Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 07ADDISABABA2566, ETHIOPIA DISASTER DECLARATION: IMMINENT

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #07ADDISABABA2566.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07ADDISABABA2566 2007-08-16 11:14 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Addis Ababa
VZCZCXRO2065
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHDS #2566/01 2281114
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 161114Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7471
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 2964
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 4005
RUEHC/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHINGTON DC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ADDIS ABABA 002566 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USAID/W DCHA/AA MHESS, GGOTTLIEB 
AFR/AA KALMQUIST, WWARREN, JBORNS 
DCHA/OFDA KLUU, ACONVERY, PMORRIS, KCHANNELL 
AFR/EA KNELSON, BDUNFORD 
DCHA/FFP WHAMMINK, JDWORKEN, PMOHAN, MANDERSON, PBERTOLIN 
STATE DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E AND PRM/AFR 
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
CJTF-HOA AND USCENTCOM FOR POLAD 
USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, MCHAMBLISS, RTILSWORTH, AND LPANASUK 
NAIROBI FOR OFDA/ECARO JMYER, GPLATT, RFFPO NCOX, USAID/EA 
ROME FOR OHA 
BRUSSELS FOR USEU PBROWN 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH, RMA 
USUN FOR TMALY 
NSC FOR PMARCHAN, TSHORTLEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID EAGR ET PHUM PGOV PREF MOPS
REF:  ADDIS ABABA 3226 
 
SUBJECT:  ETHIOPIA DISASTER DECLARATION: IMMINENT 
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN SOMALI REGION 
 
1. ACTION REQUEST: Ambassador requests Department's 
concurrence to announce disaster declaration from Addis 
Ababa, rather than from Washington.  If Department concurs, 
Post seeks to make this announcement on Friday, August 17. 
END ACTION REQUEST. 
 
2. SUMMARY.  Concerns that a severe humanitarian crisis may 
be imminent in Ethiopia's Somali Region are growing.  The 
confluence of Government of Ethiopia (GOE) policies in the 
Region's Ogaden area are contributing elements to the 
increasingly man-made crisis along with actions in the 
region by the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF). 
These three policies are:  a) restricting commercial trade 
to these areas as part of the ongoing security campaign; b) 
allowing bureaucratic reorganizations to delay delivery of 
emergency food assistance; and c) the movement of 
pastoralist populations and their herds into designated 
settlement areas.  ONLF elements have also targeted 
civilians, harassed and threatened NGOs, and may be placing 
landmines on roads in the Ogaden. 
 
3. In light of the deteriorating humanitarian conditions, 
coupled with projected humanitarian needs in food, water, 
nutrition and health interventions, the U.S. Ambassador 
hereby declares that a complex emergency exists in the 
Somali Region of Ethiopia.  Accordingly, activities that 
address urgent humanitarian needs should be eligible for 
funding under USAID's International Disaster Assistance. 
 
4. This disaster declaration for the Somali Region 
supplements the general disaster re-declaration for 
Ethiopia (reftel) made at the beginning of the fiscal year 
for ongoing humanitarian assistance in other areas. 
Updated humanitarian reporting for Ethiopia on emerging 
humanitarian hotspots and flood-affected areas will be 
forthcoming (septel) as additional information becomes 
available.  END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
OVERALL SITUATION - JUST HOW BAD IS IT? 
--------------------------------------- 
 
5.  The conflict-related situation is greatly affecting the 
humanitarian outlook in the Ogaden.  GOE policies in 
response to increased attacks by the ONLF restrict the 
movement of people and trade, and humanitarian assistance 
in the Ogaden areas of the region remain a concern. 
Despite recent good rains, the convergence of multiple 
shocks have strained livestock herds and resulted in 
increased vulnerability to famine and destitution through 
loss of livelihoods.  The cumulative shocks affecting this 
area includes a decade of drought, conflict, high rates of 
malnutrition, steadily increasing food prices, floods, and 
Rift Valley fever.  The household economy studies of the 
area indicate 100 percent of the population depends on 
commercial markets for the majority of their food.  For all 
groups, and particularly pastoralists, the biggest 
expenditure items are staple foods.  Prior to the current 
military operations, food prices were already high; 
informal market surveys now indicate tripling of many of 
the already high prices since June.  The prevention of 
almost all commercial imports to the area and associated 
price increases on food and non-food commodities, the 
suspension of food distributions until recently, and the 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00002566  002 OF 005 
 
 
forced/restricted movement of pastoralists, threaten to 
completely exhaust fragile coping mechanisms in areas of 
Somali Region.  Preliminary assessments from joint GOE-UN- 
NGO teams of parts of the area (Korahe, Warder, Gode) 
indicate pre-famine conditions (consumption of livestock, 
exceedingly high food grain prices, consumption of wild 
grasses/grains, etc.). 
 
