GOT FOCUSES EFFORTS ON ANTI-TRAFFICKING INITIATIVES

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000678

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2013
TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB TU
SUBJECT: GOT FOCUSES EFFORTS ON ANTI-TRAFFICKING INITIATIVES


REF: ANKARA 419


(U) Classified Polcouns John Kunstadter; reasons 1.5 (b) and
(d).



1. (U) This is an action request; please see para 6.



2. (U) Jan. 23 MFA DDG for Consular Affairs Topcuoglu called
us in to discuss GOT developments in the fight against
trafficking-in-persons (TIP). Topcuoglu stressed local,
regional, and national efforts to raise awareness of the
issue, prosecute individuals accused of TIP, and assist TIP
victims.



3. (C) Recent GOT initiatives include:
- Implementation of anti-trafficking law- Article 201 (b)-
which was passed in August 2002. While definitive
information from the GOT Records Department is pending, MFA
highlighted four cases currently pending in local Turkish
courts. Two trials are ongoing (one on the Black Sea Coast
and one in eastern Turkey) while two cases accusing multiple
individuals of TIP are continuing in Istanbul.
- Draft law centralizing the issuance of work permits in the
Ministry of Labor has been submitted to Parliament.
Currently, multiple Ministries, including Ministries of
Education, Tourism, and Labor, have the right to give
preliminary permission to issue work permits. The annex to
the law will set up a work permit system for women to work in
domestic services. Passage of this law would allow for
tighter examination of who is applying and receiving work
permits.
- Establishment of a coordination committee for TIP within
the Ministry of Interior. Various departments are
represented, including Foreigners and Borders departments,
Organized Crime and Smuggling department, and Public Security
department.
- Governors of 15 cities, believed to be principal
destination points for victims of TIP, are exploring the idea
of converting state-owned unused social training centers to
shelters for TIP victims.
- Governorates of same 15 cities have been instructed by the
Ministry of Interior to issue humanitarian visas and
temporary residence permits for TIP victims to begin the
rehabilitation process.
- Ministry of Interior will give the first training program
to raise awareness of the TIP issue to 75 officers from 15
provinces in the next few months.
- The Directorate on the Problems and Status of Women held a
panel in December 2002 on the issue of TIP. The 200 plus
attendees included NGO representatives, journalists, police
chiefs, and MFA officials. According to the MFA, each group
offered a different perspective of the situation but believed
both GOT agencies and NGOs must work together to assist
victims.



4. (C) Emb requested a copy of GOT's national action plan and
timeline for the implementation of projects. Topcuoglu
responded that the next meeting of the inter-agency working
group is imminent and claimed the plan would be completed
then. Topcuoglu continued that shelter openings were a
"medium term" issue to be resolved, since buildings must be
identified and then NGOs would take over the management of
the shelter.


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Comment and Action Request
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5. (C) Comment. These significant initiatives illustrate GOT
steps to focus on concrete actions to combat the problem of
trafficking. These set GOT anti-TIP actions in motion on a
national level and demonstrate the GOT's commitment to
increasing victim assistance and prosecuting perpetrators of
trafficking-in-persons.



6. (C) Action request. MFA DDG Firat Fatma Topcuoglu will
attend G/TIP conference in February "Pathbreaking Strategies
in the Global Fight Against Sex Trafficking." Embassy
reiterates its request for a meeting between G/TIP director
Miller and Topcuoglu (reftel). Such a meeting would help GOT
continue to focus its efforts on combating TIP.
PEARSON