ETHIOPIA: POST REPLY TO TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 ADDIS ABABA 000658

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, PRM, IWI, AF/RSA, USAID

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN ELAB SMIG ASEC KFRD PREF
SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: POST REPLY TO TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS
(TIP) REPORT QUESTIONS

REF: STATE 003836

ADDIS ABAB 00000658 001.2 OF 010



1. (SBU) Responses cued to reftel questions are provided
below.

QUESTION 21: OVERVIEW
--------------


A. Ethiopia is a country of origin for internationally
trafficked women, to a far lesser extent men, and a small
number of children. Trafficking also occurs within the
country's borders. Estimates vary, but local
non-governmental organizations (NGO) believe that an
estimated 20,000 to 25,000 Ethiopians were trafficked
internationally in 2005, roughly the same number that were
trafficked in 2004. Trafficking reported in 2005 was
primarily labor-related. Government officials do not have
estimates for 2005. Sources believe totals trafficked
internationally favor females over males, with prostitution
amounting to a minor share of the total. Young women,
particularly those age 18-30, were the most commonly
trafficked group, while a small number of children were also
reportedly trafficked internationally.


B. Young women are trafficked from all parts of Ethiopia
primarily to the Gulf states and Djibouti to work as domestic
laborers and less typically as commercial sex workers;
Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia are the
most common destination countries. According to
International Organization for Migration (IOM) officials in
Addis Ababa, there are a total of more than 130,000 Ethiopian
migrant workers (legal and illegal) in the Middle East,
predominantly women. NGOs and Ethiopia's Ministry of Labor
and Social Affairs (MOLSA) estimate that the majority of
illegal Ethiopian workers in Middle East countries were
trafficked rather than smuggled for employment purposes. IOM
officials in early 2006 consider that the following MOLSA
figures continue to be "reliable estimates":

-- There are over 17,000 illegal Ethiopian workers present in
Lebanon, along with over 15,000 legal Ethiopians,
representing a significant share of Lebanon's estimated
80,000 migrant worker population. (NOTE: IOM reports that
Lebanon has resumed issuing work permits to Ethiopians, after
suspending issuance for 18 months. END NOTE.)

-- Around 10,000 to 12,000 illegal Ethiopian workers are
believed to be located in Yemen. As of February 2006,
several thousand Ethiopians remained stranded in Puntland
(Somalia),having sought unsuccessfully to transit onward to
Yemen. In February 2006, UNHCR reported that boat sailing
across the Gulf of Aden from Somalia to Yemen forced 137
passengers overboard, resulting in the deaths of at least 30;
passengers included Somalis and Ethiopians seeking to avoid
interception by Yemeni coast guard officials.

-- IOM officials cite Yemen as a significant transit point,
particularly for young Ethiopian girls being trafficked to
Djibouti, many of whom are as young as age 14 or 15.
According to IOM, a recent impact assessment concludes that
many of these trafficked girls in Djibouti have HIV/AIDS; the
Government of Djibouti has accused Ethiopian migrants of
increasing Djibouti's HIV/AIDS rate.

ADDIS ABAB 00000658 002.2 OF 010



-- In Saudi Arabia, there are reportedly close to 80,000
illegal Ethiopian workers, the bulk having initially traveled
to Saudi Arabia on religious pilgrimage (the haj) but then
staying on illegally.

-- Some 5,000 to 7,000 illegal Ethiopian workers are believed
present in both Kuwait and Bahrain.

-- Estimates indicate perhaps 4,000 to 5,000 illegal
Ethiopians present in the United Arab Emirates, principally
in Dubai.

Men tend to be trafficked to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States
primarily as low-skilled labor. NGOs report transit
countries include Egypt, Yemen, Djibouti, Sudan, Libya,
Tanzania, and Kenya; some Ethiopian women have been
reportedly trafficked onward from Lebanon to Europe
(specifically Turkey and Greece). See chart below for those
trafficked from Ethiopia:

RECEIVING TYPE OF
TRANSIT COUNTRIES RECRUITMENT
-------------- -------------- --------------
Egypt, Yemen, Lebanon and domestic labor
Djibouti, other Gulf
Kenya, Tanzania States

-- Djibouti domestic labor,
sex industry

-- South Africa labor associated
with hosting the
World Cup (e.g.,
construction)

