This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 CAIRO 000170 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
FOR PRM/A, PRM/AFR, PRM/ANE, PRM/MCE, NEA/ELA, AND AF 
ROME FOR DHS/CIS 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF PHUM PREL ASEC CVIS EG SU UNHCR
SUBJECT: SUDANESE REFUGEES IN EGYPT 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  (SBU) THE VIOLENT CONFRONTATION ON DECEMBER 30 BETWEEN 
EGYPTIAN POLICE AND SUDANESE REFUGEES WHEN AT LEAST 27 LOST 
THEIR LIVES AND HUNDREDS MORE WERE DETAINED, HAS FOCUSED 
WORLD-WIDE ATTENTION ON THE LIVES OF THE MANY ASYLUM- 
SEEKERS WHO HAVE SOUGHT REFUGE IN CAIRO.  MANY OF THESE 
FLED TURMOIL AT HOME IN SEARCH OF A MORE SECURE LIFE AND 
MANY HOPED TO FIND PASSAGE THROUGH CAIRO TO MORE WELCOMING 
DESTINATIONS IN THE WEST. SUDANESE REFUGEES (AND 
IMMIGRANTS) HAVE A DIFFICULT LIFE IN CAIRO.  THE EGYPTIAN 
GOVERNMENT PROVIDES NO DIRECT SUPPORT.  THE UNITED NATIONS 
HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR) ASSISTED BY NGOS, 
CHURCH GROUPS AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, STRUGGLES TO 
PROVIDE ASSISTANCE.  ALTHOUGH MANY ASYLUM-SEEKERS HAVE 
SUCCEEDED IN THEIR GOAL OF THIRD-COUNTRY RESETTLEMENT, MANY 
MORE HAVE FAILED AND ARE NOW FACING UP TO THE DIFFICULT 
CHOICE OF EITHER RETURNING TO SUDAN OR CONTINUING TO EKE 
OUT A LIVING IN CAIRO.  THE DECISION BY UNHCR TO FOCUS 
INSTEAD ON REPATRIATION, FOLLOWING PROGRESS IN PEACE TALKS 
WITH THE SOUTH IN 2004, HAS HEIGHTENED REFUGEES' 
FRUSTRATION LEADING TO THE TRAGIC EVENTS OF DECEMBER 30. 
END SUMMARY 
 
----------------------------------- 
CAIRO - A MAGNET FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) VARIOUS ESTIMATES PUT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SUDANESE IN 
EGYPT AT ANYWHERE BETWEEN 2.2 MILLION AND 4 MILLION. MANY OF 
THESE SUDANESE SETTLED HERE LEGALLY YEARS AGO BUT THE NUMBERS 
SPIKED STARTING IN 1983 WHEN SUDAN SLID INTO CIVIL WAR FOR THE 
SECOND TIME AND MANY SUDANESE - MAINLY FROM THE SOUTH - WERE 
FORCED TO FLEE FROM THEIR HOMES.  THE AVAILABILITY OF SOME 
PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE IN EGYPT, AND IN RECENT YEARS, THE 
PROSPECT OF THIRD-COUNTRY RESETTLEMENT, HAVE ALSO PROVIDED 
ADDITIONAL INCENTIVE FOR DISPLACED PERSONS FROM THE SOUTH TO COME 
TO CAIRO. 
 
