VZCZCXRO5889
RR RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHDS #0199/01 0350743
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 040743Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7610
INFO RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 0042
RUCNSOM/SOMALIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0005
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 000199 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PRM/AFR, PRM/MCE, AF/E 
NAIROBI FOR REF 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
BRUSSELS FOR POL/PRM 
GENEVA FOR IO MISSIONS 
 
E.O. 12958: NA 
TAGS: PREF PGOV PREL EAID ET SO
SUBJECT: UNHCR 2010 PLANS FOR NEW REFUGEE CAMPS AND SUDANESE 
REPATRIATION 
 
Summary 
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¶1.  (U) The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) 
and the GOE Administration of Refugee and Returnee Affairs (ARRA) 
intend to open at least two more camps in 2010 for Somali and 
Eritrean refugees.  Melka Dida camp, near Dolo Odo on the 
Ethiopian/Kenyan/Somali border, is expected to open in February to 
house the continued influx of Somali asylum seekers.  ARRA and UNHCR 
have also identified an additional site in that area in case of a 
mass influx of Somalis due to the suspension of food assistance in 
south-central Somalia.  For Eritrean refugees, ARRA is proceeding 
with the development of a new camp near the existing My-Ayni camp in 
spite of reservations by donors and UNHCR.  ARRA also wants to 
convert the two existing refugee sites of Asayita and Berhale in 
Afar region into formal refugee camps in 2010.  UNHCR is developing 
a plan for cash option in lieu of organized convoys for the 
voluntary repatriation of remaining 20,000 Sudanese in Sherkole and 
Fugnido camps.  End Summary. 
 
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NEW SOMALI CAMP 
---------------- 
¶2. (U) Due to the continued influx of Somali asylum seekers, UNHCR 
and ARRA plan to open an additional camp for Somalis called Melka 
Dida (also known as Melkididi) in the Dolo Odo area.  UNHCR reported 
that the number of new arrivals in Dolo Odo transit center almost 
doubled in November to 1,500/month, and Save the Children/USA 
reported that the current influx is now approximately 3,000/month. 
Bokolmayo camp, located 85 kilometers from Dolo and opened in April 
2009, has now reached its 20,000-person capacity and there are 
currently over 6,000 refugees in the transit center.  UNHCR and ARRA 
originally intended to open Milka Dida in March or April but are now 
trying to speed up development of the site so that refugees can 
start moving there in February. 
 
¶3. (U) Melka Dida is located between Dolo Odo town and Bokolmayo 
camp (twenty kilometers from Bokolmayo) and approximately six 
kilometers from the Genale River.  The camp capacity will be 20,000 
refugees but could possibly accommodate 30,000 if required.  UNHCR 
has requested the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to manage the 
water sector and the NGO African Humanitarian Action (AHA) to manage 
the shelter sector in both Bokolmayo camp and Melka Dida camps 
(Note: In 2009, Oxfam managed and the Dutch NGO ZOA managed the 
water and shelter sectors in Bokolmayo respectively but ARRA and 
UNHCR terminated these agreements due to lack of performance). 
UNHCR also requested that Save the Children/US expand their grade 
1-4 emergency education program to the new camp as well.  ARRA 
usually manages the health sector but is accepting assistance from 
Doctors without Borders/Spain to handle the nutrition program in 
both the camps and transit center due to the lack of GOE health 
facilities and trained staff in the area.  UNHCR Geneva has provided 
an additional $4 million to assist in the development of Melka Dida 
camp as well as improve conditions in Bokolmayo camp. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
CONTINGENCY PLANNING FOR MORE SOMALIS 
-------------------------------------- 
¶4.  (SBU) In early January, UNHCR internally developed three 
estimates for a possible Somalia influx in 2010 due to the 
suspension of food assistance in south-central Somalia.  If arrivals 
into the Dolo Odo transit center continue at the December 2009 
level, then UNHCR expects about 25,000 new Somalis this year.  The 
middle case scenario, which factors a prolonged absence of WFP food 
aid in south-central Somalia, would be 50,000 arrivals in 2010.  The 
absolute worst case scenario predicts almost 100,000 Somalis 
entering into Ethiopia.  However, UNHCR Deputy Country 
Representative Cosmas Chanda stated that these numbers are 
preliminary estimates only and more official numbers will emerge 
after the regional contingency planning to be held in Nairobi the 
first week of February.  UNHCR and ARRA have already selected a 
third site for a refugee camp in the Dolo Odo area in case of a mass 
influx of Somalis.  This additional site, tentatively called Ganele 
camp, is located between Melka Dida and Bokolmayo, around seventy 
kilometers from Dolo Odo town. 
 
------------------ 
NEW ERITREAN CAMPS 
------------------ 
¶5. (SBU) ARRA Deputy Director Ato Ayalew reported that the GOE will 
go ahead with opening a new camp for Eritreans near the existing My 
Ayni camp in spite of reservations by donors and UNHCR.  ARRA cited 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00000199  002 OF 003 
 
 
the uptick in the number of new arrivals (approximately 
1,500/month), the current congestion level at the Endabaguna transit 
center, and that My Ayni camp has exceeded its 10,000-refugee 
capacity as justifications for the new camp.  Although UNHCR 
confirmed the upward trend in new arrivals, the number of Eritreans 
in My Ayni does not reflect the true population of the camp as many 
Eritreans choose to go on secondary movement through Sudan and Egypt 
to Europe and Israel.  UNHCR Deputy Country Representative Cosmas 
Chanda noted that, while the registered My Ayni population is over 
15,400, the number of refugees who showed up for food distributions 
in October and November did not exceed 6,000.  In lieu of a new 
camp, UNHCR would prefer to continue using My Ayni or place new 
arrivals into Shimelba camp, which is emptying out due to group 
resettlement to the United States. 
 
