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C) NATIONAL REFUGEE COMMISSION IS SOMALI GOVERNMENT BODY FOR ASSISTING REFUGEES. SINCE CHOLERA EPIDEMIC AT GANNET IN NORTH WEST
SOMALIA IN 1985 IT HAS COOPERATED MORE CLOSELY WITH UNHCR, NOTABLY OVER RECENT REFUGEE COUNT AT TUG WAJALE. DOUBTFUL IF NRC COULD SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE DEPENDENCE ON UNHCR GIVEN SOMALIA'S
LIMITED RESOURCES (ONE OF LOWEST PER CAPITA INCOMES IN WORLD).
4. COORDINATION
A) THERE ARE REGULAR DONOR COORDINATION MEETINGS HELD UNDER AUSPICES OF UNHCR, WFP, UNDP. SOME DUPLICATION IS INEVITABLE GIVEN SCALE OF THE PROBLEM.
B) HAVE SUGGESTED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS (TO SMYSER AND OTHERS) THAT UNHCR ORGANISATIONS IN SOMALIA AND ETHIOPIA SHOULD LIAISE WITH EACH OTHER (PARTICULARLY IN TRYING TO ESTABLISH CAUSE OF TUG WAJALE INFLUX), BUT HAVE SEEN LITTLE EVIDENCE OF THIS.
INFORMATION/DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
5.
A) UNTIL PROPER CENSUS IS CARRIED OUT REFUGEE FIGURES MUST BE CONSIDERED SUSPECT, PROBABLY NOT MORE THAN 430,000.
B) UNHCR OFFICE IN MOGADISHU IS ALERT TO POLITICAL AND SECURITY
PROBLEMS. WE PRESUME THEY TELL HEAD OFFICE.
C) DO NOT THINK THE UNHCR IS IN A POSITION TO FORECAST TRENDS.
IT IS PRIMARILY A RESPONSIVE ORGANISATION. DISASTERS ARE GENERALLY
UNPREDICTABLE.
6. LEGAL PROTECTION
A) UNHCR'S ABILITY TO FULFIL MANDATE IMPARTIALLY OPENDS ON
QUALITY AND CHARACTER OF REPRESENTATION. UNDER PRESENT REPRESENTATIVE IN SOMALIA, MATSUMOTO, THEY REPRESENT INTERESTS OF ALL REFUGEES WITH FAIRNESS AND HAVE DEMONSTRATED THEY CAN TAKE
FIRM LINE WITH SOMALI GOVERNMENT (IE TUG WAJALE). THERE APPEAR
TO BE NO RESTRICTIONS ON THEIR ACCESS TO CAMP SITES.
7.
PHYSICAL SECURITY
A) STILL OCCASIONAL CASES OF REFUGEES BEING ABUSED BY ARMY OR
UNSCRUPULOUS SOMAL! CAMP COMMANDERS, MAINLY IN THE GEDO REGION,
BUT NOT ON SCALE OF TWO YEARS AGO.
8. NATURE OF REFUGEE CAMPS
A) KNOW OF NO CAMPS BEING USED FOR POLITICAL OR MILITARY PURPOSES. REFUGEE YOUTHS MAY AT TIMES FALL VICTIM OF SOMALI ARMY'S
PRESS-GANG RECRUITING TACTICS.
GAY
YYYY
MRHPAN 0886
LIMITEO
OCA.
PSIME EGGAR PSIFUS
MR PERCUSSON. MESLATER. MR Reeve
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