Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DAKAR527
2006-03-02 07:47:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Dakar
Cable title:  

GUINEA-BISSAU: TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT

Tags:  PHUM KCRM KWMN ELAB SMIG ASEC KFRD PREF PU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4680
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHDK #0527/01 0610747
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 020747Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4413
INFO RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEAHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 DAKAR 000527 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR G/TIP, AF/RSA, AF/W, G, INL, DRL, PRM, AND G/IWI
BAMAKO FOR TIP OFFICER
CONAKRY FOR TIP OFFICER
BANJUL FOR TIP OFFICER
ACCRA FOR USAID/WARP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KCRM KWMN ELAB SMIG ASEC KFRD PREF PU
SUBJECT: GUINEA-BISSAU: TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT

REF: A. STATE 003836,


B. DAKAR 0325

C. 05 STATE 000674

SUMMARY
-------
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 DAKAR 000527

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR G/TIP, AF/RSA, AF/W, G, INL, DRL, PRM, AND G/IWI
BAMAKO FOR TIP OFFICER
CONAKRY FOR TIP OFFICER
BANJUL FOR TIP OFFICER
ACCRA FOR USAID/WARP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KCRM KWMN ELAB SMIG ASEC KFRD PREF PU
SUBJECT: GUINEA-BISSAU: TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT

REF: A. STATE 003836,


B. DAKAR 0325

C. 05 STATE 000674

SUMMARY
--------------

1. (SBU) Guinea-Bissau is a source of children trafficked
for forced agricultural work and begging, primarily in
Senegal. Muslim Koranic teachers, known as marabouts,
travel from Senegal or send intermediaries to convince
parents to send children purportedly for a religious
education. Children are routinely beaten and subjected to
harsh treatment and often their families never hear from
them again. There are no statistics or reliable estimates
on the scope of the problem. The GOGB has demonstrated
that it has the political will to combat this issue,
particularly in terms of prevention and assistance to
victims, and has devoted scarce resources to trafficking.
However, prosecution would mean getting tough with widely
revered Muslim teachers, a politically unpopular measure.


2. (SBU) Children have been required to beg for food and
money to receive education from Koranic schools for
generations. Some fathers and community leaders who send
children away to learn to read the Koran experienced
similar situations, although abuse appears to be growing
and education dwindling. Public discussion, radio
programs and solid NGO efforts, often in conjunction with
police and Government, have started to bear results,
pushing traffickers into more remote areas to find
subjects. However, there is also a strong sense among
Muslim communities, local officials and national
parliamentarians that parents will continue to send
children away until Bissau-Guineans have local Koranic
schools.


3. (SBU) The NGO "Associaco de Mulher e Crianca" (the
Association for Women and Children or AMIC) leads
coordination efforts for the Government, police and civil
society in terms of prevention and helping returned
victims find their families. In order to get better data

on the extent of the problem and assist NGOs and police to
do a better job of prevention, repatriation and
enforcement, Mission requests that the Department fund
post's anti-trafficking project proposal (Ref B). END
SUMMARY.


4. (SBU) Responses are keyed to questions in Ref A.

Begin TIP report:

Para 21. Overview of a country's activities to eliminate
trafficking in persons:


A. Is the country a country of origin, transit or
destination for international trafficked men, women, or
children? Specify numbers for each group; how were they
trafficked, to where, and for what purpose? Does the
trafficking occur within the country's borders? Does it
occur in territory outside of the government's control
(e.g. in a civil war situation)? Are any estimates or
reliable numbers available as to the extent or magnitude
of the problem? Please include any numbers of victims.
What is (are) the source(s) of available information on
trafficking in persons or what plans are in place (if any)
to undertake documentation of trafficking? How reliable
are the numbers and these sources? Are certain groups of
persons more at risk of being trafficked (e.g. women and
children, boys versus girls, certain ethnic groups,
refugees, etc.)?

Guinea-Bissau is a country of origin for trafficked
children for forced begging, primarily to Senegal and to a
lesser extent Mali and Guinea. Children are sent by their
parents with a marabout or intermediary to study the
Koran. Key source areas are the cities of Bafata and Gabu
in the east. Instead of getting an education, children
are generally forced to beg and remit daily payments of
anywhere from 50 cents to one U.S. dollar plus a kilo of
rice to the marabout. Failure to meet daily quotas earns
severe beatings. Some Koranic schools in Guinea-Bissau
also require children to beg in the long-standing

DAKAR 00000527 002 OF 009


tradition of these schools, but with less abuse and more
education than they get abroad. Some marabouts have
plantations and require children, primarily boys but also
some girls, to work in fields doing seasonal agricultural
work. Boys then are sent to cities to beg in the off
season.

