US embassy cable - 05DARESSALAAM686

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DAR ES SALAAM 000686 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NAIROBI FOR FFP BACON 
KAMPALA FOR REFCORD 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  4/4/15 
TAGS: PREF, PGOV, EAID, TZ 
SUBJECT: JOINT REFUGEE DEMARCHE: TIMING NOT RIGHT 
 
REF:  STATE 41723 
 
Classified by Charge d'Affaires Michael S. Owen for reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C)  Summary:  Members of the diplomatic corps discussed 
the proposed reftel joint demarche on refugees on March 24, 
on the margins of the monthly joint UN briefing on the 
refugee situation.  The diplomats and UNHCR officials alike 
thought that the timing was wrong for a joint demarche, 
since Tanzanian government official had stopped making 
inflammatory anti-refugee remarks in their campaigns, 
refugee screening had improved, and there had been no 
recent refoulments.  All agreed in principle to a joint 
demarche at some future time, if and when the situation 
deteriorates.  The consensus was that a joint demarche 
should contain pre-agreed, generic language emphasizing 
respect for international refugee conventions, and noting 
with concern whatever event triggered the demarche.  End 
Summary. 
 
2. (C)  UNHCR Country Director, Chrysantus Ache, said he 
thought that any support the international community 
provides for refugee protection was in principle a good 
thing.  However, he thought what the international 
community had done so far was sufficient.  He said UNHCR 
had vigorously protested refoulments with Tanzanian 
Government officials.  Ache believed that the formation of 
ad hoc screening committees, with UNHCR as observers, was a 
clear step in the right direction.  He urged any concerned 
diplomats to attend the Protection workshop planned for 
April 5-6, which would address screening, human rights 
violations, and freedom of movement.  Ache said that senior 
UNHCR official Erica Feller would travel to Tanzania to 
participate in the workshop and to continue to push the 
government to respect international conventions.  Ache also 
said it was important for any future joint demarche to be 
delivered in Bujumbura and Kinshasa as well, since the 
UNHCR faced strong pressure from these governments to 
repatriate refugees. 
 
3. (C)  The Norwegian diplomatic representative, Inger 
Tveit, expressed concern about language in the proposed 
demarche urging government officials to avoid politicizing 
refugee issues, because in an election campaign, 
immigration and asylum are legitimate topics for debate. 
She also said she was concerned that the timing was 
inappropriate, since refoulments had now ceased.  In the 
future, she suggested that any demarche on refugees should 
begin with language supporting continued adherence to 1951 
Convention.  Tveit said these were her personal comments, 
which she did not have the opportunity to clear with her 
Foreign Ministry. 
 
4. (C)  British DFID representative Julia Norton expressed 
her concern that the timing was inappropriate, because the 
refugee situation had recently improved.  She was also 
concerned about whether the Minister of Home Affairs or the 
Minister of State should receive any demarche, since past 
problems seemed to have originated with the District and 
Regional Commissioners, who do not answer to the Ministry 
of Home Affairs. 
 
5. (C)  The European Commission Humanitarian 
Representative, Yves Horton, said he continued to be 
concerned about refugee human rights violations in Ngara 
district, but he concurred with the consensus agreement 
that the timing was not right for this joint demarche.  He 
said he thought that in the future, it was important to be 
able to respond quickly to any refoulments that occurred; 
currently UNHCR and diplomats were unable to do so.  He 
said he would recommend to Brussels the consensus agreement 
to not deliver the joint demarche at this time. 
 
6. (C)  World Food Program Country Director Patrick Buckley 
said he was also concerned that "timing was everything in 
politics" and that the timing for this demarche had passed. 
He offered to provide the budget information that the WFP 
had already gathered about its programs in refugee-hosting 
areas.  He also said any future demarche should emphasize 
not only the past benefits but the prospective benefits the 
Government could realize from the continued hosting of 
refugees. 
 
7. (C)  UNICEF emergency officer Robert Carr said that 
UNICEF was working with other UN agencies to bridge the 
"humanitarian to development aid gap," which will open when 
refugees leave Northwest Tanzania.  He said the newly 
formed working group might have information about the ways 
in which refugee hosting areas benefit from the presence of 
refugees. 
 
8. (U)  Swedish diplomat Ditte Engell said she had 
contacted Stockholm about the demarche but her embassy had 
not received any information about it. 
 
9. (C)  Comment: Post agrees that the time for a joint 
demarche on refugees has passed.  To further press the 
issue when it has fallen off the radar screen may just 
encourage a political backlash.  Post thinks the best 
approach is to agree on generic language that each capital 
could pre-approve for rapid delivery if and when 
refoulments or serious violations occur again.  If this 
approach is approved, Poloff will work with the diplomatic 
corps to circulate a draft of the generic language.  Poloff 
continues to work with UN agencies to document how refugee 
hosting areas have received concrete benefits from the 
presence of refugees.  Please advise on the next steps for 
the joint demarche.  End Comment. 
 
OWEN