GOB TALKS THE TALK ON GETTING TOUGH WITH HUMAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 001132 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, G/TIP; PACOM FOR FPA; USDOL FOR ILAB E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2014 TAGS: PGOV PHUM ELAB SMIG BM SUBJECT: GOB TALKS THE TALK ON GETTING TOUGH WITH HUMAN TRAFFICKERS REF: A. RANGOON 882 ¶B. RANGOON 310 ¶C. PHNOM PENH 1288 Classified By: DCM Ron McMullen for Reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Summary: According to senior GOB police officials, Burma has undertaken a plethora of activities in recent months to combat trafficking of persons. We see ample evidence that the GOB continues to demonstrate a growing political will to combat trafficking and to improve cooperation with UN agencies and NGOs, especially with regard to the trafficking of women and children. However, paltry resources, under trained staff, an inability or unwillingness to target corrupt and complicit officials, and indifference over the gravity of forced labor practices will continue to stymie overall progress on TIP issues. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Rangoon P/E Chief met in late August with Police Brigadier General Wynn Myiang, Burma's third-highest ranking police official and the country's lead authority on TIP issues, and Police Lt. Colonel Rallyan Mone, head of a new Anti-Trafficking Unit, to discuss ongoing efforts to combat trafficking in persons. Our discussion followed a July 9 meeting between the COM and the Minister of Home Affairs, during which we pressed for a more regular dialogue on TIP issues (ref A). According to General Wynn Myiang, there have been a number of recent TIP developments: --On October 27-29 Burma will host the Coordinated Mekong Sub-regional Ministerial Initiative Against Trafficking (COMMIT),where the six countries of the region plan to finalize a multilateral MOU on trafficking (refs B and C). The UN Interagency Project on Trafficking in Women and Children (UNIAP) will join the GOB in co-sponsoring this regional TIP forum. --Burma will host a TIP workshop September 6-7 co-sponsored by the Asia Regional Cooperation to Prevent People Trafficking (ARCPPT) and UNIAP. According to the UNODC resrep in Rangoon, the UNODC's Chief of Human Trafficking, Burkkard Damman, will attend "to help move Burma's draft law on trafficking closer to promulgation." (Note: The Minister of Home Affairs says that PM Khin Nyunt has endorsed the law, but the GOB is going slowly in order to avoid problems that occurred with "hastily" issued money laundering legislation last year - ref B. End note). -On March 30, Burma acceded to two protocols of the 2000 UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (UNCTOC): one protocol to prevent, suppress, and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children; and a second protocol against the smuggling of migrants by land, sea, and air (a third protocol on arms is still "under review"). --The police force's new Anti-Trafficking Unit, set up in April 2004, has now established field offices in the border towns of Myawaddy, Tachilek, Muse, Lweje, and Kawthaung to "prevent and intercept trafficking" to Thailand and China. ARCPPT will complete training of 40 police officers for the unit by December 2004 for deployment in early 2005. ¶3. (U) GOB officials estimate that they intercept approximately 1,000 trafficking victims per year. "However," added Rallyan Mone, "we believe there are an additional 2,000 undetected victims per year." Since establishing a "Preventative Working Committee for TIP" in July 2002, authorities have arrested 795 offenders (resulting in 335 convictions) and intercepted 2,181 victims (about half of whom were women). In 2003, the only year for which there is full-year data, there were 377 arrests, 184 convictions (including two cases that resulted in life imprisonment),and 932 victims identified. Through July 2004, police have arrested 255 offenders and intercepted 706 victims. GOB investigations, however, have not revealed the complicity of GOB officials or military personnel. "We are unable," General Wynn Miang said, "to identify any regional officials who may turn a blind eye to trafficking activities." ¶4. (SBU) The GOB continues to cooperate with international organizations and NGOs to repatriate trafficking victims (principally women engaged in prostitution in Thailand). Over the past three years, these operations have included efforts led by Save the Children-UK (145 victims repatriated),World Vision (115 victims),and UNIAP (26 victims). In July, the Home Affairs Ministry processed 20 women repatriated from Thailand, about half of whom appear to have been victims of the Burma-Thailand sex trade (Note: The GOB exploits many of these exercises by parading victims before the local press for photo-ops of GOB officials lecturing the young women and providing them with token resettlement packages. End note.) ¶5. (C) Comment: Our meetings with GOB officials over the past two months lead us to conclude that our assessment in the latest annual TIP report remains valid (ref B): the GOB continues to demonstrate a growing political will to combat trafficking and improve cooperation with UN agencies and NGOs, especially with regard to the trafficking of women and children. However, paltry resources, under trained staff, an inability or unwillingness to target corrupt and complicit officials, and indifference over the gravity of forced labor practices will continue to stymie overall progress on TIP issues. End Comment. Martinez