6. Increased prevalence of acute watery diarrhea (AWD, or 
cholera) and corresponding crisis-level case fatality rates 
and malnutrition are emerging in locations like Fik and 
Jijiga.  Comprehensive data on specific rates of AWD has 
been difficult to obtain, due to current GOE sensitivities 
and limited humanitarian access.  However, international 
agencies are reporting pockets of growing malnutrition in 
both the Ogaden and non-Ogaden areas, with admission rates 
doubling in some community therapeutic feeding centers.  Of 
particular concern are areas that are non-accessible due to 
security operations, as minimal information is available. 
In this semi-arid region, the capping of water sources 
presents an immediate, life-threatening humanitarian 
concern for communities affected.  Forced, restricted, or 
even voluntary mass movement of pastoralists also threatens 
to deplete grazing lands and increase livestock disease 
transfer rates.  [NOTE: Pasture conditions have been able 
to sustain livestock in rural areas to date only due to 
good 2006 short Deyr rains, but if livestock are moved into 
concentrated areas, this will not last.  END NOTE.] 
Increased population density in urban or settlement areas 
is also expected to aggravate AWD conditions already 
present in the region.  The likelihood of local flooding, 
particularly around Gode and Fik, pose an additional 
concern. 
 
7. Ongoing GOE security operations and access restrictions 
continue to limit detailed reporting and verification of 
overall conditions.  Humanitarian access is limited, and 
recent landmine fatalities underscore the challenges 
operational humanitarian agencies are facing. 
At the same time, anecdotal reports are increasing by an 
array of humanitarian actors of human rights violations 
purportedly by both parties to the conflict--the Ethiopian 
military and the ONLF--in these areas, including extra- 
judicial killings, rape, burning of villages, and forced 
relocation of pastoralists and other populations.  There 
have also been recent reports that certain access to basic 
services are being denied in some villages, such as the 
capping of water sources and refusing delivery of medical 
supplies.  Underlying concerns sparked by the increasing 
volume of anecdotal reports that the military campaigns are 
starving populations and forcing relocation of populations 
into designated areas have rendered the GOE increasingly 
vulnerable to media, donor, UN, and international NGO 
concerns over human rights violations. 
 
---------------------------- 
HUMANITARIAN FOOD ASSISTANCE 
- ONLY A DROP IN THE BUCKET 
---------------------------- 
 
8.  In the Somali Region, 100 percent of the population 
relies on commercial food for survival.  Almost no 
commercial food aid is getting into the five Ogadeni zones 
(Fik, Degehabur, Gode, Korahe and Warder) of the Somali 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00002566  003 OF 005 
 
 
Region where GOE military operations are underway.  The 
miniscule trickles of commercial goods that may be getting 
through to a few urban areas are restricted to the urban 
areas only.  The GOE has advised the United Nations and 
other humanitarian actors that the commercial restrictions 
must be enforced to limit contraband, particularly supplies 
and weapons going to the ONLF.  The general consensus among 
aid agencies is that if the commercial restrictions are not 
lifted immediately, the humanitarian situation will 
eventually deteriorate to pre-famine or famine-like 
conditions and affect all communities equally.  Emergency 
food assistance will not be able to fill this gap, even if 
access is permitted.  The current coping mechanism for 
pastoralists in these areas is to live off the meat and 
milk of their animals, but herd size could be rapidly 
depleted in rural areas should this continue, as it is 
considered the coping mechanism of last resort.  In 
addition, aid agencies estimate that a large percentage of 
the population have moved to urban areas in search of 
limited food available commercially in some urban areas 
like Jijiga. 
 
