TIP: INTERIM ASSESMENT FOR NEA SPECIAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 004737

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR G/TIP, INL, DRL, NEA/RA AND NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM ELAB KCRM KWMN SMIG AE
SUBJECT: TIP: INTERIM ASSESMENT FOR NEA SPECIAL
WATCHLIST-UAE

REF: A. STATE 194903

B. ABU DHABI 3074

C. ABU DHABI 2833

D. DUBAI 5393


1. (U) Summary: Since being placed on the Tier 2 Special
Watch List, the UAEG has made steady progress in addressing
the problem of trafficking, especially with regard to women
in the sex trade and children in the camel racing industry.
The answers in paragraphs 2-5 below are keyed to the four
questions specifically asked in ref A. End Summary.


2. (SBU) Q: What progress has UAEG made in enacting a
comprehensive trafficking law that criminalizes all forms of
trafficking?

A: After the UAEG enacted the law criminalizing the
participation of children under the age of 18 in camel racing
in July 2005, the Government formed a committee to draft a
comprehensive trafficking law addressing all forms of human
trafficking, according to Colonel Najm Al Seyyar, director of
the Abu Dhabi Social Support Center within the Ministry of
Interior. Al Seyyar, who sits on the Special Committee on
Juvenile Jockeys, said the Interior and Justice ministries
are currently circulating draft laws within their respective
offices. He added that the committee to draft a trafficking
law plans to submit a draft to the Federal National Council
during the FNC,s 2006 session.


3. (SBU) Q: What progress has the UAEG made in instituting
systematic screening measures to identify trafficking victims
among the thousands of foreign women arrested for
prostitution and deported each year?

A: There is steady progress in the effort to identify
trafficking victims among women arrested for prostitution.
In October, the Dubai Police Criminal Investigations
Department (CID) established a Human Trafficking section that
cooperates closely with the Human Rights Care Department
(HRCD)(ref D). According to Major Aref Mohammed Baqer, the
Deputy Director of HRCD, whenever CID has a possible
trafficking case, it takes the victims into custody and
performs an initial interrogation. Subsequently HRCD conducts
interviews with those detained to determine who might be a
victim of trafficking. HRCD turns over the results of its
interviews to CID for further investigation and prosecution.

Contrary to past practices, instead of summarily deporting
women arrested for prostitution, HRCD now houses in hotels
all women who are victims of trafficking, or who can provide
evidence about trafficking, until they can testify in trials
against the traffickers. In Dubai, police and immigration
officers are also actively cooperating to shut down travel
agents that sell visas or facilitate trafficking.


4. (SBU) Q: What progress has the UAEG made in increasing
investigations and prosecutions of traffickers, particularly
for trafficking of children for camel jockeying?

A: Progress continues to be made in investigating and
prosecuting traffickers, particularly for trafficking of
children as camel jockeys. Between June 2, 2005 and November
9, 2005, the UAEG reports that there have been 17 convictions
for child trafficking in relation to camel jockeying, and an
additional 31 individuals are currently under investigation.
The defendants in these cases are primarily nationals of the
UAE (24) and Pakistan (16),but also include several other
nationalities -- Sudan (9),Bangladesh (4),Mauritania (2),
and Saudi Arabia (1).


5. (SBU) Q: What progress has the UAEG made in sustaining its
collaboration with UNICEF to rescue, rehabilitate and
repatriate child camel jockeys?

A: A UNICEF representative confirms that the UAEG continues
to collaborate with them to rescue, rehabilitate and
repatriate child camel jockeys. To date, the UAEG reports
that 940 children have been repatriated to their country of
origin -- Pakistan (478),Bangladesh (292),Sudan (143),
Mauritania (20),Eritrea (7). The UAEG also reports that 132
boys remain in the Bani Yas shelter outside Abu Dhabi pending
identification of family -- Pakistan (90),Bangladesh (25),
Sudan (15),Mauritania (2). UNICEF added that no new
children have come to the shelter (the sole remaining
shelter) in over three weeks, and that they don't anticipate
a significant number of children to be added to the current
population. However, the shelter will remain in operation
until every child has been repatriated. UNICEF reported that
they have been told that the UAE police have visited the
camel farms in recent weeks and have not discovered any
additional children. Colonel Al Seyyar stated that
approximately two weeks after the camel racing season begins
(December 2005) the UAEG will send police investigation teams
back to the camel farms to ensure that children are not
returning to work in the camel racing industry.
SISON