VZCZCXYZ0016
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAE #0970/01 3251147
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 211147Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8561
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 6021
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0186
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4675
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1253
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1430
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1042
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEPADJ/CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ

UNCLAS ASMARA 000970 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
AIDAC 
 
LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 
USAID/DCHA FOR WGARVELINK, LROGERS 
DCHA/OFDA FOR GGOTTLIEB, MMARX, IMACNAIRN, KCHANNEL 
DCHA/FFP FOR JDWORKEN, TANDERSON, PMOHAN, PBERTOLIN, JMAJERNIK 
USAID/AFR/AA AND AFR/EA FOR JBORNS, SMCLURE 
NAIROBI FOR OFDA JMYER, GPLATT; REDSO/FFP NESTES 
KAMPALA FOR USAID DSUTHER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV EAID ER SU
SUBJECT: ERITREA EXPELS TWO MORE NGOs 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  The Government of the State of Eritrea (GSE) ordered 
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) Samaritan's Purse(SP) and the 
International Rescue Committee(IRC) to terminate operations in 
Eritrea by November 15, 2006. In a letter dated October 31 and 
signed by the Minister of Labor and Human Welfare Askulu Menkerios, 
the GSE notified both NGOs that due to the signing of the Eastern 
Sudan Peace Agreement(ESPA) they must discontinue operating their 
Eastern Sudan programs from their base in Asmara, including halting 
Samaritan's Purse's cross-border humanitarian food distributions in 
Sudan via Eritrea.  IRC, which has programs in Eritrea as well as 
cross-border programs for Eastern Sudan through Eritrea, was told to 
stop all development operations including those in Eritrea.  Both 
NGOs plan to transfer their assets for Eastern Sudanese programs to 
the Beja Relief Organization(BRO) in Eastern Sudan. Their ability to 
deliver humanitarian aid to Eastern Sudan, however, will rely on 
gaining GOS permission to work in Eastern Sudan from within Sudan. 
End Summary. 
 
--------------- 
CLOSING UP SHOP 
--------------- 
 
¶2. Both IRC and SP received identical letters in early November 
informing them they would need to close down operations in Eritrea. 
Each protested the closure to no avail.  In a November 15 meeting 
with Poloff and the Humanitarian Program Assistant, the acting local 
director of Samaritan's Purse, said the termination was "not a 
surprise but a disappointment because of the arbitrary date chosen 
to close our operation." The letter explained that due to the 
signing of the ESPA, the "cross-border operations were no longer 
required." The same day, the IRC country director confirmed that IRC 
had received an identical letter.  IRC's requests for permission to 
finish several small, on-going projects went unanswered and 
eventually IRC decided to move ahead with the close-out. The GSE 
regional governors for Anseba and Debub told the IRC director that 
they had been informed of the decision nearly two months ago and had 
unsuccessfully lobbied the Ministry on IRC's behalf. 
 
¶3. The GSE verbally agreed that both NGOs would be permitted to 
transfer all of their in-country assets to the Beja Relief 
Organization for continuation of their Eastern Sudan programs.  Both 
IRC and SP representatives report, however, that their programs in 
Eastern Sudan will remain suspended until they obtain agreement from 
the Government of Sudan to provide support in Eastern Sudan from 
within Sudan. (Note: Historically, the GOS has strictly controlled 
NGO operations in Eastern Sudan and restricted service delivery by 
NGOs based within Sudan. End note.)  SP distributed the last of 
their Eritrean-based private food stock of lentils, CSB and oil last 
week, providing Sudanese recipients both in Eritrea and in Sudan 
with approximately 45 days of food.  (Note: SP provided humanitarian 
aid to an estimated 32,000 Sudanese Beja who have historically moved 
back and forth across the border.  These individuals are not clearly 
either refugees or IDPs and it is not known if the GSE will allow 
these Sudanese Beja to remain in Eritrea.   SP has requested 
permission from the GSE to continue to provide assistance to these 
individuals. End Note.) The remaining SP assets to be transferred 
consist mainly of furniture, office equipment and supplies, a few 
vehicles and medical supplies.  IRC's situation and asset list look 
nearly the same.  IRC anticipates, though, that the GOS may permit 
some of their programs previously operated cross-border to continue 
with a base in Sudan as IRC has staff detailed to the BRO and has 
had limited access to Eastern Sudan from within Sudan already. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
CONTINUING OPERATIONS IN SUDAN, WILL IT HAPPEN? 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶4.  Both IRC and SP profess to have strong support from Eastern 
Sudanese leaders for their work there.  According to SP, the head of 
the Beja Congress, Mussa Mohammed, wants SP to continue their 
operations, in particular the food distribution.  Other local 
leaders, including the Wali in Kessala, have also expressed their 
desire for the programs to continue.  Until the GOS decides if it 
will allow for SP to operate programs in Eastern Sudan from their 
headquarters in Khartoum the hospital, medical program and food 
distribution will be halted.  With no history of providing services 
from within Sudan to the East and with SP's programs in Darfur 
already strictly limited by the GOS, SP's acting local director 
expressed uncertainty regarding SP's future in Eastern Sudan.    For 
IRC, the situation is slightly different as they had GOS support 
already for some of their operations in Eastern Sudan and have 
infrastructure that is in place already.  Yet, IRC is aware they 
will need the GOS to consent to operate their programs and to allow 
IRC staff to travel to Eastern Sudan and provide supplies and 
equipment for the programs. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
IRC OPERATIONS IN ERITREA SHUT DOWN TOO 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  Whereas SP was only using Eritrea as transit for its programs in 
Sudan, IRC had been managing both cross-border and Eritrean programs 
from Asmara. IRC has operated in Eritrea in the Debub and Anseba 
regions since 2001, and had USD 4.4 million committed for water and 
sanitation projects.   In terminating IRC's NGO registration in 
Eritrea, the GSE decision also shuts-down IRC's operations within 
Eritrea.  The IRC director told Poloff that when he discussed the 
closure with Minister Askulu, she expressed total surprise that IRC 
had projects within Eritrea.  After IRC's closure, that is 
anticipated by November 29, unused funds for these Eritrean programs 
will be returned to the donors. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
SAMARITAN'S PURSE WILL TRY TO RE-REGISTER 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶6.  Despite being asked to close down, SP acting local director said 
SP wants to remain in Eritrea.  SP's director indicated to Poloff 
that they plan to explore re-registering the NGO with the Ministry 
of Labor and Human Welfare with the intent of providing programs 
within Eritrea.  SP is considering a proposal to the GSE on 
wheelchair distribution or other development programs. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶7.  Following on the heels of the signing of the ESPA, the closing 
by the GSE of IRC and SP came as no surprise.  With peace in Eastern 
Sudan and normalizing relations between Sudan and Eritrea, from the 
GSE's perspective there is no need for SP and IRC to continue 
operating programs in Sudan via Eritrea.  The signing of the 
agreement also offered a convenient excuse in what appears to be a 
continuing GSE trend of removing NGOs from Eritrea.  The need for 
foreign assistance services in Eastern Sudan, however, remains. 
Whether SP and IRC will be able to continue their programs in Sudan 
will likely depend on the level of pressure exerted from the people 
of Eastern Sudan and upon the GOS willingness to loosen the 
restrictions on NGOs within Sudan. End Comment. 
 
DELISI