VZCZCXYZ0006
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAR #0477/01 0951216
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 041216Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ACCRA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6376
INFO RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0034

UNCLAS ACCRA 000477 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR PRM/A 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF GH SU
SUBJECT: EMBASSY REFERRAL FOR HASHIM MOHAMED ZAKARIA 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: Embassy Accra hereby refers Hashim Mohamed 
Zakaria, a citizen of Sudan of Massalit ethnicity, born November 25, 
1977, in Dofor Gadida, Darfur, Sudan, for refugee processing. 
Zakaria has provided convincing evidence to us that he fled Sudan 
due to well-founded fear of persecution as a result of the ongoing 
killing campaign carried out by the Janjaweed, based on race and 
ethnicity.  Sudanese government and Janjaweed forces attacked 
Zakaria's village, killed both his parents, his brother and his 
uncle.  After spending 13 months in Kerenik Internally Displaced 
Persons' (IDP) Camp, which suffered numerous Janjaweed incursions, 
Zakaria fled Sudan on May 5, 2005. Failing to receive protection in 
Chad, Cameroon, Togo and Benin, he arrived in Ghana in October 2005 
and registered with UNHCR.  The Ghana Refugee Board denied his 
asylum claim in February 2008 (he was one of 12 Sudanese Darfuri 
denied).  Although he was officially denied for failing to establish 
a need of international protection, he was told by GRB Secretary 
Bawumia he was denied because UNHCR lacked the budget to assist him. 
 UNHCR Ghana, an observing member of the GRB, has not taken action 
to ensure appropriate protection.  Given the recent deportations of 
sixteen Liberian refugees and an Iraqi asylum seeker, Post has 
determined that resettlement consideration is appropriate and 
necessary.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) This Embassy referral is for: 
 
Hashim Mohamed Zakaria, DPOB:  25 NOV 1977, Dofor Gadida, Darfur, 
Sudan. 
 
PERSECUTION 
----------- 
¶3.  (SBU) Zakaria was a university stuent in Khartoum in 2002.  In 
April 2002, his brother notified him that the Janjaweed had killed 
their parents as they grazed their cattle.  He was later dismissed 
from university, and returned to live in Dofor Gadida. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) At about 6:00a.m. on December 28, 2003, Sudanese 
government forces and Janjaweed attacked Dofor Gadida, Zakaria's 
village. Zakaria and his family members scattered and fled.  Zakaria 
walked 2.5 hours to Krenik, the nearest camp for displaced persons. 
Upon arrival, the family reunited but realized that some members 
were missing. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) When they heard the attack was over, Zakaria and his 
family returned to Dofor Gadida.  There they found the dead and 
dismembered bodies of Zakaria's elder brother, Mahmoud, and his 
uncle, Abu Bakr Zakaria, among others. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Zakaria and his family buried the bodies and returned to 
Krenik IDP camp, where they remained for 13 months. Due to repeated 
Janjaweed attacks on Krenik IDP camp, Zakaria grew more fearful and 
was convinced that if he stayed, he would be killed.  He fled on May 
5, 2005. 
 
FLIGHT 
------ 
 
¶7.  (SBU) On May 5, 2005 Zakaria crossed the border into Chad. 
Because Chad was not secure, Zakaria decided not to stay there and 
spent five days crossing the country before passing into Cameroon at 
Kousseri. He proceeded directly to Nigeria that same day, intending 
to stay.  However, he learned that there are conflicts between 
Christians and Muslims there, and decided to leave after 3 days. On 
May 14, 2005 Zakaria crossed into Benin and went straight across the 
country to Togo. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)   In Togo, the authorities arrested Zakaria because he had 
no travel documents.  Despite his explanation that he was fleeing 
war, they detained him.  He was held at a police station in Kpalime 
for two months and seven days. During this time the authorities 
launched an investigation into his case, eventually deciding that he 
was innocent.  They returned Zakaria to the border with Benin. 
 
¶9.  (SBU)   In Azove, Benin, the Benin authorities asked for 
Zakaria's travel documents, and arrested him when he was unable to 
produce them.  He was detained in Azove for two months and five 
days, then transferred to Malanville.  Zakaria became ill with 
malaria while in Malanville, and he received no medical care.  After 
25 days, the Benin officials deemed Zakaria innocent and released 
him.  He made his way south to Cotonou and found a direct bus to 
Ghana. He crossed through Togo and entered Ghana on Oct. 20, 2005. 
 
EXISTENCE IN GHANA 
------------------ 
 
¶10.  (SBU) On October 25, 2005, Zakaria registered with UNHCR 
(registration number 10061401). UNHCR advised him to apply for 
refugee status with the Ghana Refugee Board (GRB).  Zakaria followed 
their advice and regularly checked back with UNHCR to see if they 
had received any word from GRB.  On May 15, 2007, UNHCR 
congratulated Zakaria, telling him that GRB was granting him refugee 
status and sending him to GRB to pick up his acceptance letter. 
However, GRB officials told him that the decision had not yet been 
made and sent him back to UNHCR. 
 
¶11.  (SBU)  On December 22, 2007, Zakaria met with Louis at GRB, who 
told him that his refugee status had been granted, but the GRB 
secretary Abdulai Bawumia was busy due to the Cup of African Nations 
 
SIPDIS 
soccer tournament (CAN, hosted by Ghana in January 2008).  Louis 
told Zakaria that his acceptance letter would not be signed until 
after CAN 2008. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) On January 12, 2008, Zakaria returned to GRB.  He was 
told to return on Feb. 28, 2008.  When he returned on Feb. 28, GRB 
officials gave Zakaria a rejection letter.  He was confused because 
they had previously told him verbally that his refugee status had 
been granted.  GRB Secretary Abdulai Bawumia told him that his case 
was not convincing and that UNHCR had no budget to assist Zakaria, 
therefore GRB had to turn him down.  Zakaria has since appealed the 
GRB's decision.  [Note: The interpreter for our interview, Abdul 
Kadr, was recommended by UNHCR.  He also occasionally works as an 
interpreter for the GRB, and attended Zakaria's Feb. 28 meeting.  He 
confirmed that Zakaria's account of that meeting is truthful.] 
 
¶13.  (SBU) Since arriving in Ghana, Zakaria has been surviving 
through petty trading, but does not earn enough for lodging.  He 
sleeps on the veranda of a mosque.  He speaks a little English, but 
continues to have communication problems in Ghana. 
 
¶14.  (SBU) Zakaria believes he cannot return to Sudan without 
endangering his life.  The war and human rights abuses continue 
there. 
 
¶15.  (SBU) Zakaria has provided convincing evidence to us that he 
fled Sudan because he had a well-founded fear of persecution as a 
result of the ongoing killing campaign carried out by the Janjaweed, 
based on race and ethnicity.  Due to his Massalit ethnicity, he 
would be a target there.  In addition, Ghana is not a viable country 
of asylum for Zakaria, as evidenced by the reasoning of the GRB in 
turning down his application for refugee status.  Resettlement to 
the U.S. would provide legal protection and appears the most viable 
durable solution. 
 
BROWN