No studies have been completed on the scope of human
trafficking in or from Guinea-Bissau and no reliable
estimates exist. The GOGB has repatriated 28 children
since November 2002 but says there are many more. Police
and NGOs working together helped to intercept another 24
children from being trafficked out of the country.


B. Please provide a general overview of the trafficking
situation in the country and any changes since the last
TIP Report (e.g. changes in direction). Also briefly
explain the political will to address trafficking in
persons. Other items to address may include: What kind of
conditions are the victims trafficked into? Which
populations are targeted by the traffickers? Who are the
traffickers? What methods are used to approach victims?
(Are they offered lucrative jobs, sold by their families,
approached by friends of friends, etc.?) What methods are
used to move the victims (e.g., are false documents being
used)?

Parents of young children are approached by religious
leaders or intermediaries, usually from neighboring
Senegal, and offered the chance to send children for a
religious education where they will be taught to read the
Koran. Because of traditional links between Islamic
communities across borders and the existence of extended
families where distant relatives may be considered
"uncles," the trafficker is often known to the parents.
There are only a few Koranic schools in Guinea-Bissau, but
they are not highly regarded; so parents often feel that
sending sons abroad is the only hope for a religious
education. Marabouts are highly respected in Muslim
society (the majority population in target areas) and are
able to operate with little interference. Parents receive
no compensation for sending their children and in many
cases, pay for the initial travel.

Begging is a traditional cultural and religious practice
at Koranic schools and some middle-aged adults interviewed
by PolOff had similar experiences in their youth.
However, physical abuse of children and profits for
marabouts appear to be growing while education has all but
disappeared. The historical link of begging and Koranic
schools creates a level of acceptance among community
members and impedes efforts by NGOs and governments to
convince parents to stop sending children. AMIC noted
that some institutions (which they term "madrassas") are
better than others and require little begging.

The primary route to Senegal is through the town of
Pirada, where there are police and migration controls.
Another key exit point is the town of Sao Domingos in the
northwest. Almost all traffic is overland, reportedly by
foot, taxi or animal driven carts to the border. Non-
vehicular traffic can easily avoid border outposts by
walking on foot trails through the bush. Border guards
are aware of the problem and, according to the leading
national NGO on trafficking, AMIC, cooperate on
interdiction and repatriation. Yet remoteness, low
salaries, which sometimes go unpaid for months at a time,
and respect for marabouts makes guards vulnerable to
bribes.

Living conditions for trafficked children on the streets
of Senegal's cities can be heartbreaking. Children who
cannot raise the daily payment are beaten so severely that
they often don't return, choosing to sleep in the street
rather than face punishment. It is common for families to
go years without receiving any word from children. Some
children seek help from the Ginddi Center, NGOs,
neighborhood women whom they adopt as mother figures, or
the Bissau-Guinean Embassy in Dakar. Others simply walk
back to Guinea-Bissau. Some parents seek help from police
or NGOs to reunite with children, but they are the
exception. There have been a few successful cases of

DAKAR 00000527 003 OF 009


cross-border government-police-NGO cooperation to reunite
families with children.

Political will exists to assist victims and prevent
trafficking through raising awareness, especially in key
institutions such as the government's Institute of Women
and Children, the Ministry of Justice, the Foreign
Ministry, and among individuals throughout the police
force. However, there is no high-level coordinated effort
to fight TIP. There is little evident political will to
confront TIP in terms of law enforcement. According to
several people interviewed from local governments and
NGOs, enforcement against marabouts is a politically
complicated issue because politicians believe any action
against them will be interpreted by a major voting bloc as
action against the Islamic faith.


C. What are the limitations on the government's ability
to address this problem in practice? For example, is
funding for police or other institutions inadequate? Is
overall corruption a problem? Does the Government lack
the resources to aid victims?

