TIP IN TURKEY: REPORT FROM CLOSED TIP TASK FORCE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006688 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP, G. INL, INL/CTR, DRL, EUR/PGI, EUR/SE DEPARTMENT FOR VALERIE KWOK USAID E&E/ECA E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2014 TAGS: KCRM PHUM PGOV SMIG PREF KWMN TU TIP IN TURKEY SUBJECT: TIP IN TURKEY: REPORT FROM CLOSED TIP TASK FORCE MEETING REVEALS GOT PROGRESS, CHALLENGES REF: A. SECSTATE 155988 ¶B. ANK 6687 (U) Classified by Polcounselor John Kunstadter; reasons: E.O. 12958 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (S) SUMMARY: NGO participants provided to Emboff accounts of a closed TIP Task Force meeting that highlighted the GOT's internal and sometimes contentious struggle to organize Turkey's government and non-government anti-TIP efforts. The Task Force meeting, the second this calendar year, reportedly targeted the establishment of emergency hotlines and an anti-TIP public information campaign, tracking G/TIP's Turkey Action Plan (reftel). END SUMMARY. ¶2. (S) Human Resources Development Foundation (HRDF) Exec. Dir. Demet Gural passed to Emboff her personal notes from the closed TIP Task Force meeting (para 4). Gural asserted that the meeting's tone revealed a "renewed and genuine interest" in addressing TIP issues, but reflected the GOT's continuing inability to work through endemic bureaucratic obstacles (organizing the more than 20 independent government agencies and NGOs for a measured approach to TIP prevention, protection and prosecution),infrastructure deficiencies (system engineering problems with bringing the nationwide toll-free hotline online),and general funding shortfalls (limiting the implementation of a fledgling public information campaign). The MFA, according to Gural, is now looking to restructure the TIP Taskforce and remand its anti-TIP coordinating responsibilities to the Ministry of Interior. ¶3. (S) IOM Project Coordinator Meltem Ersoy independently confirmed Gural's account of the meeting, adding that "the atmosphere was tense, with yelling and screaming" as task force members disagreed on the best plans for action and on consequences for Turkey's Tier Rating with G/TIP. During the meeting, the MFA reportedly committed to undertake further efforts to establish permanent facilities for the HRDF TIP Shelter, locate sources of funding beyond the USAID grant to the International Office on Migration, and finalize a deal with Turk Telekom to establish a national, toll-free emergency hotline (septel). ¶4. (S) Please protect sources accordingly. BEGIN TEXT OF GURAL NOTES: THE NATIONAL TASK FORCE 7TH MEETING Date: Nov 2004 Place: MoFA, Tandogan Building AGENDA - Opening (MoFA) - Organizations, roles in victim identification with an emphasis on legislation (all participants and MoJ) - Hotline (Telekom) - Brochures and other informational pamphlets with the hotline number (HRDF) - MoH data on receiving victims in hospitals (MoH) - Judiciary data flow (MoJ) - Discussion of IOM project (MoI) - Suggestions from the participants on raising funds for HRDF (all participants) - Data flow to HRDF on regular basis (MoI) - Information on shelter operations (HRDF/MoI) - Review of National Action Plan - update (all participants) - Review of proceedings since the last National Task Force Meeting (all participants) - Next steps (all participants) - Additional comments, remarks (all participants) - Closing NOTES MoFA indicated that the Task Force may be handed over to MoI for coordination in the near future. MoFA also gave information about the IOM project that will be starting soon, American Embassy,s report in February 2005 and EU meeting (Council?) in Istanbul. During the discussions about a hotline, Telekom stated that the three digit numbers cannot be given due to complications in setting up the operators, servers, etc.. So, all decided that an 1-800 number should be taken immediately. HRDF will apply and the costs will be met from the IOM budget. It was also decided that those operators who answer the police and gendarme numbers hotlines, 155 and 156 should also be informed about the victim assistance and training should be given to these people. MoH did not have any statistics, however both police and gendarme had indicated their referrals. MoH will improve their data collection system in their hospitals. At the meantime, police and gendarme will also send their statistics to MoH for confirmed referrals. Judiciary data flow to the MoFA is working fine. There were not very productive discussions for HRDF funding needs. One participant suggested that the fines collected from 201/b may be used for shelter operation. This needs to be discussed with the Ministry of Finance. (MoFA will write a letter to Ministry of Finance on this). HRDF suggested that an application can be made to SRAP funds of the World Bank that goes through SYDV (Right after the meeting, HRDF representative discussed this issue with the SYDF representative who was present at the meeting. It seems that some funds can be obtained from this program for the shelter). On the discussions about the National Action Plan, it was decided that a revision is needed in the document, since some results were already achieved. HRDF raised the issue of finding a sustainable solution for a shelter and that a building should be found from government sources such as Vakiflar Genel Mudurlugu or Emlak Mudurlugu. MoFA will look into this issue. (HRDF will follow up). MoFA suggested that a smaller body (a committee) should be formed to follow up and facilitate the coordination of the National Task Force. END TEXT OF GURAL NOTES. EDELMAN