US embassy cable - 05CAIRO7889

UNCLAS CAIRO 007889 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
FROM REGIONAL REFUGEE COORDINATOR 
DEPT FOR PRM/AFR MARY LANGE, PRM/MCE, PRM/A WHITNEY REITZ, 
NEA/MAG 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
ROME FOR FODAG 
USEU FOR MEZNAR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF, PHUM, AL, EG 
SUBJECT: SAHRAWI: FOOD CRUNCH IN TINDOUF 
 
Reference: Cairo 7582 
 
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Summary 
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1. (SBU) The Algerian Red Crescent has apparently refused to 
accept the joint World Food Program/UNHCR decision to cut 
back from 158,000 to 90,000 WFP's assessment of refugees 
requiring food aid in the Tindouf camps.  Despite WFP's 
announcement that the cutback would take effect from October 
1, the Algerians have removed supplies sufficient for 
158,000 from the WFP/UNHCR storage area in Tindouf.  WFP 
will meet with the GOA on October 24 to try to resolve the 
issue.  WFP is determined to restrict its November 
allocations from Rabouni to food sufficient for only 22,000. 
End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) RefCoord met October 13 with Amir Abdulla, Regional 
Director of the World Food Program (WFP) in Cairo to review 
the situation in Tindouf following the joint decision by WFP 
and UNHCR to cut back from 158,000 to 90,000 the official 
assessment of vulnerable Sahrawi requiring food aid in the 
Tindouf camps and to reduce food distribution to the 
refugees accordingly.  Abdulla and the Director of UNHCR's 
CASWANAME Bureau, Menemcioglu, were joint signatories to the 
letter to the Algerians announcing the cutback, which was to 
have taken effect on September 1.  As reported in reftel 
this was postponed until October 1 in response to Sahrawi 
protests and requests for additional time to adjust to the 
new regimen. 
 
3. (SBU)  According to Abdulla WFP advised the Algerians 
that the cutback would take effect on October 1.  However as 
noted in reftel, WFP has no control of food distribution to 
the Sahrawi camps after it arrives at the warehouse area in 
Rabouni.  UNHCR, which technically controls secondary food 
distribution, has surrendered control to the Sahrawi Red 
Crescent (CRS), which is part of the Algerian Red Crescent 
(CRA). 
 
4.(SBU) WFP was alarmed to hear earlier this week that the 
Algerians have refused to accept the new figure of 90,000 
and have instead, unilaterally, taken sufficient supplies 
from Rabouni to feed 158,000.  According to Abdulla, when 
WFP protested to the Algerians, it was told that WFP had no 
standing in the matter since WFP effectively relinquished 
control to UNHCR after the food reached Rabouni.  WFP is 
determined not to buckle and is apparently under pressure 
from the Europeans - the principal donors to the Tindouf 
program - not to do so.  Abdulla is scheduled to meet with 
the Algerians in Algiers on October 24.  At that time WFP 
will advise the GOA that the November food allocation will 
be sufficient for only 22,000 a reduction of 68,000 to take 
account of the extra supplies appropriated by the Algerians 
for October. 
 
Ricciardone