Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ABUDHABI2495
2005-06-06 04:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:  

UAE LEADERS COMMITTED TO TIP PLAN FOLLOW THROUGH

Tags:  PHUM ELAB TC 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

060414Z Jun 05
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 002495 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR G, G/TIP, INL, DRL, NEA/RA, AND NEA/ARPI
STATE ALSO PASS TO USTR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2010
TAGS: PHUM ELAB TC
SUBJECT: UAE LEADERS COMMITTED TO TIP PLAN FOLLOW THROUGH

REF: A. ABU DHABI 2437


B. STATE 99833

C. STATE 98157

Classified By: AMBASSADOR MICHELE J. SISON, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 002495

SIPDIS

STATE FOR G, G/TIP, INL, DRL, NEA/RA, AND NEA/ARPI
STATE ALSO PASS TO USTR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2010
TAGS: PHUM ELAB TC
SUBJECT: UAE LEADERS COMMITTED TO TIP PLAN FOLLOW THROUGH

REF: A. ABU DHABI 2437


B. STATE 99833

C. STATE 98157

Classified By: AMBASSADOR MICHELE J. SISON, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) Summary. The UAE leadership has reacted calmly to the
Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Tier 3 designation and action
plan. UAE leaders designated Presidential Affairs Minister
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed to oversee the plan's implementation
and have asked two specific questions about the action plan.
Interior Minister Saif bin Zayed told the press June 6 that
he was confident that the steps the UAE was taking to combat
trafficking would lead to a "positive outcome." UNICEF
officials, meanwhile, want to ensure that the UAEG not rush
the repatriation of child camel jockeys before verifying the
identities and parentage of the children and caring for their
psychological needs. In contrast to the leadership, lower
level police officials, particularly in Dubai, criticized the
TIP report as unfair. This message contains an action
request, paragraph 6. End Summary.


2. (C) Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed (MbZ)
asked his brother, Presidential Affairs Minister Sheikh
Mansour, to be the enforcer who will ensure follow up on all
six points in the Trafficking in Persons action plan for the
UAE. Four of the Al Nahyan brothers ) Mohammed, Deputy
Prime Minister and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
Hamdan, Mansour, and Information Minister Abdullah ) met
June 1 on the margins of Sheikh Hamdan's son's wedding to
review the action plan. They also reviewed the report and
action plan with Interior Minister Sheikh Saif and Labor
Minister Al Kaabi over the weekend. "Khaleej Times" reported
June 6 that Sheikh Saif viewed the TIP report as "a good
occasion to look at the issues from another perspective, as
if you're having an auditor look at what you've done. We,re
confident that all the steps we're taking are leading to a
positive outcome." On June 4, the Embassy delivered to MbZ's
Foreign Policy Advisor the Secretary's letter urging the UAEG
to take steps to combat the trafficking problem.


3. (C) The Embassy has received two specific questions from
the UAEG since we delivered embargoed copies of the report
and action plan (refs B and C) to select UAEG officials on
July 1 and 2.

A) The UAEG wanted to know at what age is a person no longer
considered a "child" in the context of "child trafficking."

B) The UAEG also wanted assurances that the USG would raise
the UAE from Tier 3 to the Tier 2 Watch List if the UAE
accomplished all six steps suggested in the action plan.


4. (C) Meanwhile, UNICEF officials have expressed concern to
us that the UAEG may rush the repatriation of young camel
jockeys to demonstrate UAEG action in response to USG TIP
concerns. From UNICEF's perspective, it is important that
the UAEG undertake DNA testing to verify the identities and
parentage of the boys and provide psychological counseling
for the boys while the boys are in the UAE. Once they are
repatriated, it would be much harder for UNICEF to verify
identities and provide care. We have urged UNICEF to raise
their concerns directly with the UAEG and will explore these
issues with our UAEG interlocutors as well.


5. (SBU) While the Abu Dhabi leadership has reacted to the
UAE's Tier 3 ranking by focusing on action plan follow-up,
lower level Dubai police officials have criticized the
report. "Gulf News" reported June 5 that a spokesman for the
Human Rights Department of Dubai Police called the report
unfair and said that U.S. sanction threats were toothless and
would not help solve the problem. Major Arif Baqer, Deputy
Director of Dubai Police's Human Rights Department, told
"Gulf News" he was "shocked" by the TIP report, adding that
he had addressed all contentious issues with G/TIP Reports
Officer Feleke Assefa during his May 7-10 mission to Abu
Dhabi and Dubai. "Gulf News" cited a senior official from
the Dubai Police Human Rights Department who said, "We do our
best to eliminate trafficking (of women for sexual
exploitation). We push for these women to be treated as
victims, not criminals in the courts and at immigration."
The same official said most women working in the sex industry
in Dubai were not being forced. "There are very few genuine
victims of human trafficking. Many of them came to work as
prostitutes and have saved enough money to go home."


6. (U) Action Request: We would appreciate receiving by
Washington COB Tuesday, June 7 cleared language from G/TIP
and DRL in response to the para 3 points.
SISON