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REFUGEE POPULATION 
------------------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) SOME 31,200 INDIVIDUALS FROM OVER 30 COUNTRIES CURRENTLY 
HAVE ACCESS TO SOME FORM OF PROTECTION AND ASYLUM IN EGYPT - 
MOSTLY IN CAIRO -  WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF UNHCR. THEY INCLUDE 
25,300 SUDANESE. THOUSANDS MORE SUDANESE LIVE IN CAIRO WHO HAVE 
NEVER APPROACHED UNHCR, OR WHO HAVE FAILED IN THEIR BID FOR UNHCR 
RECOGNITION. THE SECOND MOST POPULOUS GROUP OF UNHCR-MANDATED 
REFUGEES COMPRISES SOMALIS (AROUND 4-5,000) WITH A SCATTERING OF 
OTHER NATIONALITIES. THERE ARE ALSO BETWEEN 40-70,000 
PALESTINIANS THROUGHOUT EGYPT NOT COVERED BY UNHCR'S MANDATE. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
NO LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR REFUGEE PROTECTION IN EGYPT 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶4. (SBU) EGYPT IS A SIGNATORY TO THE 1951 UN REFUGEE CONVENTION 
AND THE 1967 PROTOCOL RELATING TO THE STATUS OF REFUGEES.   EGYPT 
IS ALSO PARTY TO THE 1969 OAU CONVENTION GOVERNING "THE SPECIFIC 
ASPECTS OF REFUGEE PROBLEMS IN AFRICA".  BUT APART FROM A 1954 
AGREEMENT WITH UNHCR AND TWO "TECHNICAL DECREES" FROM THE 
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR RELATING TO RESIDENCE AND TRAVEL, EGYPT 
HAS NO NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK ON ASYLUM. 
 
5.(SBU) THE 1954 AGREEMENT HAS BEEN USEFUL IN COMMITTING THE 
GOVERNMENT TO MAINTAIN A GENEROUS ADMISSIONS POLICY; TO OBSERVE 
THE PRINCIPLES OF NON-REFOULEMENT (FORBIDDING FORCED RETURN); TO 
GRANT UNHCR UNHINDERED ACCESS TO ANY ASYLUM SEEKER OR REFUGEE 
DETAINED FOR ILLEGAL ENTRY IN THE COUNTRY; AND TO PROVIDE 
TEMPORARY RESIDENCE PERMITS TO RECOGNIZED REFUGEES. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Egypt's posture towards the refugees leading up to the 
December 30 tragedy could be characterized as benign neglect.  In 
the absence of national asylum legislation and appropriate 
institutions UNHCR has provided protection to refugees under its 
mandate by implementing refugee status determination (RSD) 
procedures and to coordinate with relevant authorities to prevent 
detention, deportation or refoulement.  Given Egypt's own 
crushing poverty and high unemployment, refugees are mostly 
dependent on the assistance of UNHCR and NGOs to provide 
subsistence and to meet their medical, educational, and material 
needs. 
 
--------------------------- 
Difficult Life For Refugees 
--------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) THERE ARE NO REFUGEE CAMPS IN EGYPT AND ASYLUM SEEKERS 
LIVE AMONG THE CAIRENES, COMPETING WITH THEM FOR JOBS AND SHELTER 
AND FOR SCARCE SOCIAL SERVICES.  THE SUDANESE HAVE DEALT WITH 
THIS BY DEVELOPING THEIR OWN COMMUNITY SUPPORT GROUPS AND MANY 
HAVE GATHERED TOGETHER IN THE "ARBA WA NUS" SHANTY-TOWN ON THE 
OUTSKIRTS OF CAIRO. 
 
--------------- 
HARSH TREATMENT 
--------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) ALTHOUGH EGYPT GENERALLY RESPECTS THE UNHCR DOCUMENTS 
CARRIED BY REFUGEES - AND THOSE REFUGEES DETAINED OR THREATENED 
WITH DEPORTATION ARE USUALLY QUICKLY RELEASED - THERE HAVE BEEN 
REPORTED CASES OF MISTREATMENT. IN 2003 LOCAL AUTHORITIES ROUNDED 
UP, DETAINED, AND REPORTEDLY BEAT, HUNDREDS OF SUB-SAHARAN 
AFRICANS INCLUDING THOSE WITH UNHCR IDS.  THE VICTIMS WERE 
QUICKLY RELEASED.  NUMEROUS UNSUBSTANTIATED RUMORS AND CONSPIRACY 
THEORIES CONTINUE TO CIRCULATE FOLLOWING THE DETENTION OF 
HUNDREDS OF SUDANESE AFTER THEIR VIOLENT CONFRONTATION WITH 
POLICE ON DECEMBER 30.  NGOS HAVE VARIOUSLY ALLEGED RE-ARRESTS, 
RAPES, SUICIDES, CONCEALED DEATHS AND THE EXISTENCE OF GREATER 
NUMBERS OF DETAINEES THAN THE AUTHORITIES ARE ADMITTING TO.  THE 
GOE DENIES CHARGES OF DETAINEE MISTREATMENT UNHCR/CAIRO, WHICH 
HAS NOW MET WITH NEARLY ALL OF THE REMAINING DETAINEES, HAS NOT 
VERIFIED ANY REPORTS OF ABUSE. 
 