Guinea-Bissau lacks almost everything. Police forces have
received no training on trafficking. They do not have
vehicles to patrol borders; instead they rely on foot
patrols. Communication from border police in Pirada to
the central police headquarters in Gabu, about two hours
away by bus and where traffickers are supposed to be sent
once detained, is by landline phone that often does not
function. Police in Gabu have only one computer and no
effective archive system to facilitate case research.
While police are now receiving regular salaries, they are
still owed nine months of arrears from 1999, when they
worked essentially for free. Repatriated victims
sometimes live with the Gabu police commissioner until
parents can be located, a process that sometimes takes
months because children do not remember where they are
from. The Bissau-Guinean Ambassador to Senegal also
houses children awaiting repatriation when no alternative
can be found. There is no shelter in Gabu, which receives
a steady trickle of children returning from Senegal in
search of families.

Another major limitation is a political crisis that has
pitted the President against the African Party for the
Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC) the
largest party in the Popular National Assembly (ANP). No
significant legislative or policy advances are likely to
be made until the ANP approves the government's program
and budget and the PAIGC drops its claim that Prime
Minister Aristides Gomes' appointment is unconstitutional.

While corruption is likely a factor in the remote towns
and border areas, AMIC believes there is no high-level
corruption on this issue and no one in the Government is
getting rich off the trafficking of children.


D. To what extent does the Government systematically
monitor its anti-trafficking efforts (on all fronts --
prosecution, prevention and victim protection) and
periodically make available, publicly or privately and
directly or through regional/international organizations,
its assessments of these anti-trafficking efforts?

The GOGB does not make systematic efforts and does not
publish assessments of its performance. A police
inspector under the Ministry of Interior has official
responsibility for coordinating enforcement and
cooperation with UNICEF, but these efforts are nascent and
poorly organized.

PARA 22. PREVENTION:


A. Does the Government acknowledge that trafficking is a
problem in that country? If no, why not?

The Government recognizes the trafficking problem and
combats it on many fronts. The Institute of Women and
Children in cooperation with UNICEF and Muslim NGO
ALANSAR, sponsored a four-day conference in April 2005 to
study the issue, identify root causes and educate the

DAKAR 00000527 004 OF 009


public. The Government contributes eight million CFA
francs (about USD 16,000) per year to the operating budget
of AMIC, the country's strongest advocate in fighting
trafficking of children.


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

Agencies involved include the Ministry of Justice,
Ministry of Interior, and the Institute of Women and
Children. There is no task force; so no agency has a
clear lead.


C. Are there or have there been government-run anti-
trafficking information or education campaigns? If so,
briefly describe the campaign(s),including their
objectives and effectiveness. Do these campaigns target
potential trafficking victims and/or the demand for
trafficking (e.g. "clients" of prostitutes or
beneficiaries of forced labor).

The Institute of Women and Children sponsored a conference
to raise awareness (see paragraph 22 A). AMIC, which
receives government funding, conducts regular awareness
efforts on radio stations in the area of Gabu. The Bissau-
Guinean Ambassador to Senegal has also contributed to
awareness efforts on the radio. These efforts are aimed
at parents in Muslim communities, notifying them of the
dangers of sending their children away for Koranic
studies. AMIC notes some effectiveness, saying Gabu
itself has seen a drop in trafficked children, but
traffickers are moving out to outlying areas where people
are not yet as well informed. AMIC and police also use
radio as a last resort in searching for parents of
repatriated children.


D. Does the Government support other programs to prevent
trafficking (e.g., to promote women's participation in
economic decision-making or efforts to keep children in
school)? Please explain.

The Ministry of Justice, in cooperation with UNICEF,
conducted a significant prevention campaign in January

2006. Over the course of a month, 28,000 children were
registered and given identity papers in the Gabu region as
an anti-trafficking measure. While this may seem like an
effort the Justice Ministry should conduct regardless,
what makes it remarkable is that the Ministry dedicated
resources to take the registration effort to the field.
Three main factors work against parents registering their
children in the Gabu region: distance to the capital, cost
and ignorance. The Justice Ministry overcame those and in
so doing, made it harder for traffickers to pass through
border checks with children who are not their own.
Migration officials at the main border crossing of Pirada
claim they now do not let anyone leave the country with a
child unless the parent is present, due to trafficking
concerns. Of course the border remains porous and guards
may be corrupt or unprofessional.

There is no Question E.


