UAE 2006 TIP REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 20 ABU DHABI 000789

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

STATE FOR G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, PRM, IWI, NEA/RA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREF ELAB KCRM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC AE
SUBJECT: UAE 2006 TIP REPORT

REF: A. STATE 3836

B. 05 ABU DHABI 2495

C. 05 ABU DHABI 2833

D. 05 ABU DHABI 3074

E. 05 ABU DHABI 3194

F. 05 ABU DHABI 3297

G. 05 ABU DHABI 3437

H. 05 ABU DHABI 4737

I. ABU DHABI 528


1. (U) Following is Post's submission of the 2006
Trafficking in Persons Report for the United Arab Emirates,
covering the reporting period of March 2005 through March

2006. Responses under each section heading are keyed to the
relevant sections of ref. A paragraphs 21-24. Embassy TIP
points of contact are PolOff Benjamin Thomson and PolChief
Joel Maybury, office: 971 (2) 414-2444, fax: 971 (2)
414-2639; email: thomsonba@state.gov, mayburyjf@state.gov.

--------------
OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES TO ELIMINATE TIP
--------------


2. (SBU) The following responses are keyed to ref. A
paragraph No. 21.

-- A. The United Arab Emirates was a country of destination
for international trafficked men, women, and children, but
there is no information to suggest that the UAE was either a
source country or one of transit for trafficking victims.
There were no reliable numbers or demographic breakdown
regarding trafficking, but reports by NGOs, IGOs, and source
countries estimated the number of trafficking victims
currently in the UAE as varying between a few thousand and
tens of thousands, depending on their definition of
trafficking.

In the UAE, trafficking victims can generally be grouped
into one of three industries: unskilled labor, commercial
sex, and camel racing. Undoubtedly, the largest number of
trafficking victims were men and women primarily from South
Asia brought here as unskilled labor; the men to work in
construction and the women as domestic workers. While the
total number of construction workers exceeds 500,000 and
domestic workers 200,000 (according to various source country
embassies),the actual number of trafficking victims among
them is unknown. Construction workers, particularly from
India, often arrive in a state of debt bondage having paid as
much as 10,000 dirhams ($2,700) to an agent in the source
country to arrange an employment contract. These workers
typically receive a salary of between 500 to 750 dirhams
($135 to $200) per month, and often are not paid for several
months at a time, while interest continues to accrue on their
debt. Trapped in these conditions for 2 to 3 years (on
average),bonded labor victims could easily number in the
tens of thousands according to a prominent U.S. NGO.
Domestic workers generally came to the UAE voluntarily, but
often had their passports seized upon entry, or came with the
understanding that they would work in a more-skilled
profession instead of the one into which they were coerced.
According to source country embassies, victims of these
circumstances could range from hundreds to thousands.

The second largest group of victims were those brought
for the commercial sex industry. These women come from a
myriad of countries spanning from eastern Europe to Africa to
East Asia; their numbers may total as many as 10,000
trafficked per year. The smallest group, children primarily
from South Asia and East Africa brought to work in the camel
racing industry, numbered approximately 1,000 at the
beginning of the reporting period. After implementing a new
law in July banning the use of jockeys under the age of 18,
the UAEG reported rescuing almost all of the boys and

ABU DHABI 00000789 002 OF 020


repatriating them to their home countries. Camel races are
now generally conducted with robot jockeys instead of
children.

-- B. A general overview of the situation for each of the
three primary trafficking categories is provided below.

Unskilled Labor: The UAE economy is heavily dependent on
foreign labor. An estimated 80 percent of the total UAE
population, and roughly 98 percent of the private workforce,
is expatriate. The majority of unskilled workers are from
poor source countries who were drawn to the UAE for its
economic opportunities. After arriving in the UAE, many
became trafficking victims. These victims were primarily
women from South and Central Asia particularly India, Sri
Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the Philippines, who were
trafficked here as domestic laborers; and men from India, Sri
Lanka, and Pakistan who came to the UAE to work as laborers,
primarily in the construction sector, but also in agriculture.

Of particular interest is a small contingent of underage
Filipina workers brought here as domestic workers; these
girls are sometimes as young as 14 years old. The majority
of these girls are Muslims from the island of Mindanao, where
Christian church records that are often relied on for
accurate date of birth are not available. Since the UAEG
does not issue work permits for persons under 18 years of
age, these girls, along with a family member (often their
mother),will sign an attestation of age and apply for a
passport indicating that the girl is 18 years of age. Using
this genuine passport (containing fraudulent information) the
girl then enters into a domestic worker contract and travels
to the UAE. Young, inexperienced, and completely cut off
from family, these girls are usually unprepared for the life
that awaits them as domestic workers in households (sometimes
physically isolated) where there is no one who speaks the
same language. Local immigration officials are aware of this
trend and actively screen passengers, especially young women,
turning them around at the port of entry if they are
unaccompanied or their age is of question. According to
Philippines labor officials, these girls continue to arrive
at a steady rate despite the Immigration Department's
efforts.

Labor conditions in the UAE can be harsh for all
unskilled workers, and more so for trafficking victims. There
were reports from NGOs, IGOs, source country diplomatic
representatives, and media, that some employers abused
domestic servants, both trafficked and voluntary workers.
Allegations included excessive work hours, nonpayment of
wages, verbal, mental, physical, and sexual abuse, and
restriction of movement. There were some additional local
media and anecdotal reports of a few isolated cases of
domestic servants committing suicide or dying while trying to
escape from their employers' homes after being locked inside
for weeks or months at a time.

Trafficking victims in this sector usually arrive in the
country voluntarily, having entered into employment contracts
in their home country with an agent (usually of the same
nationality as the victim) located in the UAE. Once the
employee arrives in the UAE, the agent seizes the victim's
passport and holds it for the term of the contract. In the
case of domestic workers, the original employment contract
was sometimes for work as a secretary or other office job,
but upon arrival the worker was informed that he/she would be
working as a domestic worker or in the hotel or restaurant
sector. The practice of seizing passports remains common
among employers in all professions, including public sector
jobs, even though outlawed in July 2003. By law, employers
may only legally hold employees' passports long enough to
take care of administrative business, after which time the
employers are required to return the passports to their

ABU DHABI 00000789 003 OF 020


employees. However, the practice of retaining an employee's
passport indefinitely remains commonplace in both the private
and public sectors. The UAEG organized a public relations
campaign to inform both workers and employers that the
practice is illegal. There were numerous instances, widely
reported by the media, in which UAE courts and embassies or
consulates successfully intervened to compel an employer to
return a passport to an employee.

The Ministries of Interior and Labor have expended
considerable effort to prevent and resolve these problems.
The Ministry of Interior (MoI) took action against hundreds
of employers who abused or failed to pay their domestic
employees. According to new regulations, ministry officials
can ban an employer from further sponsorship of domestic
employees after receiving four reports of abuse. Police
officials, particularly in Dubai, assisted trafficking
victims once they identified themselves as such. However,
victims were often reluctant to approach police due to their
illegal status and the risk of losing their jobs and being
arrested and deported. Source country officials have stated
that the Ministries of Labor and Interior, and the
Immigration Departments of both Abu Dhabi and Dubai,
significantly increased their efforts at addressing the labor
complaints of the domestic workers. Contrary to past
practices where complaining employees were summarily
deported, source country officials reported that the
Departments of Immigration in Abu Dhabi and Dubai resolved
approximately 80% of domestic worker complaints in favor of
the worker, garnering back-wages, or allowing them to
transfer to other employers, depending on the nature of the
complaint.