------------------------------------- 
THE "FOUR FREEDOMS" - NOT IMPLEMENTED 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) In 2004 the Egyptian and Sudanese governments announced 
with some fanfare the  "Four Freedoms Agreement" by which 
Sudanese in Egypt would be accorded freedom of movement, freedom 
of employment, freedom of residency and the right to buy and sell 
property.  There has been no serious effort to implement this 
accord but millions of Sudanese go about their business in Egypt 
without difficulty. 
 
--------------------- 
"Freedom of Movement" 
--------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) Visas are readily available at the Egyptian Embassy in 
Khartoum for Sudanese wishing to travel to Cairo.  In fact, 
according to MFA figures (obtained by UNHCR), up to 9,000 
Sudanese arrive in Egypt every month. Only 2,000 return.  Once in 
Egypt, refugees face no restrictions on travel within the country 
although almost all gravitate towards Cairo in search of 
assistance, employment, shelter and possibly, third country 
resettlement. 
 
----------------------- 
"Freedom of Employment" 
----------------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) Refugees - to the extent they are employed -- are 
generally employed in the informal sector.  A 2003 decree from 
the Ministry of Manpower, sets out a cumbersome process for 
formal employment which is beyond the reach of most asylum 
seekers.  Requirements include the need for employer sponsorship, 
non-competition with nationals, the need to take into 
consideration "the country's economic situation", the stipulation 
that employers must hire a certain proportion of nationals before 
taking on foreigners and the payment of a $175 fee. 
 
---------------------- 
"Freedom of Residency" 
---------------------- 
 
¶12. (SBU) SUDANESE AND OTHER MIGRANTS ARE GIVEN A THREE-MONTH 
VISA TO ENTER THE COUNTRY.  THOSE WHO REGISTER WITH UNHCR CAN 
STAY BEYOND THIS PERIOD PROVIDED THEIR UNHCR REGISTRATION REMAINS 
CURRENT.  RESIDENCY PERMITS BEYOND THE INITIAL THREE MONTHS ARE 
DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN FOR MIGRANTS WHO HAVE NOT REGISTERED WITH 
UNHCR OR WHO HAVE BEEN DENIED REFUGEE STATUS.  THE CRITERIA FOR 
RESIDENCY PERMIT RENEWALS ARE BASED ON EDUCATION, LICENSED 
EMPLOYMENT, MARRIAGE TO AN EGYPTIAN, BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP AND A 
DEPOSIT OF $3,500. 
 
---------- 
HEALTHCARE 
---------- 
¶13. (SBU) A NUMBER OF SUDANESE INJURED IN THE DECEMBER 30 MELEE 
WERE TAKEN TO VARIOUS CAIRO HOSPITALS BUT, ACCORDING TO UNHCR AND 
NGOS, THEY WERE SIMPLY ABANDONED AT THE HOSPITALS AND NOT GIVEN 
ANY MEDICAL TREATMENT.  TREATMENT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY PROVIDED BY 
UNHCR AND ITS IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS.  THUS ALTHOUGH MEDICAL CARE 
IS TECHNICALLY AVAILABLE TO REFUGEES IN CAIRO AT A PRICE, THOSE 
WITH MEDICAL PROBLEMS USE THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY CHURCH GROUPS 
AND NGOS (SOME SUBSIDIZED BY UNHCR).  IN 2003, THROUGH THE 
AMBASSADOR'S FUND FOR REFUGEES, THE USG CONTRIBUTED $7,500 
TOWARDS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MEDICAL CLINIC FOR SUDANESE 
REFUGEES AND EGYPTIANS IN ARBA WA NUS. 
 