¶6. (U) The new camp, to be called Adi Harush, is located twelve 
kilometers from My Ayni.  Earlier in 2009, ARRA had indentified a 
site eight kilometers from My Ayni called My Tsebri as a possible 
third camp but ultimately chose Adi Harush instead.  Demarcation of 
the site has already begun, and ARRA plans to finalize the temporary 
constructions for the reception center and offices by the end of 
February.  ARRA and UNHCR also requested IRC to provide water to the 
camp as of April but has a truck for water tankering until a 
permanent water system is in place.  The first refugees are expected 
to be sent to Adi Harush in March. 
 
¶7. (U) ARRA would also like to convert the two existing refugee 
sites of Asayita and Berhale in Afar region (not camps but locations 
where mostly nomadic Afar Eritreans can receive food and limited 
basic services) into formal refugee camps in 2010.  As of the 
beginning of the year, there was a population of 9,612 Afar-Eritrean 
refugees and 6,450 asylum seekers in the Afar region.  These 
individuals currently live around the Asayita and Berhale sites as 
well as in various other host communities spread throughout the vast 
and somewhat challenging Afar region with its difficult terrain, 
recurrent droughts and all-year-round high temperatures. 
 
¶8.  (U) To date, both UNHCR and ARRA have limited presence in the 
Afar region, and UNHCR covers the Afar caseload out of Shire. 
However, plans are underway by ARRA to provide water, sanitation, 
health care, primary and secondary education services to Asayita and 
Berhale residents.  Unlike in other camps in Ethiopia, ARRA will 
give the registered refugees in the Afar region the choice of 
whether to go into the camp or continue to reside in the host 
community.  While both sites are mentioned in the UNHCR 2010-2011 
Global Appeal, UNHCR does not expect to increase its presence there 
but rather continue the current arrangement of periodically sending 
an officer from Shire to the region for registration and any 
specific protection concerns. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
CASH OPTION FOR SOUTHERN SUDANESE REFUGEES 
------------------------------------------ 
¶9. (U) UNHCR is developing a plan for a cash option in lieu of 
organized convoys for the voluntary repatriation of the remaining 
20,000 southern Sudanese in Sherkole and Fugnido camps.  In November 
2009, ARRA reported that the ruling Gambella regional government 
(comprised of Anuaks) was not in favor of the cash grants, as they 
feared the refugees (especially Nuers) would take the cash but then 
use the money to settle in the local community instead of returning 
to Sudan, thus potentially affecting the sensitive regional ethnic 
balance.  As a compromise to the GOE, UNHCR decided to distribute 
the $150.00 per person cash grant on the Sudanese side of the border 
in exchange for the refugee's food ration card and permission to 
dismantle their shelter in the camp.  UNHCR hopes to start the cash 
grant program in Sherkole camp (population less than 3,500) in 
February and then introduce the scheme to Fugnido camp (population 
between 17,000-20,000).  UNHCR would then like to consolidate the 
remaining refugees into one camp, preferably Sherkole, after the 
cash option exercise is complete.  However, ARRA remains ambivalent 
about possible consolidation, citing the need to keep the camps open 
in case the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) fails in southern 
Sudan. 
 
¶10. (U) UNHCR approached IOM to handle the transportation of 
refugees from the camps to either the Sudanese towns of Pagak (for 
Fugnido camp) or Kurmuk (for Sherkole camp).  IOM confirmed the 
availability of 2009 carryover funds to support the voluntary 
repatriation exercise for both Sherkole and Fugnido camps and any 
future UNHCR/ARRA-designed relocation plans for the consolidation of 
the residual caseload. 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00000199  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
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Comment 
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¶11. (SBU) While it is commendable that the GOE continues to be 
willing to host refugees, the GOE, particularly ARRA, has strong 
political and financial reasons for doing this.  The GOE has long 
advocated for preferential treatment of Eritrean refugees as a part 
of its greater foreign policy towards Eritrea.  In addition, ARRA is 
100% funded by UNHCR and thus views the creation of new refugee 
camps as job security.  UNHCR operates in Ethiopia at the invitation 
of GOE and ARRA and is very well aware that it is at the mercy of 
ARRA and cannot easily push back on such issues as the development 
of Adi-Harush if it wants any ability to effectively program 
activities in the other camps.  UNHCR did receive additional funds 
from Geneva for the Dolo Odo camps, but it is unclear how UNHCR will 
pay for all the other new camps without sacrificing services in the 
existing camps or requesting additional funds from donors.  While 
there is a definite need to financially support the new Somali 
camps, we should keep pushing back on any appeals for the new 
Eritrean camps as the actual numbers of refugees in the existing 
camps do not justify any new camp at this time. 
 
YATES 
6