Construction workers, the largest single work force in
the UAE, often worked under the harshest conditions. The
media regularly reported on strikes by construction workers
protesting adverse working conditions and unpaid salaries.
There were several strikes involving more than 1,000 workers,
none of which had been paid for periods up to six months.
(Unpaid construction workers in the UAE often continue
working without pay, fearing that if they protest they may
have no chance to recover wages owed to them. With their
room and board provided by their employer, the amount of time
that they are willing/able to keep working without pay is
much longer than would be the case in a typical
non-trafficking work situation, where the salary would be
needed to cover the expenses of daily life.) The Ministry of
Labor resolved these disputes quickly when they became known.
Legally employed construction workers are covered by the
existing UAE labor law, with a clear protest and mediation
procedure. However, legally employed domestic servants and
agricultural workers are not covered by the labor law, and
must appeal to the MoI regarding disputes with their
employers.

Commercial Sex: The commercial sex industry in the UAE is
extensive, with some estimates in excess of 15,000
prostitutes resident among a population of less than five
million people. UAE police stated that they typically arrest
and deport between 5,000-6,000 prostitutes annually, and the
total number of prostitutes has not significantly decreased
year-over-year. There were no reliable estimates of how many
prostitutes (primarily in Dubai, with somewhat fewer numbers
in Abu Dhabi and significantly fewer numbers in the Northern
Emirates) were trafficking victims.

Victims in this sector come from many different
countries including (in rank order within each region) from
eastern Europe: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Russia,
Kazakhstan, Armenia, and Azerbaijan; Africa: Ethiopia,
Somalia, Uganda, and Morocco; and Asia: China, India, the
Philippines, and Pakistan, along with far fewer numbers from
other Middle Eastern countries, especially Iran, and more

ABU DHABI 00000789 004 OF 020


recently Iraq. The Minister of Interior of Kyrgyzstan
estimated that as many as 1,500 women a year are trafficked
to the UAE from Kyrgyzstan, and it is widely acknowledged
that a nearly equal number are coming from Ukraine, Russia,
and China, and slightly more from Uzbekistan. These four
countries alone would account for the 6,000 replacements
necessary to keep the total number stable due to arrests and
deportations.

Many women currently or formerly engaged in prostitution
admitted to both law enforcement and diplomatic officials to
voluntarily traveling to and from the UAE for temporary
stays, during which time they engaged in prostitution and
possibly other activities connected with organized crime.
Many of these women stated that they traveled to the UAE for
this purpose due to extreme economic hardship in their own
countries, and they often used same-nationality smugglers and
false documents to gain entry into the UAE. Others were
lured to the UAE by organized groups in the source country
under the false pretense of legitimate employment, but were
then forced into prostitution through physical abuse,
including rape, extreme mental abuse, and other threats
against themselves or their families. Originally promised
jobs in hotels or as secretaries, these victims were informed
upon their arrival that they would be working in the sex
industry, often coerced into working as dancers before
"graduating" from dancing to prostitution. Because the
traffickers are usually from the same country as the victims,
the victims are often afraid to give evidence, as they
believe the traffickers will exact revenge on their families
or on them once in the source country (this is especially
true with the Chinese and those from the CIS countries).

Regardless of how the victims came to the UAE, upon
arrival, traffickers seized victims' passports, restricted
their movements, and imposed steep (thousands of U.S.
dollars) debts incurred from their travel and other expenses,
to be "paid off" by working as prostitutes and forfeiting
their earned income. Often, when the debt was paid, the
trafficker sold the victim to another trafficker, who in turn
forced the victim to pay off yet another debt. Some
trafficked women were imprisoned in private residences and
cheap hotels. Others worked in dance clubs, bars, hotels,
massage parlors, and other public venues, primarily in Dubai,
but also in Abu Dhabi and, in smaller numbers, cities in the
Northern Emirates. Some trafficking victims, primarily women
and teenage girls, were held in private residences in all
seven emirates for sexual and/or labor exploitation. Local
and federal law enforcement authorities generally do not
consider someone a victim if that person came to the UAE with
the intention of being a prostitute and then later became
involved in a situation where they were a victim of
trafficking.

Diplomatic officials and NGOs report that the
governments in the Northern Emirates, including Dubai, are
not genuinely concerned about prostitution or the trafficking
of women. They reportedly perceive it as a
foreigner-on-foreigner crime, and therefore not of particular
concern. Furthermore, in tourist-centric Dubai, prostitution
in limited areas, such as in the hotels districts, may even
be considered "good for business." Prostitutes and alcohol
are primary attractions for some foreign visitors from the
region, who subsequently spend money on hotels, food, and
other items while in Dubai. A perceived need to address
problems inherent in the presence of some 600,000
unaccompanied male laborers in the country is another factor
contributing to official apathy. Prostitution is blatant and
apparent in virtually every hotel and bar in both Abu Dhabi
and Dubai where the hotel management has not taken a special
interest in prohibiting its practice.

Camel Jockeys:

ABU DHABI 00000789 005 OF 020



In 2005, the UAEG made significant progress toward
eliminating the practice of trafficking in young foreign boys
as camel jockeys, which until March 2005 had been a serious
problem. For many years, the camel racing industry relied
heavily on young boys to train and race the camels. The boys
were generally trafficked from South Asia and East Africa.
In some cases, the traffickers obtained the youths from
impoverished families by kidnapping, or in some instances by
buying them from their parents outright or taking them under
false pretenses, then smuggling them into the UAE. In other
cases, the parents were given work permits and brought with
their entire families to the UAE; while a father worked in
one location, one or more of his children worked for the same
employer but on a camel farm, and the father would collect
the child's pay for the family.

End-of-season camel races on March 9, 2005 in Dubai and
on March 30, 2005 in Abu Dhabi, featured underage camel
jockeys. Internet reports stated that sheikhs attended the
race at al-Wathba racetrack in Abu Dhabi and that government
security personnel cordoned off the racetrack to prevent
foreigners from attending. These were the last known camel
races to be jockeyed by children in the UAE.

On July 5, President Khalifa promulgated a federal law,
effective immediately, that prohibits persons below age 18 of
either sex from participating in camel racing, and subjects
those involved with using underage persons for this purpose
to jail sentences of up to 3 years and/or a fine not less
than $13,500 (50,000 dirhams). Penalties are doubled for
repeat offenders. The Ministry of Labor is empowered to
enforce the law in coordination with other concerned
agencies, including the Ministry of Interior. The government
tightened immigration controls by requiring children from the
seven primary source countries to enter the country on
individual passports, not family passports. Federal
immigration and residency officers at Dubai International
Airport began enforcing the new passport rule, despite a
six-month amnesty beginning on March 31, 2005.