--------- 
EDUCATION 
--------- 
 
¶14. (SBU) EGYPTIAN LAW GUARANTEES FREE EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN 
IN STATE SCHOOLS.  REFUGEES WITH UNHCR DOCUMENTATION SUPPOSEDLY 
CAN EXERCISE THIS RIGHT BUT IN PRACTICE MOST LOCAL AUTHORITIES DO 
NOT ADMIT REFUGEES TO THEIR OVERCROWDED SCHOOLS.  IT IS LEFT 
INSTEAD TO CHURCH GROUPS AND NGOS TO PROVIDE SOME LEVEL OF 
EDUCATION FOR REFUGEES.  IN 2004, THROUGH THE AMBASSADOR'S FUND, 
THE USG GAVE $10,600 TO SUPPORT A SUMMER-SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR 
SUDANESE REFUGEE CHILDREN. 
 
--------------------------------- 
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HELPS 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶15. (SBU) UNHCR MAINTAINS ONE PERMANENT OFFICE IN EGYPT AND 
EMPLOYS AROUND 60 STAFF.   ABOUT 30 OF THESE WORK ON PROTECTION 
AND 20 ON FINDING "DURABLE SOLUTIONS".  SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCES 
ARE GIVEN TO MOST RECOGNIZED REFUGEES ON THE BASIS OF A NEEDS 
ASSESSMENT CONDUCTED BY UNHCR'S PRINCIPAL IMPLEMENTING PARTNER, 
CARITAS.  THROUGH CHURCH GROUPS AND NGOS, UNHCR OFFERS VOCATIONAL 
TRAINING SUPPORT, FAMILY PLANNING SUPPORT AND EDUCATIONAL GRANTS. 
IT ALSO COVERS A PORTION OF MEDICAL EXPENSES AND DISTRIBUTES 
MONTHLY FINANCIAL AID TO PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE FAMILIES. IN 
RECENT YEARS UNHCR CAIRO HAS EXPERIENCED A SIGNIFICANT BUDGET 
CRUNCH STRUGGLING TO STRETCH REDUCED FUNDING FROM GENEVA TO DEAL 
WITH GREATER NUMBERS OF ASYLUM SEEKERS IN EGYPT. 
 
 
---------------------------------------- 
RESETTLEMENT - ONCE A PRINCIPAL PRIORITY 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶16.  (SBU) IN RECENT YEARS UNHCR'S CAIRO OFFICE HAS DEVOTED MUCH 
OF ITS RESOURCES TO THIRD-COUNTRY RESETTLEMENT AS AN EFFECTIVE 
`DURABLE SOLUTION' TO MEET THE PROTECTION NEEDS OF SUITABLE 
REFUGEES.  THIS FOCUS ON RESETTLEMENT ENHANCED CAIRO'S ALLURE AS 
A DESTINATION FOR ASYLUM-SEEKERS.  BY 2004 UNHCR WAS WORKING WITH 
THE U.S., CANADA AND AUSTRALIA TO RESETTLE AROUND 4,000 
RECOGNIZED REFUGEES A YEAR.  IN ADDITION, ALL THREE COUNTRIES 
PROVIDED RESETTLEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAIRO'S REFUGEES OUTSIDE 
THE UNHCR PROGRAM, FURTHER ADDING TO CAIRO'S REPUTATION AS A 
CONDUIT FOR PASSAGE TO A BETTER LIFE ELSEWHERE (CANADA AND 
AUSTRALIA OFFERED RESETTLEMENT ON HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS FOR 
SPONSORED INDIVIDUALS AND THE U.S. MAINTAINS TWO FAMILY 
REUNIFICATION PROGRAMS). 
 
