VZCZCXYZ0018
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DE RUEHAE #0280/01 0821457
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 231457Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8036
INFO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 5821
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI 2728
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1108
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1274
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 4534
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASMARA 000280 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR USAID/AF 
STATE FOR USAID/DCHA/FPP, DCHA/OFDA 
NAIROBI FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA, USAID/REDSO 
LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2016 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL EAID ER
SUBJECT: DON'T WANT IT, DON'T NEED IT: GSE ASKS THREE MORE 
NGOS TO LEAVE 
 
CLASSIFIED BY:  AMB Scott H. DeLisi, for reasons 1.4 (b) 
and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In letters dated March 20, the Government 
of Eritrea(GSE) informed three NGOs, Concern, Accord and 
Mercy Corps, that they had not met the requirements for 
their operational permits and that their registration 
certificates were being revoked.  According to the letter 
they were asked to cease operations in accordance with the 
NGO proclamation issued in 2005.  Caught off guard and 
totally by surprise, the NGOs are scrambling to respond but 
the GSE so far has offered no further explanations. 
Notably different from past expulsions, where non- 
registered NGOs were asked to leave, the GSE had re- 
registered all three NGOs under the 2005 proclamation. The 
expulsion of Mercy Corps, one of the major distributors of 
USG food aid, raises serious concerns regarding the future 
of US funded humanitarian aid in Eritrea. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (C) The three NGOs, Mercy Corps(US), Concern(Irish), 
Accord(UK)were all re-registered last year following the 
GSE's issuance of new laws governing NGOs, however none of 
the 13 registered NGOs received the operational permits 
required by the GSE.  Mercy Corps and Concern received the 
letters, dated March 20, the afternoon of March 21.  Signed 
by Amanuel Gherezgiher, the Director of the Ministry of 
Labor and Human Welfare Office (Secretary to the Minister), 
the letter thanks them for their contribution and asks them 
to terminate activities as of February 28, 2006. 
 
NO EXPLANATION WHY 
------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) The Acting Country Director for Mercy Corps, Lemlem 
Tecle, called on the Ministry of Labor and Human Welfare 
the morning of March 22 after receiving the letter the 
previous evening and asked for additional information. She 
shared with PolOff, that according to Amanuel, he prepared 
and signed the letter based on a memo issued by a committee 
tasked with evaluating NGOs with the intent of making 
decisions about the operational permit.  When questioned 
further about who serves on the committee or what the 
specific evaluation criteria were, he was unable(or 
unwilling) to share them with her. While Amanuel offered 
nearly no explanation, Lemlem felt he hinted that possibly 
Mercy Corps' past or planned activities do not match the 
not-yet-released 2006 GSE development strategy. 
 
¶4. (C) Mercy Corps shared with PolOff their response letter 
to the GSE.  Noting that they have submitted all required 
reports and requested documentation, they further state 
"although we were not aware or informed of such 
requirements, we regret being unable to fulfill them." 
Additionally, despite Amanuel's indications that the 
decision is final, the Mercy Corps headquarters has asked 
them to do all they can to prevent Mercy Corps' departure 
from Eritrea. Mercy Corps staff shared with PolOff that the 
director is trying to meet with the Eritrean Ambassador to 
the United States to discuss this issue. Concern Director 
Janardhan Rao told USAID FSN he was shocked and surprised 
to receive the letter and that his efforts to get an 
explanation were fruitless.  Rao traveled immediately to 
the areas where they do projects to meet with local 
officials there.  USAID FSN went on to add in his attempts 
to gain insight into the decision from his contacts, he was 
instructed by them "not to ask." 
 
AND WHEN ASKED, THE GSE SAYS... 
----------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) In conversations this morning with the Ambassador, 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General for the 
Americas, Ghirmai Ghebremariam said essentially that he was 
as puzzled as we were and had no idea of what had driven 
the GSE's decision.  Despite repeated requests in the past 
 
month by the US Embassy to meet, Minister Askalu of the 
Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare has been "unavailable" 
to meet with the Ambassador or other COM. Mercy Corps 
reported that to the best of their knowledge none of the 
NGOs had met personally with the Minister since last July. 
(NOTE: Catholic Relief Services had phone conversations 
with the Minister prior to the restarting of the limited 
food distributions in late 2005/early 2006.End Note.) 
 
AND THE NGOS SAY... 
----------------- 
 
¶6. (C) As of the morning of March 23, no other NGOs had 
received similar letters from the GSE.  The Country 
Director of Oxfam shared with PolOff, that at an informal 
meeting of the NGOs this morning, some discussion arose 
about the NGOs attempting together to meet with Minister to 
seek clarification of requirements and to press for 
expedited delivery of any other similar letters. The 
Country Director for Catholic Relief Services, expressed 
NGO beliefs that immigration held a list of "good" and 
"bad" NGOs and that some previous difficulties with 
Immigration may be related to this decision. In addition, 
among the NGOs speculation abounds, as Concern, Mercy Corps 
and Accord's registration numbers were one, two and four 
respectively, fueling discussion that the Ministry will 
progress in order of registration. 
 
COMMENT 
-------- 
 
¶7. (C) Comment: The GSE's action in regard to the three 
NGOs is on a par with its decision to order the termination 
of USAID activities in in July of 2005: inexplicable and - 
at least from our perspective - not in the interests of 
Eritrea.  Mercy Corps is one of two USG-funded NGOs that 
had - at least until the GSE's suspension of general food 
distributions almost eight months ago - been a key actor in 
distribution of USG food aid.  This action, coupled with 
the GSE's continued feet dragging and seemingly obdurate 
attitude when it comes to addressing future food aid 
programs in Eritrea, will make it even hard for us to 
provide the humanitarian assistance we have repeatedly 
offered to the GSE.  The government, through its actions 
and attitudes, sends the signal that it does not care.  It 
is the people of Eritrea, however, who will unfortunately 
be the ones to suffer. End Comment. 
 
DeLisi