In September, MoI issued a decision requiring camel farm
owners to obtain identification cards for all of their
jockeys before they can participate in camel races. Under
this provision all camel jockeys are required to undergo
medical testing to prove their age and fitness level before
ID cards are issued. Jockeys must present their ID card to
race officials prior to any race and display them while at
racetracks. The government also mandated DNA testing for
boys with questionable family ties, or those suspected to be
trafficking victims, prior to a card being issued.
Increasingly, parents were paid to bring their children to
the UAE to circumvent the DNA testing mandate, and the
children were turned over to traffickers after the medical
procedures were cleared. According to UNICEF, these various
measures have been seen in practice and seem to be working.

The government worked with UNICEF, source country
embassies and consulates, and NGOs to rescue, care for, and
repatriate many boys who had been trafficked into work as
camel jockeys. On May 8, the Ministry of Interior signed a
project agreement with UNICEF for screening, identifying,
rescuing, protecting, rehabilitating, and reintegrating
children in the country working in the camel jockey industry.
Under the agreement, the rescued child jockeys will receive
aid for their health, education, job, and other
rehabilitation needs for 2 years.

By the end of the reporting year, the government
reported that 1,051 boys had been repatriated to their home
countries and 19 additional boys remained at the Bani Yas
Social Support Center located outside Abu Dhabi, awaiting
repatriation. During the reporting period, the government

ABU DHABI 00000789 006 OF 020


provided $2 million for care and repatriation of all the
boys, which included financing of social services and
resettlement sites in Pakistan and Bangladesh to facilitate
the children,s return to their home countries.

Of the 1,051 boys repatriated during the reporting year,
approximately 557 were from Pakistan, 316 from Bangladesh,
154 from Sudan, 17 from Mauritania, and seven from Eritrea.
In early 2005, the original estimates of both the UAE as well
as NGOs placed the number of camel jockeys in the UAE between
3,000-9,000 children. By the end of the reporting period,
only a fraction of this number had been repatriated, and MoI
officials reported that the children had more or less all
been repatriated. This left some to speculate about the
whereabouts of the remaining children.

The Pakistan-based Ansar Burney Welfare Trust and the
London-based Anti-Slavery International estimated that as
many as 2,000 children may continue to work in the UAE in the
camel racing industry. Since July 2005, there have been no
substantiated reports of children working as camel jockeys in
the UAE. On at least three occasions between November 2005
and February 2006, Ansar Burney contacted diplomatic
officials to report sightings of children being used in the
camel racing industry. Embassy and UNICEF officials
attempted to corroborate these reports and attended racing
events and visited training facilities. In all instances,
neither Embassy officials nor UNICEF representatives saw any
children participating in any way (ref I). MoI officials
claim to routinely send investigative teams to both
racetracks and camel farms in search of children. In
November 2005, they reported that they have not discovered
any additional children (ref H).

-- C. UAEG ability to combat trafficking?

The UAE has both structural and cultural impediments to
combating trafficking, but corruption does not seem to be a
problem. Gaining its independence in 1971, the UAE has
evolved from little-known desert sheikhdoms to an
international business and transportation hub. As a result
of the country's rapid modernization and growth, the federal
government and the governments of the individual emirates are
increasingly tasked with responding to complex transnational
challenges, many of which involve foreign organized criminal
groups, including terrorism and money laundering, as well as
trafficking in persons, drugs, illegal arms, and weapons of
mass destruction components. These complex issues stretch
the human resources of UAEG law enforcement, which lacks
overall institutional knowledge and experience due to the
country's young age and small national population. Ministry
and law enforcement officials at all but the very top levels
often lack appropriate levels of formal training and/or
on-the-job experience to assist them in the performance of
their jobs.

A loose federation comprised of seven individual
emirates, the UAE is governed by consensus of the seven
emirates' rulers. The federal Government asserts primacy in
matters of foreign and defense policy, some aspects of
internal security, and increasingly in matters of law and the
supply of some government services. However, the loose
federal structure and requirement for consensus often prevent
quick action on matters with any level of controversy, such
as TIP.

The federal Ministry of Interior oversees the Police
General Directorates in each of the seven emirates; however,
each emirate maintains its own police force and supervises
the police stations in that emirate. While all emirate
police forces theoretically are branches of the MoI, in
practice they operate with considerable autonomy.


ABU DHABI 00000789 007 OF 020


The bureaucratic process to pass legislation, accede to
international treaties or create national strategies can
often be lengthy. The Justice Ministry oversees the passage
of new legislation and accession to bilateral or multilateral
treaties. An inter-ministerial technical committee works to
draft agreed language, which is then submitted for approval
to a second inter-ministerial Political Committee that
includes representatives from each emirate. The Political
Committee is charged with achieving consensus on the draft
language from the seven emirates. Once consensus is
achieved, the draft language is presented to the Federal
National Council (FNC) for debate and consideration. After
the FNC concludes its consideration, it recommends draft
language to the Federal Cabinet, which then conducts its own
review and considers the draft language for passage into law
after ratification by the Supreme Council (comprised of the
rulers of all seven emirates).

Consistent enforcement of laws throughout the country is
sometimes affected by the relative independence of security
and police forces in each emirate. While all emirate
internal security organs theoretically are branches of one
federal organization, in practice they operate with
considerable independence. Each emirate maintains its own
independent police force at different budget levels. Civil
courts are generally a part of the federal system and
accountable to the Federal Supreme Court (with the exception
of Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah emirates, which have their own
independent judiciaries). Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah do not
refer cases in their courts to the Federal Supreme Court for
judicial review, although they maintained a liaison with the
federal Ministry of Justice.

Some cultural characteristics also hamper the
Government's ability to immediately address TIP. For
example, as a Muslim country, public discussion of sex is
culturally taboo, which makes it difficult to address sex
trafficking, despite the fact that Dubai is known to be the
Gulf's preeminent sex tourism center. Similarly, due to a
cultural emphasis on privacy regarding matters of the home,
people rarely discuss abuse of trafficked domestic servants
publicly.

UAE immigration officials routinely block foreigners who
have been deported and attempt to re-enter the country
illegally, using iris recognition biometric technology. The
database contains approximately four million iris scan
results, including the results of over 300,000 illegal
immigrants who have been deported. However, authorities kept
no data documenting how many individuals were real or
potential human trafficking victims.

As a wealthy country, the UAEG theoretically was not
limited financially in its ability to fight TIP. But as a
young country with a largely inexperienced public work force,
it required continued personnel training to educate and
sensitize officials on the issue. Funding for police
services was generally adequate, although, as a loose
federation, there were sharply different budget levels in the
seven emirates, which led to varied ability to fund police
programs and aid victims. Additionally, like many countries,
federal ministry and local department budgets were determined
on an annual basis. Consequently, new programs may be
required to wait until the next budget grant when new monies
can be allocated.

-- D. UAEG systematic anti-trafficking efforts?

The UAEG devoted significant time and resources to
sensitizing law enforcement and immigration officials to the
subject of trafficking in persons, as well as practical
training techniques to protect victims and prevent future
trafficking incidents. Abu Dhabi and Dubai police and the

ABU DHABI 00000789 008 OF 020


Ministries of Interior, Health, and Justice have all held
anti-TIP training courses throughout the year.