Sudan, Libya Europe, irregular migration
North America

Local NGOs report that internal trafficking of children and
adults within Ethiopia has continued to be a serious problem.
Both adults and children are believed to be trafficked from
rural areas to urban areas, principally for domestic labor
purposes, and, to a lesser extent, for prostitution and other
labor activities, such as street vending. Vulnerable
individuals, such as young adults from rural areas and
children, who transit the Addis Ababa bus terminal, are
sometimes identified and targeted by agents (or traffickers)
who approach them offering jobs, food, guidance, or shelter.
Some social workers have reported that people from urban
areas recruit children in their villages for housemaid work
or traditional weaving. NGO representatives say some agents
or traffickers now go to rural villages to recruit specific
types or categories of laborers.

IOM officials report some linkages between internal and
international trafficking: specifically noting that children
internally trafficked from Dire Dawa, Bahar Dar, and Dessie,
are then sent overseas to the Middle East, transiting through
Dire Dawa, Jijiga, Bosasso (in Somalia),and then Djibouti.

High unemployment and extreme poverty continued to provide
the "push" behind labor and migration trends, while jobs,

ADDIS ABAB 00000658 003.2 OF 010


opportunities, and better living standards overseas served to
"pull" desperate Ethiopians overseas, according to IOM
officials. NGOs believe that, while the number of legal
labor migration employment agencies has risen from five to 17
in the past year, the GOE has significantly tightened its
implementation of various labor and employment agency
provisions. The net result, according to NGOs, is that more
Ethiopians being trafficked are exiting via neighboring
countries (particularly Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania, and Sudan)
or via intermediate destinations (such as Syria or Egypt).
There are now a total of 17 registered employment agencies in
Ethiopia, all headquartered in Addis Ababa, that have been
licensed by MOLSA to send workers abroad, primarily to the
Middle East.

Ethiopia is not a destination country for internationally
trafficked victims. With regard to internally trafficked
individuals and as noted earlier, some are targeted on
arrival in Addis Ababa or recruited from the villages for
work as housemaids or for unskilled jobs in shops, factories,
restaurants, or bars. Those without recourse to family or
return to their villages are at risk to exploitation,
including prostitution. Coercion is sometimes a factor.
NGOs note that frequently individuals make their own choice
to move from rural areas to cities to seek employment and
that it is also common for extended families to seek out job
opportunities for unemployed family members.


C. The government continues to face many limitations in
addressing trafficking. They include an inadequately trained
police force, lack of resources to aid victims, lack of
coordination among government agencies in tackling the
problem of trafficking, lack of funds to expand
anti-trafficking initiatives, an overburdened judiciary that
lacks understanding of the problem of trafficking, and lack
of ministerial level initiatives to improve the situation
significantly given current resource constraints. MOLSA
reports information about trafficking sources to the Ministry
of Justice (MOJ) and the police which are mandated to take
appropriate measures; however, according to some government
officials, enforcement measures are lacking.


D. The government is concerned with the problem of
trafficked persons from Ethiopia, and committed to its
eradication. The government does little, however, to monitor
its anti-trafficking efforts systematically. Recognizing
this shortcoming, the government has started to build its
capacity to respond to trafficking issues. The government
initiated efforts to study trafficking, increase detection
and begin collecting statistics. It has enhanced its
immigration procedures, such as checking departees' contracts
against MOLSA lists. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)
continued to lead an inter-ministerial national committee to
study the issue of Ethiopian women who are being trafficked
to the Gulf states and Lebanon. The GOE established a
multi-agency counter-trafficking task force led by the vice
minister of justice, with a mandate to establish a
nation-wide, multi-agency plan of action for combating
trafficking. MOLSA worked with the IOM as well as NGOs and
some donors, such as USAID, to launch information awareness
initiatives. The government continues to open consulates in
the Gulf states, which provide limited legal assistance and
shelter to trafficked victims there.

ADDIS ABAB 00000658 004.2 OF 010



QUESTION 22: PREVENTION
--------------


A. The government actively acknowledges that trafficking is
a problem in Ethiopia.


B. The MFA, MOJ, the Office of Women's Affairs within the
prime minister's office, and MOLSA are all involved in
anti-trafficking efforts, as are the federal police and
immigration officials. They each participate in the national
government's inter-ministerial committee to combat the
problem of trafficking, as well as the counter-trafficking
task force.


