Gabonese officials claim to welcome refugees fleeing violence, but refugees report experiencing arbitrary arrests, violence against women, and some cases of being forced to return to dangerous countries. While living conditions are poor, many refugees have found work or receive remittances allowing them to support themselves. UNHCR is underfunded and struggling to provide adequate protection and assistance to the 14,000 refugees in Gabon, though they are preparing 15 cases for resettlement in the US and aim to refer more vulnerable refugees for long-term solutions.

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Canonical ID: 05ACCRA250_a
Subject: STATUS OF REFUGEES IN GABON
From: Ghana Accra
To: -- N/A or Blank
Original Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Current Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Previous Handling Restrictions: -- Not Assigned --
Archive Status: -- Not Assigned --
Type: TE
Locator: TEXT ONLINE
Reference(s): -- N/A or Blank --
Executive Order (E.O.): -- Not Assigned --
Markings: -- Not Assigned --
Enclosure: -- Not Assigned --
Concepts: -- Not Assigned --
TAGS: Gabon [GB]
Political Affairs--External Political Relations [PREL]
Political Affairs--Refugees [PREF]
Office: -- N/A or Blank --
Document Character Count: 8197
Date: 2005 February 7, 07:25 (Monday)
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 000250
SIPDIS
KINSHASA PASS TO BRAZZAVILLE
YAOUNDE PASS TO MALABO
FOR POLOFFS, REFUGEE COORDINATOR, AND PRM
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF, PREL, GB, refugees
SUBJECT: STATUS OF REFUGEES IN GABON
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Accra-based Refugee Coordinator and Embassy
Libreville officers met with refugees and Gabonese officials on
January 25 - 27 to discuss refugee issues. Although GOG officials
said they warmly welcomed those fleeing violence in other countries,
refugees recited a litany of complaints: arbitrary arrests,
violence against women, and several cases of refoulement. Another
paradox was the claim that refugees were in desperate need of
additional assistance; although their homes were modest, refugees
were well clothed, apparently received adequate nutrition (with few
exceptions), many worked on the informal economy, and several
carried cell phones. Poloff and Ref Coord, encouraged by the news
that 15 cases for resettlement to the U.S. were in process,
nonetheless asked UNHCR to intensify its efforts to resettle the
most vulnerable refugees. End Summary.
The Gabonese Welcome
--------------------

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2. (U) Ref Coord Nate Bluhm, Poloff Glenn Fedzer, Pol Assistant
Cedric Pehoua, UNHCR Resettlement Office Catherine Hamon, and UNHCR
Resettlement Assistant Peggy Pentishi met with refugees and GOG
officials during a trip to Libreville, Franceville, and Moanda on
January 25 - 27. Both the governor of Haut Ogooue province and the
prefect of Moanda district said refugees would always be welcome in
Gabon as long as they conducted themselves as law-abiding residents.
The prefect noted that on January 24, for example, a Congolese
carrying false documents had been arrested along with the refugee
who had "loaned" out his refugee ID. Both officials advised of an
upcoming census that would include a reverification of the refugee
population. The prefect, calling the refugees "our brothers," added
that Gabon could profit more from the presence of foreigners, who
often bring with them skills that are in short supply in Gabon.
Franceville Refugees Reply
--------------------------
3. (SBU) Franceville, Gabon's third largest city, is home to about
4,000 refugees, mainly Congolese. Refugees cited the lack of
protection as their primary concern, claiming there had been several
hundred arbitrary detentions in 2004, many of which were resolved
only through payment of a $100 bribe. Others, referring to
prejudice encountered in their everyday lives, feared repercussions
from extensive media coverage of a young (non-refugee) Congolese
girl who had recently been caught in Gabon transporting illegal
drugs. While UNHCR assistance with primary school fees was
laudable, refugees felt their educational opportunities beyond the
primary level were limited or non-existent. Some female refugees
had reportedly resorted to prostitution in order to make ends meet.
4. (U) Housing: For a first-hand impression of their living
conditions, our delegation visited a number of refugee homes located
on the edge of Franceville. One Chadian refugee rented a tiny,
three-room, wooden house with a concrete foundation for $70/month,
supporting himself by operating a small store out of the front room.
He was fortunate: his brothers in Canada and France had wired him
enough money to start the business and pay for his children's school
fees. Elsewhere, a single mother paid $30/month for a two-room
house accommodating her and six children, including a niece who had
not been documented as a refugee. One small child had an
unexplained stomach ailment and appeared to be malnourished. A
third refugee who supported himself by working as a chauffeur rented
a small, four-room, wooden house for $90/month. A tap just outside
the house supplied potable water. All of the housing we saw was
small, poorly ventilated, and lacked indoor plumbing, although
electricity was available to most refugees.
5. (U) NGO's: In 2004 UNHCR provided $387,000 to the Association
for Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid [ALISEI], an implementing
partner with 15 employees. In addition to subsidizing the fees for
several hundred primary school children and providing limited
medical assistance on weekdays through its contract nurse, ALISEI
leases agricultural land for cultivating manioc, the staple crop of
Central Africa, and at least nine other fruits and vegetables. One

