(C) TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS: SOURCE COUNTRY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 001927 SIPDIS DEPT ALSO PASS USAID/W DEPT FOR G/TIP, NEA/RA, NEA/FO, NEA/ARP DEPT FOR INL, DRL, PRM, IWI E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/2013 TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV SOCI KU SUBJECT: (C) TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS: SOURCE COUNTRY EMBASSIES OPPOSE TIER III STATUS FOR KUWAIT REF: A. KUWAIT 1772 ¶B. KUWAIT 1759 Classified By: (U) AMBASSADOR RICHARD H. JONES; REASON: 1.5 (B,D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Reftels reported on GOK's efforts to address the issue of trafficking in persons, an issue on which it is increasingly engaged. This message provides an update on GOK initiatives as well as a snapshot of opinions of source country embassies in Kuwait voiced during a May 7 lunch at the Ambassador's residence. Although all countries involved agreed that Kuwait has a problem with its domestic servants, all want to avoid public condemnation being used as the tool for change, fearing it will complicate their own efforts. END SUMMARY. (C) SOURCE COUNTRY VIEWPOINTS -------------- ¶2. (C) The Ambassador hosted a lunch May 7 for representatives of source countries for domestic labor, in order to inform them of the upcoming Trafficking in Persons Report and to seek their views on the situation of domestic workers in Kuwait. The ambassadors of India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia attended, along with the Philippine labor attache and a Bangladeshi counterpart. Due to the sensitivity of this issue to the source countries, the very purpose of the gathering should be treated as classified. ¶3. (C) Indian Ambassador Singh (protect throughout) said the problem of exploitation of domestics in Kuwait affects only a "very small" percentage (of what is, however, a very large population: hundreds of thousands of individuals). He stressed that his own government takes the problem of exploitation very seriously. At one point, Indian women had been prohibitied from seeking work in Kuwait, but this ban had proved counter-productive. Now, the GOI limits work permits for Kuwait to women over 30 years of age and discourages women outside of a few specific states known for their conservative social mores from working in Kuwait. Such steps had reduced past problems markedly. Asked about his personal experience in working through cases with the GOK, he said that he has alway found Kuwaiti officials to be "helpful and responsive." For instance, about six months ago, at MFA's instigation, the GOK opened a conciliation center attached to the Dasman police station that processes domestics who face deportation. The center was off to a slow start, but it was a step in the right direction, in his view. He remarked that the Kuwaitis feel "very embarrassed" by reports of exploitation, because they are very sensitive about their international reputation. As a result of working collaboratively with the GOK since his arrival fifteen months ago, he added, the situation of Indian domestics has improved to the point that his embassy has been able to close its safehaven. ¶4. (C) Drawing on his own experience, Singh recommended that the USG avoid a confrontational approach: it is not necessary, and would likely be counter-productive. He thought cooperative engagement by the USG could be very supportive of bilateral efforts by India and other source countries, whereas public embarrassment of Kuwait could undermine the source countries' ongoing efforts. In his view, given that Kuwait has not been mentioned in the TIP Report before, it would be "a bit unfair" to place it in Tier III this year; a year from now, if there is no substantial improvement, we would be much more justified in taking a hard line. The ambassadors of Sri Lanka and Indonesia, and the representative of the Bangladesh embassy, all agreed. ¶5. (C) Philippine labor attache Angelo Jimenez (protect throughout) assessed the exploitation problem as much more common in his community: about 30 percent of Filipina domestics reported some problem, such as underpayment, overwork, lack of rest, lack of adequate food, or restriction on their freedom of movement. (This latter complaint, Singh commented, contains a large culture-clash component: by Kuwaiti standards, it is normal and prudent (even a duty) to restrict women's movements for their own protection in a country with a very large population of unaccompanied male workers; Filipinas, on the other hand, are used to much more freedom of movement, Jimenez acknowledged.) Jimenez estimated that for every domestic who registered a complaint with his embassy, there was at least one more who did not have the opportunity to do so. Six percent of the complaints filed with the Philippine embassy involve sexual abuse. In his experience, Kuwaitis' first response to information about abuses is denial that any Kuwaiti could behave so badly, but he has found that if he persists, they eventually accept the painful truth and support corrective action. The Philippine Embassy continues to operate a shelter at the embassy for runaway domestics. Despite his different perception of the magnitude of the problem, he agreed with Singh that GOK officials were generally cooperative and that a Tier III designation would be counter-productive at this time. ¶6. (C) In sum, all countries represented agreed on some key issues. They agree Kuwait has a problem with its treatment of TCN domestic servants. They agree most of their Kuwaiti contacts are embarrassed by the problem. They agree Kuwaiti law needs to be amended to provide protection to domestic servants. They agree Kuwaiti officials are responsive when specific cases are brought to their attention. They agree further engagement with the Kuwaitis on the issue of trafficking in persons is key to solving this difficult issue, and that public embarrassment of the Kuwaitis by the US would not be helpful to the cause. (U)GOK INITIATIVES -------------- ¶7. (C) MFA Americas Dept. Deputy Director Ayham al-Omar confirmed to PolChief May 7 that a newly-established inter-ministerial committee had held its first meeting this week, chaired by his boss, Americas Dept. Director Amb. Khaled al-Babtain, and including representatives of the Ministries of Interior and Social Affairs. The committee was considering opening a GOK safehaven for abused domestics, studying the question from all its aspects -- to protect the rights of employees and employers alike. Ayham claimed that for the past year or so, if any employer refuses to provide an airline ticket home for a domestic who has not served out her contract, the Ministry of Interior pays for the ticket but blacklists the employer, so that he cannot sponsor any more domestics. (Singh also mentioned such a blacklist.) ¶8. (C) Regarding the issue of camel jockeys, Ayham said the Ministry of Interior has told the Camel Racing Club that all jockeys must be at least 18 years old (vice 15 "permitted by ILO Convention"). He added that the Club has been placed under the purview of the Ministry of Social Affairs. (Note: PolOff has a meeting scheduled with the Chairman of the Kuwait Camel Racing Club on May 13 and will discuss with him these new regulations.) JONES