C. The government has supported IOM-sponsored
anti-trafficking information campaigns, including large-group
counseling efforts in schools and universities and various
media campaigns. The government also supervises the work of
the legal international labor migration firms, which include
counter-trafficking training in their initial screening and
pre-departure counseling programs. Pre-departure counseling
is designed to empower potential migrants by providing
information about the realities of irregular migration, and
in particular the risks for women. Such risks include
negative health consequences, exploitation, violence and
abuse. In addition, the project provides counseling on human
rights, financial management and health issues to potential
migrants and their families. Such counseling enables the
beneficiaries to make better- informed decisions related to
migration, as well as to facilitate their socio-economic
integration in the country of destination. IOM has also
provided hot-line support to give anonymous counseling
services. This pre-departure counseling complements an
already existing IOM information campaign that disseminates
reliable information on issues related to irregular migration
and trafficking to potential migrants and victims of
trafficking, their families and the community at large.

The government has championed a program that involves
matching employers in Lebanon with a potential Ethiopian
employees in Ethiopia. Family members or friends already
working in Lebanon often arrange such referrals. Under the
program, government officials verify the employer, position
and contract terms in Lebanon. Once the employment
opportunity is deemed valid, the contract and employment
details are sent to MOLSA and then on to the prospective
employee. The employee is then able to travel legally and
registers with the Beirut consulate.

In December 2005, the Ministry of Justice forwarded a
proposal to Post for a public awareness campaign on
trafficking, which remains under review by the Department.


D. The Ministry of Education (MOE) continued to work with
UNICEF on a campaign to boost the enrollment of girls in
schools in Ethiopia's poorest regions. MOE has organized a
workshop with education professionals aimed at overcoming the
hurdles that prevent girls from attending school, such as
domestic chores and early marriages. IOM, together with MOE,
continued to distribute over 500,000 exercise books with
cartoon illustrations depicting counter trafficking to
secondary school students throughout the country. IOM

ADDIS ABAB 00000658 005.2 OF 010


continued to work in collaboration with the MOE by organizing
peer group discussions on trafficking in 200 secondary and
junior secondary schools in the country. IOM supplies
recorded cassettes and CDs on the ill effects of trafficking
to these schools for broadcasting through school mini-media
during recess time in order to provide a better understanding
of trafficking-in-persons.

(Note: Reftel does not include question "E.")


F. Civil society is weak in Ethiopia, but the government
works closely with those organizations that exist, namely IOM
and the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association (EWLA). For the
most part, MOLSA works with the IOM on anti-trafficking
activities and does not have much official collaboration,
largely for lack of funding, with indigenous NGOs apart from
making some data available to them upon request. In
contrast, the Ethiopian officials in Beirut and Dubai have
reported that the consulates have developed professional
relationships with NGOs as well as with churches in Lebanon
that are working to protect the rights of Ethiopian migrant
workers. One such organization in Beirut is the Roman
Catholic organization, CARITAS. Indeed, NGOs both in
Ethiopia and in Lebanon applaud the cooperative efforts of
the consulate staff while noting they are overworked and
under-funded given the workloads they face.


G. The government monitors its borders to the extent of its
ability. There are large swaths of territory along
Ethiopia's borders with Sudan and Somalia that cannot
currently be fully monitored by border officials. The
government monitors immigration and emigration patterns for
evidence of trafficking. With IOM assistance, immigration
officers have been trained to spot and question those most
susceptible to trafficking and verify the legitimacy of the
travel. Beyond application of proclamation 104, there has
been little effort to use such data in any meaningful way to
put a stop to the problem. Police officials, reflecting
popular sentiment, appear to be less alarmed with the problem
of trafficking, insisting upon people's rights under the
Ethiopian constitution to travel freely. Domestic
trafficking has received less attention. Consequently,
enforcement has lagged in this regard.


H. An inter-ministerial national committee for fighting
trafficking consisting of officials representing MOLSA, MOJ,
MFA, and police and immigration officials exists. NGOs
reported that it meets periodically to address specific
problems and policy issues. However, a counter-trafficking
force formed in 2004 held several meetings and developed a
series of taskings for relevant ministries and agencies to
develop proposals, collect information, etc. The task force
met regularly prior to outbreak of post election-related
violence in June 2005, but has not met since.