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

Relevant actors cooperate well and recognize the
importance of close coordination. AMIC reports that it
gets very good cooperation from local police in assisting
repatriated children and finding parents. There is a good
understanding of issues and updated policies by border
police and migration officials to stop traffickers from
moving children out of the country. AMIC and police work
with religious and community leaders in the regions of
Gabu and Bafata. UNICEF says the Ministry of Justice and
the Muslim NGO ALANSAR are very strong on the issue.
Perhaps the biggest and most noticeable gap is the courts,
which could only point to two pending trafficking cases
and none that had been successfully prosecuted with
traffickers serving time. Another concern is the
inspector at the Ministry of the Interior who claims to be

DAKAR 00000527 005 OF 009


the coordinator on enforcement, but does not have a clear
picture of prosecution efforts in the Gabu region.


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

The Government does not systematically monitor its borders
for TIP, but border guards have been educated by AMIC.
Police provided migration officials at Pirada with photos
of four men who were detained trying to traffic boys to
Senegal. Migration officials described a process they
follow when they identify a potential trafficker: they
detain the person if the adult cannot prove he is the
father, contact the police in Gabu and arrange
transportation back to police headquarters in Gabu.
Unfortunately, these are barely treated as crimes and
trafickers are generally released while parents arecontacted to pick up their children.

Police clai to have increased foot patrols of the border
onthe many paths through the bush into Senegal to stm
trafficking.


H. Is there a mechanism for cordination and
communication between various agecies, internal,
international, and multilateral o trafficking-related
matters, such as a multi-agncy working group or a task
force? Does the Govrnment have a trafficking in persons
working group or single point of contact? Does the
Government have a public corruption task force?

With a number of security concerns in the country, such as
increased international drug trafficking and the urgent
need for security sector reform of the bloated, civil-war
prone military, and numerous social problems, such as a
lack of access to adequate education and health care for
most of its citizens, TIP has not surprisingly been low on
the priority list. However, even with these other
challenges, the Government is doing what it can with the
few resources it has available to it. The Ministry of
Interior has an inspector in charge of crimes against
children who is responsible for coordination on law
enforcement of TIP and cooperation with UNICEF. The
Institute of Women and Children has taken the lead with
respect to public awareness and marshalling government and
international community efforts. The National Assembly's
Ad Hoc Committee for Women's and Children's Issues is also
focused on TIP and has managed to get it introduced to the
legislature's agenda this year. However, the most
effective actors are the NGOs and international
organizations.

There is no Question I.)


J. Does the Government have a national plan of action to
address trafficking in persons? If so, which agencies
were involved in developing it? Were NGOs consulted in
the process? What steps has the Government taken to
disseminate the action plan?

There is no national plan of action to combat TIP.

PARA 23. INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF TRAFFICKERS:

For questions A-D, posts should highlight in particular
whether or not the country has enacted any new legislation
since the last TIP report.


A. Does the country have a law specifically prohibiting
trafficking in persons--both trafficking for sexual
exploitation and trafficking for non-sexual purposes (e.g.
forced labor)? If so, what is the law? Does the law(s)
cover both internal and external (transnational) forms of
trafficking? If not, under what other laws can
traffickers be prosecuted? For example, are there laws
against slavery or the exploitation of prostitution by
means of coercion or fraud? Are these other laws being
used in trafficking cases? Are these laws, taken
together, adequate to cover the full scope of trafficking
in persons? Please provide a full inventory of
trafficking laws, including civil penalties (e.g., civil

DAKAR 00000527 006 OF 009


forfeiture laws and laws against illegal debt).

There is no law specifically prohibiting trafficking in
people. Other laws are currently being used, although
they are weakly applied. The local judge in Gabu
described one case in which a father and his brother were
being prosecuted under Art. 196 of the penal code, removal
of minors. Other laws against sexual exploitation, abuse
and kidnapping of minors may also be useful in prosecuting
trafficking cases. Prostitution is illegal, as is
pimping.


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

There is no trafficking law, but the law against
kidnapping, which may be used in child trafficking,
carries a penalty of two to ten years in prison.


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

The penalty for rape is between one and five years in
prison. Sex trafficking is not specifically covered under
the law and in fact does not appear to be a widespread
problem in Guinea-Bissau.


D. Is prostitution legalized or decriminalized?
Specifically, are the activities of the prostitute
criminalized? Are the activities of the brothel
owner/operator, clients, pimps, and enforcers
criminalized? Are these laws enforced? If prostitution
is legal and regulated, what is the legal minimum age for
this activity? Note that in many countries with
federalist systems, prostitution laws may be covered by
state, local and provincial authorities.

The activities of the prostitute, brothel owner, pimp, and
customer are all criminalized. There are no statistics on
enforcement of this crime.