The Dubai Immigration and Residency Department regularly
offered training for arrival and departure inspectors in
identifying fraudulent documents, often used by trafficking
victims. The UAEG also supplied ports of entry and source
country embassies and consulates with brochures to try to
warn off potential trafficking victims, as well as to inform
victims where they can go to receive assistance. The UAEG
senior leadership repeatedly asked the USG for training
information and opportunities that would further their
efforts to combat trafficking in persons, and help law
enforcement officials, prosecutors and judges to better
identify, investigate and prosecute trafficking in persons
cases.

The Government provided some assistance to trafficking
victims, once identified as such. Counseling services are
available in public hospitals and jails, and human rights
care departments are present in all Dubai police stations.
There is an anti-TIP unit in the Dubai Police Central
Investigative Division (CID),and a Dubai Police Human Rights
Care Department (HRCD) that handles human trafficking cases.
Women arrested on suspicion of prostitution who identify
themselves as trafficking victims are cared for outside the
prison system, often in a hotel or shelter. In 2005, HRCD
reported handling approximately 100 complaints for sex
trafficking alone.

Over the reporting period, senior leaders voiced their
strong political will to combat trafficking in persons. The
highest levels of leadership have detailed good faith efforts
to address human trafficking. However, there continued to be
a significant presence of thousands of women and teenage
girls, many of whom are likely trafficking victims, working
in public venues as prostitutes.

There was no evidence that corruption of public
officials was a systemic problem. There were no verifiable
reports of government officials being linked to TIP activity
during the reporting period. In the past, the UAEG
investigated and prosecuted government officials suspected of
committing criminal offenses, such as embezzlement and fraud,
and in 2006 significantly increased the penalties for
government corruption. This willingness to take action
against government officials suspected of illegal activity
indicated that the UAEG would likely take action against
government officials linked to trafficking in persons, if
identified.

While UAEG law enforcement generally did a good job of
protecting and assisting TIP victims, once identified, it
generally did not proactively investigate trafficking cases,
nor did it regularly arrest, prosecute, and punish
traffickers, brothel owners, pimps, or customers of
prostitutes. However, the UAEG did regularly deport both
traffickers and prostitutes, banning them from returning to
the country. UAEG officials believe that quick, permanent
administrative deportations of suspected traffickers is more
effective than pursuing a slow legal case against them
through the courts, which would impose a higher burden of
proof.

--------------
PREVENTION
--------------


3. (SBU) The following responses are keyed to ref. A
paragraph No. 22.

-- A. Does the government acknowledge that trafficking is a
problem in the country?

ABU DHABI 00000789 009 OF 020



The UAEG acknowledges that trafficking in persons is a
problem. UAEG senior leaders have noted a number of times
that this global crime must be addressed for humanitarian as
well as national security reasons. UAEG officials recognize
that a failure to attack any type of organized crime opens
the country to organized crime in other areas, such as drugs
or weapons.

Despite the UAEG acknowledgment that trafficking is a
problem, many officials fail to recognize it in practice. In
conversations with police officials ranging from street-level
officers to senior Human Rights officials within the Dubai
Police, the USG,s concept of trafficking is apparently
difficult for them to understand, and not generally accepted.
One senior official stated (speaking of sex trafficking in
Dubai),"There are very few genuine victims of human
trafficking" (ref B). If victims enter the country
voluntarily with the intent to break the law, law enforcement
authorities do not recognize them as being trafficking
victims regardless of what happened to them upon arrival.
Similarly, they generally do not identify unskilled laborers
as trafficking victims if they are over the age of 18 and
entered the country voluntarily.

-- B. Which government agencies are involved in
anti-trafficking efforts and which agency, if any, has the
lead?

Both federal ministries and local emirate departments
are involved in anti-trafficking efforts. On the federal
level, the Ministries of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Justice,
Health, and Labor are involved actively in anti-trafficking
efforts. On the local level, police and immigration
departments, public prosecution, and social services
departments are also involved. Police and other government
officials have worked more closely with members of the media
to draw more public attention to the problem. In December
2004, the government transferred the federal TIP portfolio to
the MoI from the MFA.

In Dubai, there does not seem to be a distinct lead
agency. Nominally it would be the police through Dubai
Police,s Human Rights Care Department and CID,s
anti-trafficking unit, although the Dubai Naturalization and
Residency Department (DNRD) is also involved in
anti-trafficking, including funding construction of shelters
for trafficked women (underway).

-- C. Are there, or have there been, government-run
anti-trafficking information or education campaigns? Do
these campaigns target potential trafficking victims and/or
the demand for trafficking?

In 2005, a new Dubai labor committee announced the
establishment of a website and 24-hour labor complaint
hotline within the Dubai Police Department. Both the website
and hotline allowed domestic workers and laborers to lodge
complaints which would then be investigated expeditiously.
In order to make these mechanisms known to the labor
community, the committee launched a $540,000 public awareness
campaign including television and print ads in addition to
pamphlets and brochures delivered to worksites and airports
(ref C).

-- D. Does the government support other programs to prevent
trafficking?

The UAEG does not directly support any other programs to
prevent trafficking. Indirectly, government ministries and
departments, charitable and other organizations funded by the
Government and individual ruling family members are involved
in programs that help to prevent trafficking. Generous

ABU DHABI 00000789 010 OF 020


charitable contributions and programs often are directed at
source countries and target assisting the populations
greatest at risk for becoming trafficking victims.

Within the UAE's borders, the government-funded UAE Red
Crescent Authority, an affiliate of the International
Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies,
provided assistance to widows, divorced women, prisoners'
wives, orphans, prisoners and students from poor families.
Internal projects funded by the Red Crescent Authority
included maintaining schools and mosques, digging wells,
building health units, and training people with special
needs.

Outside the UAE, the UAE Red Crescent Authority and
other charitable organizations funded by individual ruling
family members, such as the Zayed Foundation and the Mohammed
bin Rashid al-Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment,
conducted humanitarian relief projects and provided
reconstruction and other types of assistance to a number of
countries worldwide.

-- F. What is the relationship between government officials,
NGOs, other relevant organizations, and other elements of
civil society on the trafficking issue?

The UAEG works with foreign embassies, consulates and
ministries, and source country NGOs, to provide shelter and
assistance to victims and facilitate their repatriation, as
well as to stop the flow of trafficking victims at the source
before they reach the UAE. The UAEG has a good working
relationship with the local branch of the UNDP. The Dubai
Human Rights Care Department has worked with a number of
source country and U.S.-based NGOs. The Abu Dhabi Police
College has worked with the International Organization for
Migration (IOM),Amnesty International, and Interpol to
develop its anti-TIP training program.

In close coordination with UNICEF, the government
established social support centers in the UAE and in source
countries to provide for the care and repatriation of
children identified as trafficking victims in the camel
racing industry.

-- G. Does it monitor immigration and emigration patterns
for evidence of trafficking? Do law enforcement agencies
screen for potential trafficking victims along borders?