(Note: Reftel does not include question "I.")


J. Work was begun in 2004 on the formulation of a national
plan of action to address trafficking in Ethiopia.
Heretofore, MOLSA had overall responsibility for this issue
and its annual action plan included a summary of its work
plans for the year with respect to counter trafficking.
Progress has been slow due to the election-related violence.

ADDIS ABAB 00000658 006.2 OF 010



QUESTION 23: INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF TRAFFICKERS
-------------- --------------

The government did enact any new legislation relating to
trafficking since the last TIP report, but instituted a new
penal code with improved trafficking-related language. The
revised penal code specifically outlaws labor-related
trafficking, and entered into force in May 2005, replacing
the former penal code of 1957.


A. Article 596 (Enslavement) criminalizes any attempt to
enslave, sell, alienate, buy, trade or exploit another
person. Article 597 (Trafficking in Women and Children)
criminalizes the recruitment, transportation, harboring,
import, or export of women or minors for the purpose of
forced labor. Article 598 (Unlawful Sending of Ethiopians
for Work Abroad) criminalizes the sending of Ethiopian
citizens abroad for work without a license. Article 599
(Participation of Illegal Associations and Juridical Persons)
criminalizes any group or organization's participation in
slave trade. Article 600 (Default of Supervision or Control)
criminalizes any government official who fails to take all
measures to control and prevent trafficking. Article 635
(Traffic in Women and Minors) specifically criminalizes the
trafficking of men, women and children for prostitution.


B. Those found in violation of the articles above face five
to 20 years imprisonment and a fine not exceeding 50 thousand
birr (approximately $5,800). For particularly egregious
cases, the penalty may be 10 to 20 years imprisonment.
Organizations found in violation Article 599 face a 100
thousand birr (approximately $11,500) fine and dissolution.


C. Article 589 of the penal code makes rape punishable
imprisonment not exceeding ten years. Rape is punishable for
up to 15 years if committed on a child under the age of 15,
or on anyone under the protective custody or supervision of
the accused person, or by a number of persons acting in
concert. Forced sexual assault as defined by article 590 of
the penal code is punishable by imprisonment not exceeding
eight years, or with "simple imprisonment" for not less than
six months. Depending on which article is used to prosecute,
the penalties for rape and sexual assault may be more or less
severe than the penalties for trafficking.


D. Prostitution is not legal in Ethiopia. Article 634
(Habitual Exploitation for Pecuniary Gain) criminalizes the
act of prostitution and those elements in support of it.
Prostitutes, brother owner/operators, clients and pimps are
subject to a maximum of five years imprisonment. In
practice, however, few people are charged with prostitution
or crimes related to prostitution.


E. Enforcement of Ethiopia's existing anti-trafficking laws
has lagged.

-- Some NGO sources report that in 2005, local and federal
police referred 38 cases to the prosecutor's office. Of
these, two have resulted in convictions, 18 are pending
prosecution, and the remainder have been closed for lack of
evidence or abscond of the defendant. The low conviction
rate is the result of an understaffed and overburdened

ADDIS ABAB 00000658 007.2 OF 010


judiciary, trafficking legislation that essentially does not
punish labor traffickers, lack of cooperation on fighting
trafficking with destination country governments, and alleged
corruption on the part of responsible local authorities.
Traffickers also destroy evidence, making convictions
difficult.

-- The Forum for Street Children, a domestic NGO funded by
international donors, reports the following cases of
trafficked children and traffickers under investigation:

2004: 251 cases of trafficked children reported; 8 cases
investigated (5 dropped for lack of evidence; 3 still
pending); 11 of 12 cases sent to prosecutors were later
dropped for insufficient charges. 1 individual sentenced to
3 months and 15 days in prison.

2005: 411 cases of trafficked children reported (332 female,
79 male); 5 cases remain under investigation by police; 14 of
15 cases sent to prosecutors later dropped; 1 individual
sentenced to 6 years imprisonment.

2006: 109 cases of trafficked children reported to date (as
of February 2006); 3 cases under investigation; 6 cases
transferred for prosecution; 2 cases pending in court.