9. Although the GOE's federal Disaster Prevention and 
Preparedness Agency (DPPA) recently confirmed that 42 
trucks are currently en route within the region, no food 
aid has actually been distributed in the Ogaden areas of 
the Somali Region since December 2006.  [NOTE: There have 
been recent food distributions to the non-Ogadeni areas of 
the Somali Region.  END NOTE.]  Part of a one-month ration 
(1,900 MT out of 4,000 MT) is currently en route to the 
Ogaden for the 296,980 beneficiaries identified during the 
November 2006 assessment.  As of August 9, no food aid from 
the 42 trucks had reached actual distribution points, 
primarily due to repeated delays at military checkpoints. 
The recent household economy assessment, which undertook 
field work in limited areas of two of the five zones, 
indicates that 100 percent of the population is severely 
affected with no access to food.  The 1,900 MT underway 
represents 6 percent of the total needs in the affected 
areas for one month, should the commercial restrictions 
remain. 
 
10. In recent meetings, WFP has stressed that significant 
tonnage is required for these areas; even if the small 
amount of food aid currently en route reaches beneficiary 
populations, this represents only a "drop in the bucket" 
and is a very temporary stopgap measure.  WFP and DPPA 
estimate that 30,000 MT per month of commodities in the 
restricted zones is required to fully support food needs 
should the commercial restrictions continue.  [COMMENT: It 
is not clear if the magnitude of food required in such a 
circumstance would be immediately available in-country, nor 
is it likely that operations of this nature can reach the 
beneficiaries in a timely manner, given current delay 
tactics in the movement of the food.  The only solution 
that could immediately mitigate the slide into pre-famine 
or famine conditions will be the immediate easing of 
commercial restrictions in all areas of the region.  END 
COMMENT.] 
 
------------------------------------- 
EXTREMELY LIMITED HUMANITARIAN ACCESS 
------------------------------------- 
 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00002566  004 OF 005 
 
 
11. Despite recent GOE press statements urging agencies to 
work in the Somali Region with unlimited access, the 
reality on the ground is much different.  Very few NGOs are 
operating in the military zones, because almost all 
movements are restricted due to security reasons.  Access 
for UN agencies is virtually non-existent in military 
areas.  WFP noted that although monitoring food aid 
deliveries is critical, it is currently impossible due to 
the underlying security conditions.  Although WFP has 
invited local NGOs to monitor on their behalf, no one has 
accepted, due to underlying fears of security implications, 
though agencies are willing to share the limited 
information they possess. 
 
12. Following the July 29 tragedy in which three staff from 
the USAID-supported local NGO partner Ogaden Welfare 
Development Agency (OWDA) were killed from a landmine 
between Degehamedo and Degehabur towns, concerns for safe 
humanitarian access have increased.  There are growing 
reports, albeit unconfirmed, that additional landmines are 
being planted on many of the main roads in the Ogaden 
areas, since the underlying assumption is that only the 
military are using the roads rather than the usual 
commercial traffic and, to a lesser extent, aid agencies. 
 
13. Creating safe humanitarian operational space will 
become increasingly important should the conditions 
continue to deteriorate.  NGOs and UN agencies are working 
to determine best entry or re-entry points into the Ogaden 
areas to provide health, nutrition and water interventions. 
Some Somali Region government ministries have urged aid 
agencies to conduct humanitarian operations, recognizing 
that the humanitarian needs will surpass local capacities 
should the commercial restrictions remain.  Agencies are 
working on modalities to begin humanitarian interventions 
in locations as close to the non-accessible areas as 
possible, in the hopes that if/when more widespread access 
to the Ogaden areas is possible, agencies can be partially 
pre-positioned. 
 
14.  Donors, UN agencies, and NGOs continue to meet weekly 
to share information on the evolving situation.  The U.S. 
Ambassador has also convened two meetings for donors and 
relevant agencies on the Somali region situation.  USAID, 
in conjunction with other donors and UNOCHA, is advocating 
the formation of a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster 
Risk Management working group, which would be a formal 
forum in which donors and the UN can engage with each other 
and the government on humanitarian and disaster risk 
management issues.  Currently, information-sharing is 
informal, and engagement with the government on disaster 
issues is on a bilateral basis, particularly for the Somali 
Region. 
 
-------------------- 
DISASTER DECLARATION 
-------------------- 
 
15. In light of current and increased projected needs in 
Somali Region of Ethiopia, I hereby declare that a complex 
emergency situation exists.  Ongoing commercial 
restrictions, limited operational access due to internal 
security operations and population displacement has 
exacerbated the plight of the already vulnerable. 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00002566  005 OF 005 
 
 
Accordingly, activities which address urgent humanitarian 
needs should continue to be eligible for funding under 
USAID's International Disaster Assistance. 
 
YAMAMOTO