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