VZCZCXRO2600
PP RUEHDE RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHDJ #0532/01 1701837
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 181837Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9319
INFO RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 000532 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E, PRM/AFR, S/CRS 
ADDIS ABABA FOR REFCOORD 
NAIROBI FOR RDRAPCHO AND REFCOORD 
LONDON, ROME, PARIS FOR AFRICA-WATCHER 
GENEVA FOR KPERKINS 
CJTF-HOA FOR POLAD 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF PREL KPAO DJ
SUBJECT: WORLD REFUGEE DAY CELEBRATIONS MARRED BY SECURITY LAPSE 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 
(UNHCR), EmbOffs, and Camp Lemonier planned a June 18 donation of 
clothing, toys, and shoes to refugees in Djibouti in a show of 
support for United Nations World Refugee Day (WRD).  The U.S. 
convoy, consisting of the Refugee Officer, PAO, PD Assistant, and 
six uniformed representatives from the Camp traveled to the 
Ali-Addeh refugee camp in southwestern Djibouti to distribute the 
donations.  However, security at the refugee camp was inadequate and 
refugees flooded the distribution area, disrupting the orderly 
distribution of goods.  Ten boxes of donations were taken, 
approximately half the supplies transported to the camp.  No major 
injuries were reported, but an Embassy radio was taken. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) Planning for WRD started June 3.  Refugee officer contacted 
Camp Lemonier about possible donations.  The Camps responded with a 
large donation of several hundred pairs of shoes, clothing, and 
toys.  Refugee Officer contacted UNHCR to coordinate the delivery 
and distribution of goods. 
 
 
¶3. (U) UNHCR Representative Ann EnContre stated that the U.S. 
delegation would be met in Ali Sabieh by Hassan Omar Ali, the 
Secretary General of Interior and the Director of the National 
Office of Assistance to Refugees and Disaster Stricken People 
(ONARS).  The Prefet of Ali Sabieh, Ibrahim Soubaneh, was also 
slated to accompany the U.S. delegation. 
 
¶4. (U) The convoy arrived in Ali Sabieh at 9:15 a.m. June 18 to meet 
Hassan Omar and EnContre as planned, but neither was present.  The 
Refugee Officer contacted EnContre, who instructed the convoy to 
continue straight to the camp, where she said Hassan Omar and Prefet 
Soubaneh would be waiting.  The refugee camp is approximately 35 
kilometers (forty minutes in extreme off-road conditions) from Ali 
Sabieh. 
 
¶5. (U) When the U.S. convoy arrived at the camp, the Gendarmerie 
security forces denied entry.  UNHCR arrived within minutes and was 
also denied entry as both Hassan Omar and Prefet Soubaneh failed to 
appear.  UNHCR and the U.S. convoy were instructed to return to Ali 
Sabieh to meet with Soubaneh. 
 
¶6. (U) Soubaneh and EnContre resolved the misunderstanding in 
person.  Soubaneh granted entry into the camp and radioed the 
permission to the Gendarmerie from Ali Sabieh.  The convoy returned 
to the refugee camp at 11:45 a.m. and unloaded the goods in the 
monthly food ration distribution area.  This area has controlled 
access entry and security fencing.  The security fencing consists of 
barbed wire, with a three-foot high concrete wall on one side.  The 
concrete wall is further topped with three feet of barbed wire. 
 
¶7. (U) UNHCR security consisted of two local police officers, two 
Gendarmes, and the local head of the refugee camp (an Ethiopian 
refugee).  By 12:15 p.m., groups of children were brought to the 
distribution site.  The distribution proceeded in an orderly fashion 
for the first fifty children. 
 
¶8. (U) Around 12:55 p.m., an argument erupted between an adult 
refugee and a refugee coordinator.  Large numbers of adults and 
adolescents began to jump the concrete and barbed wire wall.  The 
local security did not move to prevent incursions.  UNHCR 
representatives attempted to stop the flow of refugees but were 
quickly overwhelmed.  At least one hundred refugees swarmed the tent 
and began to grab the remaining ten boxes that goods were stored in, 
approximately half of what was transported to the camp. 
 
¶9. (U) UNHCR and U.S. representatives evacuated the space, seeking 
refuge in their vehicles.  They left the tent or moved to the sides 
to avoid the rush.  Within seconds, the refugees stripped the tent 
of all the donated items and a U.S. Embassy radio, and then 
dispersed. 
 
¶10. (U) A Radio-Television Djibouti (RTD) journalist present at the 
donation indicated he suffered a minor injury when he was pushed 
into a table during the rush.  The journalist reported no other 
injuries thus far, but the rush of refugees was recorded on film. 
The footage will be broadcast on the evening news, with the focus on 
the failure of local law enforcement to prevent the incident. 
 
¶11. (SBU) COMMENT: Security was insufficient for the distribution 
process and the presence of U.S. military was not a deterrent. 
Several factors contributed to the events.  First, the fact that 
children, not male adults, were selected to be the recipients of the 
 
DJIBOUTI 00000532  002 OF 002 
 
 
aid upset the older males.  Hassan Omar's absence and the 
first-come, first-served attitude of the local tribal elders also 
contributed.  Refugees were encouraged to grab donations so that 
they could be redistributed later under the supervision of tribal 
elders.  Hassan Omar later called the Refugee Officer and apologized 
on behalf of the Ministry of Interior and on his own behalf. 
EnContre also contacted the Refugee Officer to express her 
embarrassment and apology. 
 
¶12.  (SBU)  Unless otherwise instructed by the Department, Embassy 
and Camp Lemonier PAOs, if contacted, will say that an unfortunate 
incident occurred, but that the USG is in full support of the 
Djiboutian government and UNHCR's praiseworthy work in support of 
refugee populations in Djibouti. 
 
LIST