The various departments of Immigration, Naturalization,
and Residency keep statistics on immigration and emigration,
and have identified patterns for evidence of trafficking. In
response to this information, the government does not permit
single women under 21 to enter the UAE unless they have
legitimate visas, and children from seven identified source
countries must have their own passports, even though those
countries may allow children to be endorsed on a parent's
passport.

Both federal and emirate-level immigration authorities
are responsible for controlling the influx of people at the
country's international airports. Immigration authorities
regularly conducted training to detect fraudulent documents,
often used by trafficked persons, for arrival and departure
inspectors. The Armed Forces are responsible for guarding
and monitoring the UAE's coast and land borders. Border
guards have the legal authority to stop and inspect
individuals at the border or points of entry, especially if
there is suspicion of illegal activity. The UAE is erecting
a fence barrier that will run for roughly 525 miles along its
land borders with Oman and Saudi Arabia, in an effort to curb
land-based smugglers and illegal immigration.

In 2000, the MoI's Department of Naturalization and

ABU DHABI 00000789 011 OF 020


Residency created a central operations room including an
integrated federal data center to track the arrival and
departure of individuals in the Federation's seven emirates.
In 2003, the UAEG instituted the use of iris recognition
scans to add biometrics identification information to its
databases, to better monitor migration and combat document
fraud by visitors and illegal immigrants, some of whom are
trafficking victims. Using this technology, UAE immigration
authorities have stopped over 30,000 potential illegal
immigrants, some of whom were likely trafficking victims.
The database contains approximately four million iris scan
results, including the results of over 300,000 illegal
immigrants and convicts who have been deported.

-- H. Is there a mechanism for coordination and
communication between various agencies, internal,
international, and multilateral on trafficking related
matters? Does the government have a trafficking in persons
working group or a task force? Does the government have a
trafficking in persons working group or single point of
contact? Does the government have an anti-corruption task
force?

The government coordinates its trafficking efforts
through a national committee set up specifically to address
the problem. The committee consists of members from various
ministries, and is headed by a national coordinator who is
currently the Director of International Affairs of the Crown
Prince's Court. There is no anti-corruption task force, but
several anti-corruption units have been established within
the Abu Dhabi police department.

-- J. Does the government have a national plan of action to
address trafficking in persons? Which agencies are involved
in developing it? Were NGOs consulted in the process? What
steps has the government taken to disseminate the plan?

The government has not adopted a national plan of action.
As mentioned above in subparagraph (H),a standing national
anti-trafficking committee develops and coordinates all
anti-trafficking efforts, including the drafting of a new
comprehensive anti-trafficking law.

--------------
INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF TRAFFICKERS
--------------


4. (SBU) The following responses are keyed to ref. A
paragraph No. 23.

-- A. Does the country have a law specifically prohibiting
trafficking in persons? If not, under what law can
traffickers be prosecuted? Are these laws being used in
trafficking cases, and when taken together, adequately cover
the full scope of trafficking issues?

The UAE does not have one law specifically criminalizing
trafficking in persons. However, traffickers can be
prosecuted under a number of laws within the penal code that,
taken together, adequately cover the full scope of
trafficking in persons. Penal Code Articles 20, 23, 24, 34,
and 349, address juvenile labor and child welfare; Article
347 prohibits forced labor; Article 346 concerns trafficking
for slavery; and Article 344 outlaws kidnapping.

Specifically, UAE Penal Law Article 346 states: "Whoever
brings into or out of the country any person intending to
possess or dispose of and whoever possesses or purchases or
sells or offers for sale or transacts in any manner of any
person as a slave shall be punished with provisional
imprisonment." Provisional imprisonment is a sentence of 3
years minimum and 15 years maximum.


ABU DHABI 00000789 012 OF 020


Justice Ministry officials indicate that traffickers are
prosecuted under several penal laws, including: kidnapping;
rape; sexual abuse; sexual exploitation; immoral acts;
exploitation of a person for immoral acts; physical abuse;
false imprisonment; juvenile endangerment; forced labor;
child labor; forced prostitution; indecency; enticement,
inducement or deceiving a person to commit immoral acts or
prostitution; aiding or facilitating the commission of
immoral acts or prostitution; keeping or operating a place
for immoral acts or prostitution; and money laundering. In
all, no less than 10 different provisions of the Penal Code
address trafficking crimes relating to women and children.

The National Anti-Trafficking Committee announced that
they have completed drafting a comprehensive anti-trafficking
law that addresses all forms of human trafficking. The draft
law is reportedly being circulated among the relevant
ministries, and the government intends to submit it to the
Federal National Council during the 2006 session which had
not yet begun by the end of the reporting year.

-- B. What are the penalties for traffickers of people for
sexual exploitation? For labor exploitation?

Penalties for sexual or labor exploitation range from a
minimum of one-year to as long as life in prison. Simple
sexual exploitation is punishable by a maximum of one year
imprisonment with a fine, and a minimum of two years
imprisonment if the victim is under the age of 18 or if the
person was lured into prostitution. If force, threat, or
fraud was used, then the maximum penalty is 10 years
imprisonment, increasing to a minimum of 10 years
imprisonment if the victim was under the age of 18. Any
individual who exploits another individual,s engagement in
sexual activity or prostitution can be imprisoned for a
maximum of five years.

The crime of forcing a person to work is punishable by a
maximum of one-year imprisonment and/or a maximum fine of
$2,700 (AED 10,000). The maximum penalty for trafficking for
the purpose of owning, trading, or enslaving a woman or a
child, is life in prison.

-- C. What are the penalties for rape or forcible assault?
How do they compare to the penalties for sex trafficking?

Sentencing for rape ranges from two years to capital
punishment, and may include lashing. The penalty for rape
that leads to the death of the victim or for rape with
extenuating circumstances is death. Penalties for sex
trafficking range from a maximum of one year to a minimum of
ten years depending on the method used to get the person
engaged in sexual activity.

-- D. Is prostitution legalized or decriminalized? Are the
activities of the brothel owner/operator, pimp, clients,
enforcers criminalized?

Prostitution is criminalized by law. The penalty for
being a prostitute is temporary imprisonment, and deportation
if a foreign national. The penalty for brothel operators or
owners is temporary imprisonment and the closing down of the
brothel. Pimps and clients can be sentenced to a maximum of
five years imprisonment. The law has only been partially
applied. During the reporting year, one of the northern
emirates conducted a raid on a number of massage parlors
suspected of being engaged in prostitution activities. As a
result, the local government closed 18 parlors and
permanently cancelled their licenses. The women employees
were temporarily detained and then were deported. The owners
of the massage parlors, who may or may not have been aware of
what was going on behind the scenes, were not deported or
imprisoned; instead they were shamed and &instructed8 by

ABU DHABI 00000789 013 OF 020


the government not to become involved in the massage parlor
business again.

-- E. Has the government prosecuted any cases against
traffickers?

