle-aged 
female refugee who single-handedly farmed a 2,000 square meter plot 
earned enough to enjoy the comfort of a cinderblock home.  Finally, 
ALISEI administers a micro-credit program that has led to several 
success stories.  One refugee we met used a small loan to set up a 
computer training and repair shop that now employs three others.  No 
other NGO's are active among the refugee population. 
 
The View from Moanda 
-------------------- 
 
6.  (SBU) Another large group (3,000) of mainly Congolese refugees 
lives one hour to the west in Moanda, a mining town that produces 
manganese, which, after oil and timber, is one of Gabon's most 
important exports.  By all appearances, Moanda was the most 
prosperous city in Gabon and probably afforded refugees many 
opportunities for remunerative activities, at least in the informal 
economy.  Refugees again cited protection and education as their 
main concerns, alleging that ALISEI's subsidies only covered a small 
portion of the school fees.  Many expressed fear of GOG officials 
and the upcoming census; police are reportedly conducting searches 
for arms regularly and shaking down residents for cash.  Others 
pointed out that a pregnant woman had been raped.  Yet their smart 
clothing, cell phones, and calm discussions in the street after our 
meeting contradicted claims that they had no dignity and lived in a 
state of constant fear. 
 
The Equato-Guinean Refugees 
--------------------------- 
7.  (SBU) Libreville is host to nearly one hundred Equato-Guinean 
refugees scattered among Gabonese and other foreigners in various 
neighborhoods of the capital city. The refugee we interviewed had 
arrived in 1993 and had few complaints, other than wanting steady 
employment.  Despite the intermittent nature of his work, he had 
been able to enroll his six children in school and appeared to be 
well dressed and well fed.  UNHCR officials in Libreville painted a 
grimmer picture of refugee life in Libreville, citing several recent 
cases of refoulement and police harassment of refugees just outside 
the small UNHCR compound.  A recent raid by a small number of non- 
refugee Equato-Guineans on a police outpost located on the island of 
Corisco resulted in some deportations and will likely increase 
tensions. 
 
Fifteen New Referrals 
--------------------- 
 
8.  (U) Amid the tales of woe we heard, there was some good news: 
UNHCR is preparing 15 cases for referral to the U.S. resettlement 
program, with more to follow.  Poloff reminded UNHCR of its 
commitment to refer 300 refugees for resettlement in 2004; although 
UNHCR came up short, we encouraged the Acting Representative to 
intensify efforts to lead the most vulnerable families toward this 
durable solution. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
9.  (SBU) UNHCR is neither adequately funded nor staffed to manage 
the 14,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Gabon.  Although more NGOs 
could conceivably partner with UNHCR, the difficulty of dealing with 
the stubborn local bureaucracy could explain the paucity of NGO 
humanitarian activity in Gabon.  Certainly, the isolation of the 
mostly Congolese refugees near Gabon's southern borders, far from 
the eyes of international observers, serves as a further impediment 
to assistance and protection.  On the other hand, the movement of 
Congolese in both directions across Gabon's porous borders continues 
unabated; in some cases, non-refugees have joined refugee families 
because of family connections or because Gabon is perceived as 
providing more economic opportunities. 
 
10.  (U) This cable has been cleared by Embassy Libreville. 
 
YATES