------------------------ 
THE U.S. HAS LED THE WAY 
------------------------ 
 
¶17. (SBU) THE U.S. IS BY FAR THE MAJOR RESETTLEMENT DESTINATION 
COUNTRY OPERATING IN EGYPT. IN FY2004 THE U.S. REFUGEE 
RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM (USRP) RESETTLED 3,000 REFUGEES FROM CAIRO; 
IN FY2005 2,000 WERE RESETTLED; AND IN FY2006 THE USRP WILL TAKE 
APPROXIMATELY 2,700 FROM EGYPT.  TRADITIONALLY THE U.S. FIGURES 
HAVE COMPRISED AROUND 95 PERCENT SUDANESE. INDEED, IN THE ELEVEN 
YEARS FROM 1996 WHEN THE RESETTLEMENT FIRST BECAME AVAILABLE IN 
CAIRO, UNTIL THE END OF FY2006 THE U.S. WILL HAVE RESETTLED 
AROUND 16,500 SUDANESE FROM CAIRO.  THE U.S. ALSO TAKES A NUMBER 
OF OTHER NATIONALITIES AND IN FY2006 THE USRP IS TARGETING AROUND 
8-900 VULNERABLE SOMALI WOMEN AND CHILDREN. 
 
---------------------------------- 
UNHCR SHIFTS FOCUS TO REPATRIATION 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶18. (SBU) UNHCR CAIRO CEASED PERFORMING REFUGEE STATUS 
DETERMINATIONS (RSDS) FOR SUDANESE IN EGYPT ON JUNE 1, 2004.  THE 
LAST OF FOUR SUDANESE PEACE PROTOCOLS WAS CONCLUDED TWO MONTHS 
LATER AND UNHCR SCALED BACK RESETTLEMENT ACTIVITIES AND GEARED UP 
FOR REPATRIATION.  IT WAS DETERMINED THAT CONTINUING RESETTLEMENT 
PROGRAMS IN CAIRO WOULD UNDERMINE EFFORTS TO STEM THE FLOW OF 
SUDANESE TO CAIRO.  THIS DID NOT MEAN AN IMMEDIATE CESSATION OF 
UNHCR'S RESETTLEMENT ACTIVITIES FOR THE SUDANESE IN EGYPT. 
INDEED, THERE ARE SUFFICIENT NUMBERS OF ALREADY-RECOGNIZED 
REFUGEES IN THE U.S. `PIPELINE' FOR SUDANESE RESETTLEMENTS IN THE 
U.S. FROM CAIRO TO CONTINUE UNABATED THROUGH FY2006.  U.S. 
EFFORTS TO RESETTLE OTHER NATIONALITIES FROM CAIRO HAVE BEEN 
UNAFFECTED BY THE UNHCR DECISION TO CEASE SUDANESE RSDS. 
 
19.(SBU) EGYPTIAN OFFICIALS WE HAVE TALKED TO GENUINELY REGRET 
THE LOSS OF LIFE ON DECEMBER 30 AND FEEL THE HUMILIATION OF 
INTERNATIONAL DISAPPROBATION FOR THE DEATHS.  THEY TELL US THEY 
ARE PROUD OF THEIR GOVERNMENT'S RECORD OF SUPPORT AND TOLERANCE 
FOR SUDANESE IMMIGRANTS.  BUT THEY ARE ALSO NOW MORE ACUTELY 
AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR INTERNATIONAL DIFFICULTIES THE 
SUDANESE POPULATION CAN CAUSE. THIS COULD LEAD TO FURTHER STEPS 
TO SURVEIL AND CONTROL THE SUDANESE COMMUNITY AND POSSIBLY LEAD 
TO FURTHER DEPORTATIONS. 
 
Ricciardone