Since June 2, the government reported 17 convictions for
child trafficking in relation to camel jockeying, with an
additional 31 persons still under investigation.
Approximately half of the 48 defendants in these cases were
UAE citizens, with the remainder from Pakistan (16),Sudan
(9),Bangladesh (4),Mauritania (2),and Saudi Arabia (1).
Sentences for the convicted ranged from six months to three
years plus deportation. Because these convictions and
prosecutions were for crimes committed prior to the
promulgation of the new camel jockey law on July 5,
defendants were prosecuted primarily under articles of the
Penal Code addressing juvenile labor and child welfare,
forced labor, trafficking for slavery, and kidnapping. There
is no record of anyone being convicted under the new camel
jockey law. The government also convicted at least 12
persons, including at least 7 foreigners, of offenses related
to trafficking in and exploiting women and sentenced them to
prison terms of between two and five years (and in one case
90 lashes) and deportation.

-- F. Is there any information or reports of who is behind
the trafficking? Are employment, travel, and tourism
agencies fronting for traffickers or crime groups to traffic
individuals? Are government officials involved? Are there
any reports of where profits from trafficking in persons are
being channeled?

Traffickers of children as camel jockeys were usually
known to the victim, and were often immediate or extended
family members, although some were also kidnapped or
"purchased" from their families. In many cases, the victims'
parents were given work permits and brought with their entire
families to the UAE; while the father worked in one location,
one or more of his children worked for the same employer but
on a camel farm, with the father collecting the child's pay.

IGO, NGO, and media reports, as well as UAEG and source
country officials, indicate that small, organized crime
syndicates, almost all of them originating from source
countries, were behind the great majority of human
trafficking cases to the UAE. The vast majority of the
victims of sex trafficking (easily observed at hotels and
bars throughout Abu Dhabi and Dubai) and their traffickers,
are believed to come from the CIS. A less easily observed,
but numerically very significant component of the sexual
exploitation market involves women from Asia/India and Africa
whose clientele are often from the lower end of the economic
spectrum. Most traffickers are believed to be small-time
criminals with ties to corrupt officials in the home country.

Many women, whether trafficked or not, who come to Dubai
for prostitution, arrive on work visas. They hold legitimate
work visas with small shops, e.g., beauty parlors. The shop
owners have legitimate businesses and they also provide
fronts for women. The local partner could very well be
ignorant that the business is being used as a front. Dubai
Naturalization and Residency Department (DNRD) has shut down
businesses that it determined were used as fronts for
prostitutes or trafficking. To stem the use of false
companies sponsoring women specifically for prostitution, all
new companies are now limited to only five work permit/visas
until after they establish themselves as legitimate companies
at which time they can apply for additional visas.

Travel agencies and tour companies appear to be another
significant means of bringing women to the UAE for
prostitution. DNRD has noticed that frequently one or two

ABU DHABI 00000789 014 OF 020


women who travel to the UAE on an organized tour from the CIS
will not depart the country with the tour. A DNRD officer
said that the tour operators are probably unwitting and that
traffickers and facilitators have determined this to be a
good method for women to enter the UAE without being noticed
by UAE immigration officers. If DNRD,s statistics show that
specific tour operators or travel agencies are being used
they take action against them. The DNRD is now tracking
businesses and travel agencies more closely to determine if
they are being used as fronts for traffickers or free-lance
prostitutes. There were no reports of where the profits are
being channeled.

-- G. Does the government actively investigate cases of
trafficking? Does the government use active investigative
techniques in trafficking in persons investigations? To what
extent are techniques such as electronic surveillance,
undercover operations, and mitigated punishment or immunity
for cooperating suspects used by the government? Does the
criminal procedure code or other laws prohibit the police
from engaging in covert operations?

Law enforcement officials reported that they investigated
cases of trafficking in persons and assisted trafficking
victims, once cases were brought to their attention.
However, there is no indication that police regularly used
proactive law enforcement methods, such as sting operations
of places known to harbor potential trafficking victims, with
the exception of underage camel jockeys. Since July 2005,
MoI investigators and the Abu Dhabi police anti-infiltration
unit conducted raids on camel farms to check if underage
camel jockeys are still being trained and have not been sent
to the authorities. Trafficked women themselves are usually
the ones who approach the police to file complaints or
request assistance, or claim to have been trafficked when
arrested by the police and detained for engaging in sexual
activity.

The recently formed Anti-Trafficking Division, within
the Dubai Police Criminal Investigation Division, routinely
uses internationally accepted interview techniques to
differentiate trafficking victims from those who choose to
work in illegal activities.

Electronic surveillance and undercover operations are
permitted under UAE laws. Police officials often recommend
sentence mitigation for cooperating suspects and are not
prohibited from engaging in covert operations. However, due
to restraints on properly trained and experienced law
enforcement staff, police take more of a reactive role in
investigating trafficking cases.

-- H. Does the government provide any specialized training
for government officials in how to recognize, investigate,
and prosecute instances of trafficking?

The UAEG has devoted a significant amount of time and
resources to sensitizing law enforcement and immigration
officials on the subject of trafficking in persons, as well
as practical training techniques to protect victims and
prevent future trafficking incidents. Abu Dhabi and Dubai
police and the Ministries of Interior, Health, and Justice
have all held anti-TIP training courses throughout the year.

The DNRD regularly offered training for arrival and
departure inspectors in identifying fraudulent documents,
often used by trafficking victims. The UAEG also supplied
ports of entry and source country embassies and consulates
with brochures in an effort to try to warn off potential
trafficking victims, as well as to inform victims where they
can go to receive assistance.

The Ministry of Justice Institute of Judicial Training

ABU DHABI 00000789 015 OF 020


and Studies conducts mandatory classes for prosecutors and
judges on proper victim care and assistance. The Institute
also conducts mandatory specialized classes on the following
topics: human rights (14 hours); sexual offenses (20 hours);
offenses against life (20 hours); immigration offenses (20
hours); juvenile protection and delinquency (30 hours); labor
violations and offenses (12 hours).

UAEG senior leadership have repeatedly asked the USG for
training information and opportunities that would further
their efforts to combat trafficking in persons, and help law
enforcement officials, prosecutors and judges to better
identify, investigate, and prosecute trafficking in persons
cases.

-- I. Does the government cooperate with other governments
in the investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases?

UAEG officials stated, and several source country
embassies and consulates confirmed, that they cooperated to
investigate, care for, and repatriate trafficking victims,
and prevent future trafficking incidents. Officials,
primarily in law enforcement, reported that they also worked
with NGOs and IGOs on trafficking issues when cases were
brought to their attention.

MoI officials have indicated that they continue to work
on developing new channels with source country governments to
exchange information on organized crime, including
trafficking in persons.

-- J. Does the government extradite persons who are charged
with trafficking in other countries? Does the government
extradite its own nationals charged with such offenses?

The UAEG has extradition treaties with India, Sri Lanka,
Armenia, Canada (for drugs and money-laundering charges),
China, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Syria,
Somalia, Jordan and Egypt. In the past, the UAE has agreed
to extradite cases to and from countries with which the UAEG
does not have extradition treaties, but in practice has often
failed to do so. UAEG extradition of a UAE citizen to
another country is highly unlikely absent extremely
extenuating circumstances. For example, there was reportedly
a clause in the UAE-India extradition treaty, included at the
UAEG's request, wherein both nations agreed not to extradite
their own nationals to the other country.

