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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 000480 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
FOR PRM/A, PRM/AFR, PRM/ANE, PRM/MCE, NEA/ELA, AND AF 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF PHUM PREL ASEC CVIS EG SU UNHCR
SUBJECT: SUDAN REFUGEES: UNHCR MEETS DEADLINE, BUT 
OVERWHELMED WITH NEW REGISTRANTS 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY 
 
Reference: Cairo 268 
           Cairo 170 
           Cairo 132 
           Cairo 58 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. (SBU) UNHCR has completed its evaluation of the 183 
Sudanese asylum seekers still in detention since they were 
forcibly evicted from a sit-in in a downtown park last 
December 30 and will present its final report to the GOE 
tonight.  Since it reopened its offices, UNHCR has been 
overwhelmed with asylum seekers - many of them hostile - 
seeking to register or to replace lost documents.  UNHCR 
will tell the GOE that it has concluded that approximately 
15 of the detainees have valid refugee claims.  In addition 
it will say that about 20 of those denied have the right to 
appeal and UNHCR will ask for another day or two to conduct 
these appeals.  UNHCR will also ask that none of the 
detainees be deported on humanitarian grounds.  UNHCR has 
investigated the number of fatalities during the December 30 
incident and has found no evidence to suggest that more than 
27 were killed.  MFA has advised UNHCR that the GOE will 
conduct an investigation of the incident.  End Summary 
 
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UNHCR will Meet its Deadline But Overwhelmed by Newcomers 
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2 (SBU) UNHCR Cairo's Deputy Representative, Damtew 
Dessalegne briefed RefCoord January 26 about the status of 
the 183 Sudanese asylum seekers still in detention following 
the violent eviction of 2,100 asylum seekers from Mustafa 
Mahmoud Park last December 30 following a 14-week sit-in. 
UNHCR had been given a deadline of today to carry out 
Refugee Status Determinations (RSDs) of these individuals - 
all males.  Dessalegne reported that since it reopened its 
office (which had been closed during the demonstration 
leading up to the December 30 incident) it has been 
overwhelmed with up to 800 asylum seekers every day seeking 
to register as new arrivals or applying for replacement 
documents for those lost during the sit-in. Many of the 
Sudanese coming to UNHCR are angry and hostile. 
 
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Only a Few Have Valid Claims - UNHCR Needs Time for Appeals 
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¶3. (SBU) Dessalegne reported that UNHCR has completed its 
evaluation of all of the detainees and is now analyzing its 
findings, which it will convey to the GOE later tonight. 
Of the 183 cases reviewed, 130 were "closed files"  - those 
who had been evaluated and denied some time ago, and about 
50 were asylums seekers who had not previously registered 
with UNHCR.  UNHCR will report to the GOE that among the 
first group of old cases it found about four who have valid 
refugee claims based on new evidence presented to UNHCR 
caseworkers in the last few weeks.  Among the second group 
of new cases (not previously registered) UNHCR found 10-12 
valid claims.  Approximately 40 new claims were denied but 
have the right to appeal the UNHCR decision.  Dessalegne 
says UNHCR will ask the GOE for more time (a day or two) to 
conduct these appeals. 
 
¶4. (SBU) UNHCR will also request that none of those 
currently in detention be deported on humanitarian grounds - 
because of the trauma suffered following the police action 
on December 30 and the subsequent detention.  Comment: 
Since the incident, the GOE has been flexible regarding 
deadlines and will probably give UNHCR the additional time 
it needs to hear appeals.  However, UNHCR's request that no 
detainees be deported is a different matter, and it is 
difficult to say how the GOE will respond.  End comment. 
 
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No Evidence of Additional Fatalities 
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¶5. (SBU).  UNHCR has investigated the number of fatalities 
during the December 30 incident and has found no evidence to 
suggest that more than 27 were killed.  MFA has advised 
UNHCR that the GOE will conduct an investigation of the 
incident. 
 
Ricciardone