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Canonical ID: 05ACCRA250_aSubject: STATUS OF REFUGEES IN GABONFrom: Ghana AccraTo: -- N/A or BlankOriginal Classification: UNCLASSIFIEDCurrent Classification: UNCLASSIFIEDPrevious Handling Restrictions: -- Not Assigned --Archive Status: -- Not Assigned --Type: TELocator: TEXT ONLINEReference(s): -- N/A or Blank --Executive Order (E.O.): -- Not Assigned --Markings: -- Not Assigned --Enclosure: -- Not Assigned --Concepts: -- Not Assigned --TAGS: Gabon [GB]Political Affairs--External Political Relations [PREL]Political Affairs--Refugees [PREF]Office: -- N/A or Blank --Document Character Count: 8197Date: 2005 February 7, 07:25 (Monday)

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 000250

SIPDIS

KINSHASA PASS TO BRAZZAVILLEYAOUNDE PASS TO MALABO

FOR POLOFFS, REFUGEE COORDINATOR, AND PRM

E.O. 12958: N/ATAGS: PREF, PREL, GB, refugeesSUBJECT: STATUS OF REFUGEES IN GABON

1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Accra-based Refugee Coordinator and EmbassyLibreville officers met with refugees and Gabonese officials onJanuary 25 - 27 to discuss refugee issues. Although GOG officialssaid 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. Anotherparadox was the claim that refugees were in desperate need ofadditional assistance; although their homes were modest, refugeeswere well clothed, apparently received adequate nutrition (with fewexceptions), many worked on the informal economy, and severalcarried cell phones. Poloff and Ref Coord, encouraged by the newsthat 15 cases for resettlement to the U.S. were in process,nonetheless asked UNHCR to intensify its efforts to resettle themost vulnerable refugees. End Summary.

The Gabonese Welcome--------------------

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2. (U) Ref Coord Nate Bluhm, Poloff Glenn Fedzer, Pol AssistantCedric Pehoua, UNHCR Resettlement Office Catherine Hamon, and UNHCRResettlement Assistant Peggy Pentishi met with refugees and GOGofficials during a trip to Libreville, Franceville, and Moanda onJanuary 25 - 27. Both the governor of Haut Ogooue province and theprefect of Moanda district said refugees would always be welcome inGabon as long as they conducted themselves as law-abiding residents.The prefect noted that on January 24, for example, a Congolesecarrying false documents had been arrested along with the refugeewho had "loaned" out his refugee ID. Both officials advised of anupcoming census that would include a reverification of the refugeepopulation. The prefect, calling the refugees "our brothers," addedthat Gabon could profit more from the presence of foreigners, whooften 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 about4,000 refugees, mainly Congolese. Refugees cited the lack ofprotection as their primary concern, claiming there had been severalhundred arbitrary detentions in 2004, many of which were resolvedonly through payment of a $100 bribe. Others, referring toprejudice encountered in their everyday lives, feared repercussionsfrom extensive media coverage of a young (non-refugee) Congolesegirl who had recently been caught in Gabon transporting illegaldrugs. While UNHCR assistance with primary school fees waslaudable, refugees felt their educational opportunities beyond theprimary level were limited or non-existent. Some female refugeeshad reportedly resorted to prostitution in order to make ends meet.

4. (U) Housing: For a first-hand impression of their livingconditions, our delegation visited a number of refugee homes locatedon 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 himenough money to start the business and pay for his children's schoolfees. Elsewhere, a single mother paid $30/month for a two-roomhouse accommodating her and six children, including a niece who hadnot been documented as a refugee. One small child had anunexplained stomach ailment and appeared to be malnourished. Athird refugee who supported himself by working as a chauffeur renteda small, four-room, wooden house for $90/month. A tap just outsidethe house supplied potable water. All of the housing we saw wassmall, poorly ventilated, and lacked indoor plumbing, althoughelectricity was available to most refugees.

5. (U) NGO's: In 2004 UNHCR provided $387,000 to the Associationfor Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid [ALISEI], an implementingpartner with 15 employees. In addition to subsidizing the fees forseveral hundred primary school children and providing limitedmedical assistance on weekdays through its contract nurse, ALISEIleases agricultural land for cultivating manioc, the staple crop ofCentral Africa, and at least nine other fruits and vegetables. One

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refugee-farmer said he earned over $200/month, while a middle-agedfemale refugee who single-handedly farmed a 2,000 square meter plotearned enough to enjoy the comfort of a cinderblock home. Finally,ALISEI administers a micro-credit program that has led to severalsuccess stories. One refugee we met used a small loan to set up acomputer training and repair shop that now employs three others. Noother NGO's are active among the refugee population.

The View from Moanda--------------------

6. (SBU) Another large group (3,000) of mainly Congolese refugeeslives one hour to the west in Moanda, a mining town that producesmanganese, which, after oil and timber, is one of Gabon's mostimportant exports. By all appearances, Moanda was the mostprosperous city in Gabon and probably afforded refugees manyopportunities for remunerative activities, at least in the informaleconomy. Refugees again cited protection and education as theirmain concerns, alleging that ALISEI's subsidies only covered a smallportion of the school fees. Many expressed fear of GOG officialsand the upcoming census; police are reportedly conducting searchesfor arms regularly and shaking down residents for cash. Otherspointed out that a pregnant woman had been raped. Yet their smartclothing, cell phones, and calm discussions in the street after ourmeeting contradicted claims that they had no dignity and lived in astate of constant fear.

The Equato-Guinean Refugees---------------------------7. (SBU) Libreville is host to nearly one hundred Equato-Guineanrefugees scattered among Gabonese and other foreigners in variousneighborhoods of the capital city. The refugee we interviewed hadarrived in 1993 and had few complaints, other than wanting steadyemployment. Despite the intermittent nature of his work, he hadbeen able to enroll his six children in school and appeared to bewell dressed and well fed. UNHCR officials in Libreville painted agrimmer picture of refugee life in Libreville, citing several recentcases of refoulement and police harassment of refugees just outsidethe small UNHCR compound. A recent raid by a small number of non-refugee Equato-Guineans on a police outpost located on the island ofCorisco resulted in some deportations and will likely increasetensions.

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. resettlementprogram, with more to follow. Poloff reminded UNHCR of itscommitment to refer 300 refugees for resettlement in 2004; althoughUNHCR came up short, we encouraged the Acting Representative tointensify efforts to lead the most vulnerable families toward thisdurable solution.

Comment

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9. (SBU) UNHCR is neither adequately funded nor staffed to managethe 14,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Gabon. Although more NGOscould conceivably partner with UNHCR, the difficulty of dealing withthe stubborn local bureaucracy could explain the paucity of NGOhumanitarian activity in Gabon. Certainly, the isolation of themostly Congolese refugees near Gabon's southern borders, far fromthe eyes of international observers, serves as a further impedimentto assistance and protection. On the other hand, the movement ofCongolese in both directions across Gabon's porous borders continuesunabated; in some cases, non-refugees have joined refugee familiesbecause of family connections or because Gabon is perceived asproviding more economic opportunities.

10. (U) This cable has been cleared by Embassy Libreville.

YATES

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