The UAEG also has mutual legal assistance treaties
(MLAT) in criminal matters with a number of countries. In
some cases, mutual legal assistance was exchanged with
countries with which the UAEG did not have an MLAT. The
first round of MLAT negotiations between the USG and UAEG
took place in February 2005, but have not resumed.

-- K. Is there evidence of government involvement in or
tolerance of trafficking, on a local or institutional level?

Although there were no verified reports that government
officials were involved in trafficking, there is little doubt
that high-level officials in Dubai and other emirates have at
minimum turned a blind-eye to the problem. Police take
action against prostitution only when evidence for it is
incontrovertible, and are under instruction to err on the
side of caution if there is any chance a sexual encounter
could be other than commercial in nature. NGO, IGO, source
country and internet sources alleged that some lower-level
officials may look the other way as traffickers bring their
victims into the country. In one case in 2005, approximately
30 Chinese women working in massage parlors in Ras al-Khaimah
were arrested and deported for prostitution. The massage
parlors were shut down. The women had traveled on visitor
visas. It is inconceivable that the women from China could

ABU DHABI 00000789 016 OF 020


find their way to Ras al-Khaimah without assistance,
suggesting that Chinese traffickers must have been involved;
it seems equally unlikely that the flow of female Chinese
"visitors" could have escaped the notice of government
officials entirely prior to the arrests being made. NGO
officials and human rights observers questioned the sincerity
of UAEG officials' political will to combat human trafficking
in light of the long-term lack of appreciable progress on the
issue and the importance of both foreign labor and
prostitution to the economy.

-- L. If government officials are involved in trafficking,
what steps has the government taken to end such participation?

There have been no credible or verifiable cases reported
of government officials directly involved in trafficking.
Based on previous cases of investigation and prosecution of
government officials for criminal offenses, it is expected
that the UAEG would investigate and prosecute government
officials suspected of trafficking or trafficking-related
corruption.

-- M. If the country has an identified child sex tourism
problem (source or destination) how many foreign pedophiles
has the government prosecuted, deported/extradited to their
country of origin? Do the country's child sexual abuse laws
have extraterritorial coverage?

Although there have been a number of media, source
country, NGO and IGO reports that some teenage girls, almost
all of whom are trafficking victims, work as prostitutes in
the UAE, there have been no reliable reports of the UAE being
a child sex tourism destination. There have been no reports
of foreign pedophiles being prosecuted, deported or
extradited to their countries of origin. As with most
sections of the Penal Code, child sexual abuse does not have
extraterritorial coverage.

--N. Has the government signed, ratified, or taken steps to
implement the following international instruments?

a). ILO Convention 182 Concerning the Prohibition and
Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of
Child Labor: The UAEG ratified ILO Convention 182 Concerning
Worst Forms of Child Labor on 28 June 2001.

b). ILO Conventions 29 and 105 on Forced or Compulsory
Labor: The UAEG ratified ILO Convention 29 Concerning Forced
Labor on 27 May 1982, and the UAEG ratified ILO Convention
105 Concerning Abolition of Forced Labor on 24 February 1997.

c). Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the
Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution, and Child
Pornography: The UAEG ratified the UN Convention on the
Rights of the Child on 3 January 1997, but has not ratified
its supplemental Option Protocol on the Sale of Children,
Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography.

d). The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking
in Persons, especially Women and Children, Supplementing the
UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime: The UAE
acceded to the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized
Crime in December 2002. Justice Ministry officials report
that the UAE is reviewing and will likely sign the following
supplemental protocols soon: (1) the Supplemental Protocol
to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons,
Especially Women and Children; and (2) the Supplemental
Protocol Against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and
Air.

e). Other Instruments: The UAEG has also ratified or
acceded to the following international instruments that help
directly or indirectly guard against trafficking in persons.

ABU DHABI 00000789 017 OF 020



--UN International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Racial Discrimination (acceded 20 June 1974).

--Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (ratified October 2004)

--Convention Against Slavery (ratification date unknown).

--ILO Convention 1 Concerning Hours of Work for Industry
(ratified 27 May 1982).

--ILO Convention 81 Concerning Labor Inspection (ratified 27
May 1982).

--ILO Revised Convention 89 Concerning Night Work for Women
(ratified 27 May 1982).

--ILO Convention 100 Concerning Equal Remuneration (ratified
24 February 1997).

--ILO Convention 111 Concerning Discrimination in Employment
and Occupation (ratified 28 June 2001).

--ILO Convention 138 Concerning Minimum Age for Employment
(ratified 2 October 1998).

--------------
PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS
--------------


5. (SBU) The following responses are keyed to ref. A
paragraph No. 24.

-- A. Does the government assist victims? Does the
government have victim care and victim health care facilities?

The Government provides assistance and protection to
victims, including victims of trafficking in persons.
Counseling services are available in public hospitals. In
2005, the government established a Social Support Center
located outside Abu Dhabi, for under age camel jockeys
awaiting repatriation. Additionally, the government provided
$2 million for care and repatriation of all the boys
identified as trafficking victims in the camel racing
industry, which included financing of social services and
resettlement sites in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sudan to
facilitate the return of children to their home countries.

In Abu Dhabi emirate, victims of trafficking and/or
abuse are housed in social support centers similar to the
ones established for camel jockeys, where they are provided
comprehensive physical and psycho-social services prior to
repatriation. In Sharjah emirate, the Higher Family Council
provides equivalent services to victims. In Dubai, the Dubai
Police Human Rights Care Department, Victim Assistance Unit,
provides counseling, medical care, financial assistance,
assistance in acquiring travel documents, and travel
assistance home for trafficking victims. The
Anti-Trafficking Section of Dubai Police CID houses
trafficking victims in hotels instead of a shelter, but has
announced that a dedicated shelter is also under
construction. The UAE does not grant temporary or permanent
residency status to victims, nor does it relieve victims,
especially trafficked women, from being deported.

UAE Code of Criminal Procedures Articles 14 and 22
provide legal assistance for victims.

Each Dubai police station is staffed with a human rights
care officer and a social worker/counselor from the Dubai
Police Human Rights Care Department.


ABU DHABI 00000789 018 OF 020


In 2002, the Dubai Police Human Rights Care Department
developed a Crime Victims' Assistance Program, which includes
the creation of Victim Assistance Coordinators and police
training in victim protection and assistance. In March 2003,
Victim Assistance Coordinators were assigned to police
stations. Victim Assistance Coordinators' responsibilities
include advising victims about the criminal justice system
and criminal procedure; encouraging witness testimony,
especially in cases like sexual abuse and trafficking in
persons where victims are reluctant to speak out; advising
victims of their rights; providing counseling and medical
care; placement in a hotel or shelter; and follow-up with
victims as the case proceeds to trial.

Post does not have statistics indicating how many
victims used any of the above services over the reporting
year.

The Government permits a number of shelters for abused
and/or trafficked domestic workers to operate in the country.
The Embassies of the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia
all sponsor such shelters (ref. C). Additionally, one
NGO-sponsored women's shelter in Dubai, has received tacit
approval from the Government, and regularly receives
referrals along with accompanying financing from the Dubai
Police Department.