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refugee-farmer said he earned over $200/month, while a middle-aged
female refugee who single-handedly farmed a 2,000 square meter plot
earned enough to enjoy the comfort of a cinderblock home. Finally,
ALISEI administers a micro-credit program that has led to several
success stories. One refugee we met used a small loan to set up a
computer training and repair shop that now employs three others. No
other NGO's are active among the refugee population.
The View from Moanda
--------------------
6. (SBU) Another large group (3,000) of mainly Congolese refugees
lives one hour to the west in Moanda, a mining town that produces
manganese, which, after oil and timber, is one of Gabon's most
important exports. By all appearances, Moanda was the most
prosperous city in Gabon and probably afforded refugees many
opportunities for remunerative activities, at least in the informal
economy. Refugees again cited protection and education as their
main concerns, alleging that ALISEI's subsidies only covered a small
portion of the school fees. Many expressed fear of GOG officials
and the upcoming census; police are reportedly conducting searches
for arms regularly and shaking down residents for cash. Others
pointed out that a pregnant woman had been raped. Yet their smart
clothing, cell phones, and calm discussions in the street after our
meeting contradicted claims that they had no dignity and lived in a
state of constant fear.
The Equato-Guinean Refugees
---------------------------
7. (SBU) Libreville is host to nearly one hundred Equato-Guinean
refugees scattered among Gabonese and other foreigners in various
neighborhoods of the capital city. The refugee we interviewed had
arrived in 1993 and had few complaints, other than wanting steady
employment. Despite the intermittent nature of his work, he had
been able to enroll his six children in school and appeared to be
well dressed and well fed. UNHCR officials in Libreville painted a
grimmer picture of refugee life in Libreville, citing several recent
cases of refoulement and police harassment of refugees just outside
the small UNHCR compound. A recent raid by a small number of non-
refugee Equato-Guineans on a police outpost located on the island of
Corisco resulted in some deportations and will likely increase
tensions.
Fifteen New Referrals
---------------------
8. (U) Amid the tales of woe we heard, there was some good news:
UNHCR is preparing 15 cases for referral to the U.S. resettlement
program, with more to follow. Poloff reminded UNHCR of its
commitment to refer 300 refugees for resettlement in 2004; although
UNHCR came up short, we encouraged the Acting Representative to
intensify efforts to lead the most vulnerable families toward this
durable solution.
Comment

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-------
9. (SBU) UNHCR is neither adequately funded nor staffed to manage
the 14,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Gabon. Although more NGOs
could conceivably partner with UNHCR, the difficulty of dealing with
the stubborn local bureaucracy could explain the paucity of NGO
humanitarian activity in Gabon. Certainly, the isolation of the
mostly Congolese refugees near Gabon's southern borders, far from
the eyes of international observers, serves as a further impediment
to assistance and protection. On the other hand, the movement of
Congolese in both directions across Gabon's porous borders continues
unabated; in some cases, non-refugees have joined refugee families
because of family connections or because Gabon is perceived as
providing more economic opportunities.
10. (U) This cable has been cleared by Embassy Libreville.
YATES
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