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Viewing cable 08ASMARA164, Egypt Contemplates Deporting 400 Eritreans

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08ASMARA164 2008-03-26 12:53 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Asmara
VZCZCXRO5036
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHAE #0164 0861253
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261253Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9555
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0067
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0024
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEPADJ/CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
UNCLAS ASMARA 000164 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 
DEPT FOR AF/E 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREF PREL SMIG EG IS ER
SUBJECT:  Egypt Contemplates Deporting 400 Eritreans 
 
 
1.  (SBU) Ambassador met March 24 with Egyptian Ambassador Ihab 
Hamouda to discuss the presence of illegal Eritrean immigrants in 
Egypt, of which Ihab claims there are more than 400.  Ihab said the 
government of Egypt and the Eritrean Ministry of Foreign Affairs are 
discussing a procedure for returning these immigrants-cum-refugees. 
 
2.  (SBU) Ambassador Ihab described two ways that Eritreans travel 
to Egypt. The first has been by obtaining Egyptian visas through 
misrepresentation by the Eritrean MFA.  Ihab stated that Eritrean 
MFA employees routinely call the Egyptian Consulate on behalf of 
private citizens (presumed to be the result of bribes).  The 
Egyptian Embassy has learned that many of these visa recipients have 
attempted to cross the Israeli border through Egypt.  The second 
method involves traveling via Sudan up the Red Sea Coast towards 
Egypt.  Ihab noted that these immigrants do not have Egyptian visas 
and generally tend to stay a week on the Eastern coast, before 
continuing north to the Sinai and eventually crossing into Israel. 
Ihab commented that Egypt has 750 police along the Sinai border, a 
grossly inadequate number needed to address this illegal migration. 
Several Eritreans have been killed trying to cross from Egypt into 
Israel in the past month, according to press reports. 
 
3.  (SBU) COMMENT:  Despite the known dangers of crossing the very 
sensitive Egypt-Israel border, many Eritreans attempt the journey, 
another indication of the desperation of the populace in the face of 
Eritrean living conditions.  Concerns about swelling numbers of 
Eritrean refugees and immigrants have been voiced to us by officials 
from the U.K., Sweden, Switzerland, Sudan, Libya, and Italy, in 
addition to the Egyptian Ambassador. End Comment. 
MCMULLEN