TIP ACTION PLAN: DJIBOUTI'S INITIAL RESPONSE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 000708

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/25/2015
TAGS: KCRM PHUM PREL DJ
SUBJECT: TIP ACTION PLAN: DJIBOUTI'S INITIAL RESPONSE

REF: SECSTATE 136521

Classified By: Ambassador Marguerita D. Ragsdale for reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d).


1. (C) Summary: Ambassador and Pol/Econ presented the
demarche and proposed action plan 25 July to the Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, and Director of
Bilateral Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as
requested in reftel. Youssouf was defensive about the
statement that Djibouti is not making sufficient efforts to
combat trafficking. He presented Ambassador with much of the
same information that has been included in Post's reports on
trafficking in persons, with some additional points. Youssouf
commented the Government currently has a public awareness
campaign led by a prominent religious leader, Sheik
Abdourahman Bashir, on TV and radio to dissuade Djiboutian
women from prostitution for moral and health reasons. He also
mentioned the fact that Djibouti has a very politically
sensitive agreement with Ethiopia that provides for entry for
Djiboutians into Ethiopia without visas, but requires visas
for Ethiopians to visit Djibouti. He said this is one way
that Djibouti tries to keep trafficking out of Djibouti. End
Summary.


2. (C) In a meeting 25 July with Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, and Director of Bilateral Relations at
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Ali Hassan,
Ambassador discussed trafficking in persons and the proposed
action plan for Djibouti. Ambassador explained that the
Trafficking in Persons report for 2004-2005 was released in
June and listed Djibouti as a Special Case. She continued
that Djibouti was listed as such due to a lack of
documentation to prove trafficking existed in Djibouti, but
there was a strong suspicion that it was a problem.
Ambassador explained the report is a tool to evaluate not
whether a country has trafficking problems, but the efforts
its government makes to prevent and prosecute trafficking.
She explained the three tier rankings given to countries in
the report and that Djibouti could in the next review be
listed as a Tier 3 Country, if it did not move to comply with
the standards of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act
(TVPA). She stated that if evidence is found to document
trafficking cases, and Djibouti was placed on the Tier 3
list, it would make Djibouti ineligible for U.S. assistance
that was not humanitarian in nature.


3. (C) Youssouf responded that prostitution begins because
there is poverty. He agreed that it existed in Djibouti that
could not be denied, noting his own experience witnessing
such activity on a street near his residence during a
pre-dawn morning. Youssouf held the position that Djibouti is
making a good deal of effort to combat the issues in the
report. He also noted that Djibouti is willing to provide all
the documents to prove that Djibouti has these laws and has
adhered to the international conventions relating to these
issues. Specifically, he mentioned that Djibouti has laws
forbidding prostitution and pimping, and a vice-squad - the
Brigade des Meurs - to stop prostitutes from working. The
government was working to prevent prostitution for health
reasons, and caring for prostitutes with HIV/AIDS. He also
stated the Ministry of Interior does not deliver residence
permits to women working as prostitutes. In addition,
residence permits are not given to children under the age of
18 unless sponsored by a business or family member with a
justifiable reason for their visit. Youssouf continued saying
that Djibouti has a very politically tenuous stand concerning
documentation for entry of certain nationals into Djibouti.
With respect to Ethiopia and Egypt, Djiboutians can enter
both countries without a visa, but Ethiopians and Egyptians
must have a visa to enter Djibouti. These are two nations
most likely to be problematic for Djibouti in the transit
area, according to Youssouf. He said this is one way that
Djibouti is working against trafficking. He added that many
of the prostitutes are Ethiopian who come for jobs. Since
poverty causes them to prostitute themselves, it is very
difficult to prevent prostitution.


4. (C) Youssouf also mentioned that Djibouti has an awareness
campaign on television and radio led by Islamic Sheik
Abdourahman Bashir to dissuade young Djiboutians from
prostituting themselves in hopes of marrying a foreign
soldier in order to leave Djibouti. He said that this
campaign works against prostitution for moral and health
reasons. Youssouf continued that Djibouti also was working to
stop the large number of small boats that smuggle Ethiopians,
Somalians, and sometimes Djiboutians to Yemen. He said
Djibouti has been strengthening its efforts in this area with
the help of the French military as part of its efforts to
counter terrorism, but also to stop trafficking. He felt
these actions were a good effort against trafficking.


5. (C) Ambassador expressed appreciation for the efforts
Djibouti is undertaking to combat trafficking. The U.S. had
some additional recommendations concerning actions Djibouti
might take in this effort. She went over each of the
recommended measures provided in Reftel and passed to the
Minister a non-paper of the points in French and in English,
as well as a copy of the TVPA.


6. (C) Hassan observed there appeared to be a difference in
meanings of the English term "trafficking" and the French
term "trafic." He felt that this difference was key, because
the type of exploitation meant by the English term did not
appear to be present in Djibouti. Pol/Econ attempted to
explain the different aspects included in the definition of
trafficking used by the TIP report and how these presented
concerns for Djibouti's situation. She stated that while
prostitution was not in and of itself "trafficking," if a
woman was forced into prostitution, entered into the trade
willing but was prevented from leaving the trade by a pimp or
a brothel owner, or was held in country against her will that
would constitute trafficking. Also, cases of child
prostitutes were automatically considered trafficking, even
if they had entered into it voluntarily. Ambassador noted
that persons smuggled into a country and then forced to work
under indentured servitude would also be examples of cases of
trafficking. Ambassador suggested that Pol/Econ and Hassan
meet to discuss the plan and Djibouti's situation in greater
detail. This was agreed.

7. (C) Comment: While the actions Youssouf described may be
indirect efforts to combat trafficking, they are only
coincidental. In addition, there seemed to be a great deal of
confusion on what trafficking is and is not, a prime example
being the frequent return to fighting prostitution.
Pol/Econ's side discussions should clarify the matter with
Mohamed Ali Hassan. For the moment, the Government seems
reluctant to accept that a true trafficking situation exists.
End Comment.
RAGSDALE