US embassy cable - 02HARARE1627

UNCLAS HARARE 001627 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PRM MLANGE 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER 
LONDON FOR CGURNEY 
PARIS FOR CNEARY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF, PHUM, EAID, PGOV, ASEC, ZI 
SUBJECT: SEX SCANDAL IN ZIMBABWE REFUGEE CAMP 
 
1.  (U) The July 1 edition of the independent "Daily News" 
revealed that two aid workers in the Tongogara Refugee Camp 
in southern Zimbabwe had been suspended after refugees lobbed 
charges of sexual abuse against them.  The International 
Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC), which operates the 
camp, suspended Ernest Maigurira, its Zimbabwe program 
director, and Mavuvo Pambai, its community service officer, 
on June 25 until an investigation is completed.  (Note: The 
Tongogara camp, in a remote area of Chipinge district of 
southern Manicaland province, intermittently houses between 
500 and 1000 international refugees, most of whom are from 
Angola, Burundi, the DRC, and Rwanda.  The UNHCR and the 
Government of Zimbabwe oversee the camp.  End Note.)  At 
least four women and eight teenage girls accused Maigurira 
and Pambai of requiring sexual favors from them in exchange 
for scholarships in Western countries, money to attend local 
schools, blankets, and sanitary supplies, according to the 
article.  One accused them of keeping makeshift beds in their 
offices for sex with female refugees.  J. Michael Graglia, an 
intern from the John Hopkins School of Advanced International 
Studies sent by ICMC to evaluate the Zimbabwe camp, wrote a 
June report detailing the allegations of abuse.  Maigurira 
reportedly tried to have the GOZ cancel Graglia's work permit 
after he submitted the report to ICMC headquarters in Geneva. 
 Maigurira denied any malfeasance and said any investigation 
would exonerate him. 
 
2.  (SBU) ICMC sent its Director of Operations, Dale Buscher, 
to Zimbabwe to conduct an investigation during the week of 
July 1 and found that "the allegations appear to be 
substantiated," according to additional press reporting. 
Buscher reportedly interviewed 26 refugees at the camp, some 
of whom said the abuse had been going on for at least a year. 
 ICMC said it was "shocked and disturbed" by what it had 
uncovered, and that it was cooperating with local police.  On 
July 11, poloff spoke to John Adu, UNHCR's resident 
representative in Zimbabwe, about the scandal.  Adu relayed 
that UNHCR is conducting its own investigation and will have 
a report out by the end of the month.  He added that the 
suspended ICMC officers are not being allowed near the camp 
while the investigations continue. 
 
SULLIVAN