E. Has the Government prosecuted any cases against
traffickers? If so, provide numbers of investigations,
prosecutions, convictions and sentences, including details
on plea bargains and fines, if relevant and available.
Are the traffickers serving the time sentenced: If no,
why not? Please indicate whether the Government can
provide this information, and if not, why not? (Note:
Complete answers to this section are essential. End
Note.)

There have been no successful prosecutions of traffickers.
Two cases are pending in the courts. In one case in the
Court of Gabu, an uncle of a trafficked child was released
by the court and ordered to find his brother, the child's
father, as they are both implicated in trafficking. The
father has not yet appeared, but if he does not, the court
will summon the uncle to be tried within the next two
months. The judge was confident the defendant would not
flee and would return to face justice. In another case in
Bafata, a man was accused by a mother of selling her
child. The mother was so persistent, even taking her case
to the National Popular Assembly, where she continues to
demand justice, that the alleged trafficker was finally
arrested. Due to poor health, he was released to house
arrest after eight months detention and is awaiting trial.
The child in that case, who disappeared 16 years ago, has
never reappeared.


F. Is there any information or reports of who is behind
the trafficking? For example, are the traffickers
freelance operators, small crime groups, and/or large
international organized crime syndicates? Are employment,
travel and tourism agencies or marriage brokers fronting
for traffickers or crime groups to traffic individuals?
Are government officials involved? Are there any reports
on where profits from trafficking in persons are being
channeled (e.g. armed groups, terrorist organizations,
judges, banks, etc.)?


DAKAR 00000527 007 OF 009


Marabouts from Senegal are the primary traffickers. They
sometimes use intermediaries with community connections to
recruit and transport children to Koranic schools. In
most cases, they are known to communities in which they
operate, AMIC and the police. Some have been photographed
by police for the purpose of prevention. They operate in
the open, protected by their stature in the Muslim
community and the fact that most Bissau-Guinean and
Senegalese politicians do not have the temerity to
confront them. For example, the marabout implicated in
the case described above involving a father and uncle is
named Tcherno Babacar Djalo, DOB Jan. 9, 1946. His
passport identification is on file with other court
documents, but he is not a defendant in the case. The
Bissau-Guinean Ambassador to Senegal can list several
marabouts that traffic children; one of them is his
cousin.


G. Does the Government actively investigate cases of
trafficking? (Again, the focus should be on trafficking
cases versus migrant smuggling cases.) Does the
Government use active investigative techniques in
trafficking in persons investigations? To the extent
possible under domestic law, 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?

The Government does not actively investigate most cases of
trafficking.


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

The Government does not provide any special training on
trafficking, but has said it would welcome any training
that foreign governments or international organizations
can provide.


I. Does the Government cooperate with other governments
in the investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases?
If possible, can post provide the number of cooperative
international investigations on trafficking?

Guinea-Bissau is one of nine countries in the 15-member
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) that
cooperate to combat trafficking in persons. Police in
Gabu contacted police in Kolda, Senegal, in January 2006
to request assistance in identification of trafficked
Bissau-Guinean children. This is a positive step that
shows an increasing understanding of the need for
cooperation in confronting TIP.


J. Does the Government extradite persons who are charged
with trafficking in other countries? If so, can post
provide the number of traffickers extradited? Does the
Government extradite its own nationals charged with such
offenses? If not, is the Government prohibited by law
form extraditing its own nationals? If so, what is the
Government doing to modify its laws to permit the
extradition of its own nationals?

The Government is not prohibited from extraditing its
nationals but has no record of being asked to do so for
TIP.


K. Is there evidence of government involvement in or
tolerance of trafficking, on a local or institutional
level? If so, please explain in detail.

There is no evidence of government involvement in TIP.


L. If government officials are involved in trafficking,
what steps has the Government taken to end such
participation? Have any government officials been
prosecuted for involvement in trafficking or trafficking-
related corruption? Have any been convicted? What actual
sentence was imposed? Please provide specific numbers, if
available.

DAKAR 00000527 008 OF 009



No GOGB officials are known to have been involved in
trafficking.


M. If the country has an identified child sex tourism
problem (as source or destination),how many foreign
pedophiles has the Government prosecuted or
deported/extradited to their country of origin? Does the
country's child sexual abuse laws have extraterritorial
coverage (like the U.S. PROTECT Act)?

There is little tourism in Guinea-Bissau, and there are no
reports of child sex tourism.