-- B. Does the government provide funding or other forms of
support to foreign or domestic NGOs for services to victims?

The Government provides funding for most or all
recognized local NGOs, and works with foreign NGOs to provide
assistance to trafficking victims. Government authorities
regularly worked with source country NGOs to assist in the
humane repatriation of victims to their home countries.
Beginning in November 2004, UAEG authorities worked with
Pakistani human rights activist and NGO director Ansar Burney
to help rescue, care for, and repatriate child camel jockeys.
In 2005, the government contracted with UNICEF to provide
its expertise as it established social support centers to
provided counseling, care, and repatriation services for any
child (and their families) identified as a victim of
trafficking for use in the camel racing industry. A fund of
$2 million was established for these purposes. By the end of
the reporting year approximately 1,100 children had been
cared for at government social support centers, and
repatriated to their country of origin.

-- C. Is there a screening and referral process in place,
when appropriate, to transfer victims detained, arrested, or
placed in protective custody by law enforcement authorities
to NGOs that provide either long or short-term care?

Dubai Police report that they have a screening process
in place. Women who claim they are victims of trafficking
and are willing to cooperate with the police are housed in
hotels at police expense until after the trial(s) of the
trafficker(s) are complete. They are under police protection
while they remain in Dubai.

-- D. Are the rights of victims respected, or are victims
also treated as criminals? Are victims detained, jailed, or
deported? Are victims prosecuted for violations of other
laws, such as those governing immigration or prostitution?

Rights of victims are generally respected, once
identified as victims. There were NGO, IGO, and source
country reports, however, of cases where victims were never
identified as such, and were treated as criminals.
Individuals identified as victims receive assistance,
including medical care and counseling, and those who agree to
testify against their traffickers are afforded housing,
employment opportunities, and any other care required.

ABU DHABI 00000789 019 OF 020


However, police reported that in most cases, victims choose
to be immediately repatriated to their home countries rather
than stand up to their traffickers. In the case of the women
who testified, Dubai Police report that the victims were
prosecuted. After the trial the Dubai police also paid for
their repatriation.

Dubai police will not waive prosecution for women who
might became victims of trafficking after entering the UAE on
their own volition for prostitution. Their position appears
to be that if a person entered the country for prostitution
and violated the immigration laws, why should prosecution be
waived only because they were victimized after a year or two
in country? Dubai Police officials stated that they believe
that women often claim to be trafficking victims as a means
of avoiding prosecution for breaking the law (ref I).

-- E. Does the government encourage victims to assist in the
investigation and prosecution of trafficking?

Law enforcement officials report that they advise
victims of their rights and encourage witness testimony,
especially in cases of sexual abuse and trafficking in
persons, where victims may be reluctant to speak out. Police
will assist victims who choose to stay in the UAE during
court proceedings with locating appropriate housing and
temporary employment opportunities.

Before or during a criminal trial, a victim may claim
financial compensation, or "diya," which can be granted as
part of a defendant's sentence. Victims may also file civil
suits for damages.

Foreign diplomats indicate that victims have been
permitted to give sworn testimony and leave the country
before judgment was rendered. The Dubai Police HRCD in
coordination with CID attempts to get women who they believe
are victims of trafficking to assist in investigations and
prosecutions. As stated earlier, in Dubai, victims are
housed in hotels, not prosecuted, and returned home at
government expense if they participate in the prosecution of
the traffickers.

-- F. What kind of protection is the government able to
provide for victims and witnesses? Does it provide these
protections in practice? What type of shelter services does
the government provide?

The government is able to provide protections for
victims and witnesses, and does provide these protections in
practice.

UAE Code of Criminal Procedures Articles 14 and 22
provide for legal assistance for victims.

Authorities have worked with NGOs and source country
embassies and consulates to provide shelter for trafficking
victims. Police departments claim to provide shelter
facilities for victims separate and apart from jail
facilities, and have also arranged for shelter in hotels. The
UAEG does not operate a safe house system. Post is not aware
of how much money the UAEG spent on sheltering victims over
the reporting year. Sheltering and care for former camel
jockeys, and sex trafficking victims in Dubai were discussed
earlier in p. 6 (a),(b),and (c).

-- G. Does the government provide any specialized training
for government officials in recognizing trafficking and in
the provision of assistance to trafficked victims? Does the
government provide training on protection and assistance to
its embassies and consulates in foreign countries that are
destination or transit countries?


ABU DHABI 00000789 020 OF 020


The UAEG has implemented programs to sensitize law
enforcement and immigration officials on the subject of
trafficking in persons, as well as practical training
techniques to protect victims and prevent future trafficking
incidents. Abu Dhabi and Dubai police and the Ministries of
Interior, Health, and Justice have all held anti-TIP training
courses throughout the year.

The Ministry of Justice Institute of Judicial Training
and Studies conducts mandatory classes for prosecutors and
judges on proper victim care and assistance. The Institute
also conducts mandatory specialized classes on the following
topics: human rights (14 hours); sexual offenses (20 hours);
offenses against life (20 hours); immigration offenses (20
hours); juvenile protection and delinquency (30 hours); labor
violations and offenses (12 hours).

The UAEG senior leadership repeatedly asked the USG for
training information and opportunities that would further
their efforts to combat trafficking in persons, and help law
enforcement officials, prosecutors and judges to better
identify, investigate and prosecute trafficking in persons
cases.

Post is unaware of any specific UAEG-provided training
on protection and assistance for staff members located in
source countries. In discussions with the Dubai Police HRCD
concerning training, the Dubai Police said that there was no
appropriate training for officers in HRCD concerning
trafficking. The police asked if the USG could provide
training, and seemed genuinely eager for such training. DNRD
and police in Dubai and other emirates have said that they
are trying to pressure states in Central Asia to interdict
women, trafficked or not, who are traveling to the UAE for
prostitution. Dubai police officers have asked if the USG
could also pressure the countries.

-- H. Does the government provide assistance, such as
medical aid, shelter, or financial help, to its repatriated
nationals who are victims of trafficking?

There were no reports of UAE nationals being trafficked
outside of, or within the UAE. Considering the UAEG's record
of numerous services provided to citizens at little to no
cost, it is expected that the UAEG would provide generous
assistance to repatriated UAE nationals who were victims of
trafficking, if such a situation were to occur.

-- I. Which international organizations or NGOs work with
trafficking victims?

The Government cooperates and coordinates with NGOs and
IGOs in providing assistance to trafficking victims, as cases
come to their attention. Some examples are the UNICEF,
Pakistan-based Ansar Burney International Welfare Trust, the
Bangladesh National Women's Lawyers Association, the IOM, The
Protection Project, and others including small source country
NGOs.

--------------
OMB Reporting Requirement
--------------


6. (U) OMB Reporting Requirements: One FS-03 officer spent
approximately 110 hours preparing for and writing the report.
One FS-03 officer spent approximately six hours reviewing and
clearing the report. One FS-01 officer spent approximately
two hours reviewing and clearing the report. One FE-OC
officer spent approximately two hours reviewing and clearing
the report. One FE-MC officer spent one hour reviewing and
approving the report.
SISON