-- In February 2006, the assistant prosecutor-general
explained that the federal government previously compiled
information only on the number of "fraud" cases, not
trafficking per se. Such "fraud" cases included
trafficking-related cases, but also unrelated crimes such as
counterfeit checks and other forms of fraud. As noted
previously, the revised penal code now specifically
recognizes trafficking. However, the assistant
prosecutor-general said that the federal government lacks the
institutional capacity or resources to identify only
trafficking-related cases; he cited a total of 70,000
criminal files in the prosecutor's office, which he said
would have to be reviewed individually to determine if they
were related to trafficking.


F. Information on who is behind the trafficking is much
harder to document. According to MOJ, MOLSA and IOM sources,
Ethiopians themselves are behind these trafficking schemes.
There are several operators who have extensive linkages both
throughout Ethiopia as well as in the countries of
destination. In the past, some worked under the cover of
legitimate travel agencies. NGO representatives claim that
traffickers tend to be individuals rather than organizations
and operate on fairly small scale. They do not believe
trafficking is operated or coordinated by international
criminal organizations.


G. The government has investigated cases of trafficking,
employing surveillance techniques in the process. However,
during February 2006 meetings, both domestic NGOs working on
trafficking issues, as well as Ethiopia's assistant
attorney-general, report that police who had been assigned to
special units in Addis Ababa to combat child trafficking had
been transferred from those duties to deal with street
violence associated with recurring anti-government
demonstrations in late 2005 and early 2006. Police and
immigration security officials are equipped to conduct

ADDIS ABAB 00000658 008.2 OF 010


electronic surveillance and undercover operations. But
whatever evidence they have turned up thus far has been
insufficient in convincing judges to convict.


H. Although the government does not provide any specialized
training, it allowed IOM to provide government officials with
information and training in how to recognize, investigate,
and prosecute instances of trafficking.


I. Ethiopia thwarted some the trafficking of victims
transiting Addis Ababa's Bole airport, but according to MOLSA
and the IOM, there is little cooperation with other
governments in the investigation and prosecution of
trafficking cases. The MFA intends to increase awareness
among Ethiopian diplomats of the seriousness of the
trafficking problem in Ethiopia by including the issue in
training programs for its diplomats. The MFA states that
destination countries have not been willing to enter into any
binding bilateral agreements with Ethiopia, despite
Ethiopia's attempts to conclude such agreements. Ethiopia
lacks diplomatic representation in some Gulf states but
intends to open a number of new missions in the coming years,
if funding permits. Its embassy in Saudi Arabia is
accredited to Oman, and its mission in Kuwait is accredited
to Bahrain, for example.


J. According to the MFA, there have been no requests by any
foreign government to extradite a non-Ethiopian charged with
trafficking. The government does not extradite its own
nationals charged with such offenses.


K. There is virtually no evidence of the involvement of
government officials in trafficking schemes.


L. There have been no official reports of the involvement of
government officials in trafficking, but there are specific
if unsubstantiated reports that this practice exists. No
government official has ever been officially implicated or
arrested on any trafficking charge.


M. Ethiopia is not a child sex tourism source or
destination. One foreign national has been convicted of
pedophilia and is serving a nine-year sentence. A newly
established court for women and children has led to several
convictions of Ethiopians for sexual abuse. While these
convictions are not related to trafficking, NGOs see the
court as a potentially useful tool for this purpose.


N. The government signed and ratified ILO convention 182
(2003),ILO convention 29 (2003),ILO convention 105 (1999).

The government has not yet signed nor ratified the Optional
Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the
Sale of Children, Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography
or the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking
in Persons, especially women and children. However, both
protocols have been submitted to the council of ministers for
approval.

QUESTION 24: PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS
-------------- --------------


A. MOLSA and IOM sources report that the government does not

ADDIS ABAB 00000658 009.2 OF 010


have the resources to provide any material assistance to
victims of trafficking. Consulates in Beirut and Dubai
dispense limited legal advice to trafficked victims and
provide temporary shelter to them on occasion. The
government does not provide temporary loans to trafficked
victims who do not have the financial means to be
repatriated. There is neither a specially designated victim
care program nor victim health care facilities in Ethiopia.
Returned trafficked victims must rely on psychological
services provided by public health institutions at their own
expense. MOJ is looking at how to more effectively identify
NGOs or CSOs that can and do provide such services as well as
to improve referral systems.


B. MOLSA, EWLA, and IOM confirm that the government does not
provide any funding or other forms of support to foreign or
domestic NGOs for services to victims.