N. Has the Government signed, ratified, and/or taken
steps to implement the following international
instruments? Please provide the date of
signature/ratification if appropriate.

ILO Convention 182 concerning the prohibition and
immediate action for the elimination of the worst forms of
child labor.

No.

ILO Convention 29 and 105 on forced or compulsory labor.

Both ratified 21 February 1977.

The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of
the Child (CRC) on the sale of children, child
prostitution and child pornography.

Signed September 8, 2000, and in the process of being
ratified after the ANP was dissolved for a number of
years.

The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking
in Persons, especially Women and Children, supplementing
the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime.

Signed December 14, 2000, but not yet ratified.

PARA 24. PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS:


A. Does the Government assist victims, for example, by
providing temporary to permanent residency status, relief
from deportation, shelter and access to legal, medical and
psychological services? If so, please explain. Does the
country have victim care and victim health care
facilities? If so, can post provide the number of victims
placed in these care facilities?

A lack of resources keeps the Government from providing
any services for victims besides basic transportation back
from Senegal. Benevolent individuals, some with the
Government, some with police, and some NGOs, provide most
other assistance.


B. Does the Government provide funding or other forms of
support to foreign or domestic NGOs for services to
victims? Please explain.

The Government contributes about USD 16,000 to AMIC's
annual operating budget. It cooperates and coordinates
closely with UNICEF, Save the Children (Dakar) and other
foreign NGOs.


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 NGO's that provide short- or long-term
care?

Police in the primary source areas of Gabu and Bafata
generally coordinate with AMIC to assist victims and
locate parents.


D. Are the rights of victims respected, or are victims
also treated as criminals? Are victims detained, jailed,
or deported? If detained or jailed, for how long? Are
victims fined? Are victims prosecuted for violations of

DAKAR 00000527 009 OF 009


other laws, such as those governing immigration or
prostitution?

Victims are not punished or persecuted in any way by
anyone other than their traffickers.


E. Does the Government encourage victims to assist in the
investigation and prosecution of trafficking? May victims
file civil suits or seek legal action against the
traffickers? Does anyone impede the victims' access to
such legal redress? If a victim is a material witness in
a court case against the former employer, is the victim
permitted to obtain other employment or to leave the
country? Is there a victim restitution program?

Nothing impedes victims from seeking justice from their
traffickers other than a cultural perception that
marabouts are above the law.


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 or services
does the Government provide? Does it provide shelter or
any other benefits to victims for housing or other
resources in order to aid the victims in rebuilding their
lives? Where are child victims placed (e.g. in shelters,
foster-care type systems or juvenile detention centers)?

See above.


G. Does the Government provide any specialized training
for government officials in recognizing trafficking and in
the provision of assistance to trafficked victims,
including the special needs of trafficked children? Does
the Government provide training on protection and
assistance to its embassies and consulates in foreign
countries that are destination or transit countries? Does
it urge those embassies and consulates to develop ongoing
relationships with NGOs that serve trafficked victims?

The GOGB embassy in Senegal is a leader in the fight
against trafficking. It coordinates closely with NGOs in
Senegal and the Red Cross to identify, assist and
repatriate victims. It uses its operating budget to fund
assistance efforts and is reimbursed upon justification to
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.


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

The GOGB provides shelter, medical aid and food generally
with the assistance of NGOs and the Red Cross.


I. Which internationals organizations or NGOs, if any,
work with trafficking victims? What type of services do
they provide? What sort of cooperation do they receive
from local authorities?
NOTE: If post reports that a Government is incapable of
assisting and protecting TIP victims, then post should
explain thoroughly. Funding, personnel, and training
constraints should be noted, if applicable. Conversely, a
lack of political will to address the problem should be
noted as well.

As noted above, the Government has no funds to support
even a modest victim assistance program. It relies
heavily on international donor and NGO support not just
for TIP assistance but for many basic functions of a
government, including payment of civil service salaries.
A non-exhaustive list includes the Red Cross, AMIC, RADDHO
(Dakar),Save the Children (Dakar),UNICEF and the IOM.


5. (U) TIP officer for Guinea-Bissau, Gregory Holliday,
who is resident in Dakar, Senegal, can be reached by
telephone at 221-823-4296, x2415 and by e-mail at
hollidaygx@state.gov. Embassy TIP officer spent
approximately 50 hours preparing this year's TIP report.
Our sole FSN in Bissau spent about 35 hours.

JACKSON