C. Screening and referral programs are in place in Addis
Ababa principally for children and MOJ intends to expand
these programs to other large cities and rural transport
points. Each Addis Ababa police station has a child
protection unit that collects information regarding the
victim with a view to repatriation to his/her family and then
refers the victim to NGOs for care and safeguarding pending
repatriation. Facilities for young male victims are
extremely limited.


D. The government respects the rights of victims upon their
return. There have been no reports of returned trafficked
victims being detained, jailed, or prosecuted for violations
of other laws, such as those governing immigration or
prostitution.


E. According to IOM, government authorities have not made
any concerted effort to interview returned trafficked victims
about their experiences. Many returned victims fear
retribution not only against themselves from traffickers in
Ethiopia but also against other trafficked persons trapped in
destination countries. There is no legal barrier to victims
wishing to file civil suits or seek legal action against
traffickers. Many opt to remain silent because of
embarrassment and fear of retribution from traffickers.
There is no victim restitution program.


F. The government accords no special protections to
trafficking victims and witnesses.


G. According to MOLSA, the government does not yet provide
any specialized training to government officials in
recognizing trafficking and in the provision of assistance to
trafficked victims, to include the special needs of
trafficked children. However, MOJ reported in 2004 that the
multi-agency task force is looking at how to build this issue
into the curricula for police initial and in-service training
programs. MOLSA reports that many Ethiopian diplomats
abroad remain largely uninformed about the extent of the
trafficking in persons problem in their own country because
this is not part of the training they receive. MFA intends
to include anti-trafficking in future training of diplomats.
The Ethiopian consul general in Beirut collaborates with NGOs
there, such as Caritas, in anti-trafficking efforts.


ADDIS ABAB 00000658 010.2 OF 010



H. MOLSA reports that there is extremely limited government
assistance available to trafficked victims, either in
Ethiopia or in destination countries. The mandate of the
Beirut consulate is to negotiate with employers and agents
under particular circumstances, such as when an employer
refuses to pay a worker's salary or to furnish a migrant
worker with a return ticket. It also reportedly provides
limited legal advice and serves as a temporary shelter for
trafficked victims awaiting funds from family members or
friends to pay off traffickers so that they could return to
Ethiopia. MOLSA reports that the government provided bus
transportation from Addis Ababa to their home villages to a
group of recently returned Ethiopian women who had been
trafficked to Yemen.


I. The EWLA works with trafficked victims. It paid for
counseling and professional training for several returned
victims, and sent an attorney to Beirut on more than one
occasion to offer legal assistance to victims there.

-- The Forum for Street Children is a local NGO that
recognizes the magnitude of the problem of trafficking in
children within Ethiopia. Some of its projects include
opening a center for sexually abused and exploited girls,
which offers educational, counseling, and basic health
information. It also has undertaken a child protection
project within police stations for child victims of abuse.

-- Gemanaye Ethiopia Association is an NGO founded in 2002
for the purpose of creating awareness about working
conditions in the Middle East to young women hoping to
migrate there. Addis Miraf rehabilitation and reintegration
shelter for victims of trafficking established in June 2004
provides limited counseling and vocational training service.
Currently the shelter assists 27 women who are victims of
trafficking.

The government's ability to assist and protect trafficking in
persons victims, despite its political will, is constrained
by lack of funding, personnel, and training. Ethiopia ranks
as one of the poorest country in the world, according to
World Bank statistics. Increasingly cognizant of the problem
and the need to do more, the government has begun to
demonstrate political will to improve the situation
significantly. The government shut down illegal
international employment agencies and enforced immigration
requirements for departing labor migrants. However, a low
conviction rate for trafficking cases sends a clear message
that the risks are minuscule in comparison to the profits
that can be made from this illicit activity. Ethiopia's
under-resourced and overwhelmed judicial system is unable to
vigorously prosecute TIP cases.


2. (SBU) Embassy point of contact: political officer
Nicholas Namba, office: 251-11-517-4111; fax:
251-11-124-2405.


3. (SBU) Number of hours spent in preparation of TIP report
cable: FEOC deputy chief of mission: 1 hour; FS02
political/economic deputy chief of section: 4 hours; FP04
political/economic officer: 6 hours; LES: 6 hours.
HUDDLESTON